Las Vegas, NV – This week Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center says goodbye to the hospital's first class of Family Medicine residents. These residents are not only the first family medicine residents to graduate, but the hospital's first GME graduates. Dr. Maria Baig, Dr. Grace Gu, Dr. Albert Cheng, Dr. Kristina Laguerre, Dr. Greta Gonzalez-Rios, Dr. Uta Guo, Dr. Jennifer Waite, and Dr. Eugene Shin began at Southern Hills Hospital July 1st 2017. Throughout their three years at the Hospital these residents rotated throughout various departments in the hospital including behavioral health and also practiced at Nevada Health Centers.
“It is truly a bittersweet feeling,” said Alexis Mussi, Chief Executive Officer of Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center. “We have watched these residents grow over the past three years and we're excited to send them out into the world to go live what they've learned here with us.”
This past week a small graduation ceremony was held for the 8 graduating residents. The event was streamed on WEBEX so family members could watch from home. Dr. Strohm, the program director for family medicine, led the ceremony. Dr. Strohm said the graduates shaped Southern Hills Hospital and the Las Vegas community.
“I want to thank our graduates – Maria, Albert, Greta, Grace, Uta, Kristina, Eugene, and Jen - for your vision, your grit and resilience – from the beginning and now through unprecedented times with COVID and now our coming face-to-face with the structural racism in our society, and in our medical system," Dr. Strohm said during the ceremony.
Dr. Strohm also touched on two of the graduating residents, Dr. Kristina Laguerre and Dr. Jennifer Waite, who were instrumental in getting COVID–19 testing to vulnerable communities in Las Vegas.
The residents official last day will be June 30th.
“I challenge you all to be agents of change as you advocate for your patients, their families and the communities you serve – now and throughout your careers. As agents of change, may you be leaders and healers with compassion.” Dr. Strohm told them.
The GME program at Southern Hills Hospital continues to grow, in July the hospital will welcome their first neurology residents.
Congratulations again to:
- Dr. Maria Baig
- Dr.Greta Gonzalez–Rios
- Dr. Grace Yu Yi Gu
- Dr. Uta Guo
- Dr. Albert Cheng
- Dr. Kristina Laguerre
- Dr. Eugene Shin
- Dr. Jennifer Waite
