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SGMC Health Welcomes Third Class of Internal Medicine Resident Physicians

Posted on: June 24th, 2024
Michael Heron, MD; Sandhya Lakkireddy, MD; Nikolay Gogin, MD; Moriamo Fashugba, MD; Samuel Edusa, MD; Asma Yasin, MD; Ornob Rahman, MD; Rabail Saeed Shaikh, MD; Patrick Joseph, MD 

SGMC Health, in partnership with Mercer University School of Medicine, is pleased to welcome its third class of Internal Medicine residents. 

Over the next three years, the resident physicians will complete their training under the guidance of Designated Institutional Official Joseph Hayes, MD, Program Director Gregory Beale, MD, Associate Program Director Leslie Lamptey, MD, and a host of skilled teaching faculty, physicians, and staff. They will complete various specialty rotations and care for patients both in the hospital setting and the clinic setting at SGMC Internal Medicine in Valdosta.  

The health system’s third class of Internal Medicine residents includes:  

  • Samuel Edusa, MD 
  • Moriamo Fashugba, MD  
  • Nikolay Gogin, MD  
  • Michael Heron, MD  
  • Patrick Joseph, MD  
  • Sandhya Lakkireddy, MD   
  • Ornob Rahman, MD  
  • Rabail Saeed Shaikh, MD  
  • Asma Yasin, MD

Each year, the program welcomes a class who will spend three years with the system. As SGMC Health continues to expand, it remains dedicated to providing comprehensive training opportunities and fostering a culture of excellence in medical education. 

Dr. Hayes shared his excitement to now have a full program of 24 resident physicians. “We have the privilege of training the next generation of physicians with the foundational skills needed to take care of the community,” he said. “This in turn benefits our patients as they receive high-quality healthcare while also helping to train these physicians.” 

The residency program helps to address the shortage of primary care doctors in rural Georgia, providing patients with access to care throughout the region. It also yields a long-term economic impact for the area with a steady stream of new healthcare providers each year to boost the economy.   

SGMC Health launched its residency program in 2021 with approval from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. It received more than 1,300 applications for the third year of its program and conducted more than 100 interviews before ultimately matching with 9 residents.  

To learn more, visit sgmc.org.