In a significant milestone for healthcare in Palm Beach County, the Health Care District’s teaching hospital, Lakeside Medical Center, recently celebrated the graduation of five new physicians. This marks the 12th class of family medicine residents who have completed their rigorous three-year training program, with the first year coinciding with the Delta wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the underserved, rural Glades communities.
“From day one, this resident class hit the ground running, providing skillful care to patients hospitalized for COVID and other acute conditions,” remarked Dr. Belma Andric, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of the Health Care District of Palm Beach County, during the graduation ceremony on June 27th. “Each resident faced challenges, yet they persevered, profoundly impacting their patients and colleagues.”
The graduating class includes Dr. Reny Cherian, Dr. Katherine Wang, Dr. Kevin Nyabera, Dr. Daphne Metellus, and Dr. Milhenka Auguste. Their comprehensive training covered a wide range of medical disciplines including emergency medicine, critical care, women’s health, psychiatry, general surgery, and more. They also treated patients at the Health Care District’s Community Health Center in Belle Glade, which shares space with the hospital.
One of the program’s goals is to cultivate physicians to practice locally. In line with this, Dr. Cherian, Dr. Wang, Dr. Metellus, and Dr. Auguste plan to continue their careers in Palm Beach County.
“From the start, we began during the height of COVID,” said Dr. Wang, co-chief resident, who plans to practice at HCA Florida JFK Main Hospital. “We relied on the strength of our own seniors, attendings, nurses, and medical assistants, and they did it with such poise. I learned the most about compassion and the lifetime impact such medical decisions can make on someone’s loved ones and family members.”
Dr. Metellus, another co-chief resident, reflected on their rapid adaptation to their roles: “I was surprised by how quickly we adapted to being doctors, putting in orders on patients, truly managing our patients as our own, and how close we became as a class and as a residency program overall. Everyone said the three years would fly by, but I did not believe it. And now here we are at this point.”
Providing comprehensive health care
Family medicine is a medical specialty devoted to comprehensive health care for people of all ages. Throughout their residency training, these physicians have provided access to a range of quality services for patients with complex medical conditions and limited resources.
“The Class of 2024, our graduates, are very special to the residency program; they are resilient and dynamic,” said keynote speaker Dr. Darnel Dabu, who has trained the residents as a family medicine faculty physician and provider at the Community Health Center in Belle Glade. “It is amazing to see them continuously advancing through the years, well-prepared, and ready for success. It requires a big heart to work in health care.”
Supported by a grant from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, the Family Medicine Residency Program hosts 15 residents and partners with Nova Southeastern University and the Florida Department of Health for Palm Beach County. A highlight of the graduation ceremony was the coating ceremony, where the graduates welcomed the program’s five incoming residents.
“Congratulations to our five graduates,” said Dr. Jennifer Dorcé-Medard, Family Medicine Program Director, Designated Institutional Official, and Associate Chief Medical Officer at Lakeside Medical Center. “These physicians are fully equipped to deliver outstanding and compassionate patient care. I thank everyone who contributed to their training and the Glades community for placing their trust in us.”
The residency program, accredited in 2020 by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), ensures it meets the quality standards necessary to prepare its graduates for specialty or subspecialty practices.
