Campbell University affiliate hospital Cape Fear Valley Health hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on Jan. 14 to celebrate the beginning of construction on the Center for Medical Education & Research and Neuroscience Institute.
Resident physicians and fellows were in attendance including Campbell Osteopathic Medicine alumni who are continuing their medical training at Cape Fear who affirmed the impact this new facility and its resources will have on education and patient services.
“It is really amazing to be part of this groundbreaking ceremony,” said Dr. Gunjan Joshi, a member of Campbell’s DO Class of 2017 who recently returned to complete his fellowship in cardiology at Cape Fear Valley. “The new facility will serve a lot of residents and medical students going forward for decades to come. The 500 seat auditorium for lectures as well as technology including a simulation center where we will be able to train will be tremendous assets. It is an exciting time — I’m very happy to be back as a cardiology fellow and to be part of this.”
The residents and fellows affirmed the project shows current and future residents the university’s and the health system’s shared dedication to the future of medical education. Additionally, the center will provide a much needed dedicated space where residents and fellows can gather and learn from each other as well as through formal training activities and lectures.
“Currently, residents don’t often have opportunities to interact. Having a space where all the residents and fellows can be together and bounce ideas off of each other is going to improve patient care and our skills. We will have easier access to each other’s knowledge as well as formal training,” said Dr. Elizabeth Roe, internal medicine resident and Campbell University alumna (DO Class of 2018).
Dr. Beaulah Vaz, third-year emergency medicine resident, is most excited about having a state of the art simulation lab on site. “As an emergency medicine resident, we don’t have a whole lot of time because we see so many patients, so having the opportunity to train here is going to be ideal.”
“The GME team at Cape Fear Valley do a phenomenal job,” said Dr. Robin King-Thiele, associate dean for postgraduate affairs. “This new facility will compliment the great work they are already doing and make Cape Fear Valley Health a premier destination for medical education.”
The other asset the new facility will house is the Neuroscience Institute. Dr. Charles Haworth, the medical director for neurosurgery, shared how this aspect of the project magnifies the shared mission of Campbell and Cape Fear Valley to improve access to care for Fayetteville and the surrounding communities. The residents also shared how the center is already making a significant impact on patients at Cape Fear Valley by eliminating the need to transfer as many as two to three patients per week for neurology services.
“The emergency department transferred many patients with neurology needs to Duke and UNC before Drs. Haworth and Stamates joined the staff,” shared Dr. Vaz. “Having a bigger neuro team in-house will be better for continuity of care for patients.”
“We have an entire floor of neurology patients. We have used telehealth for neurology consults which is wonderful, but having them in-house is so much better for our training and the patients. Physicians like Dr. Stamates are already a huge asset,” affirmed Dr. Roe.
Surgery resident Dr. Ryan Huttinger elaborated on how this one medical service touches every department especially in regional Level 3 trauma center.
“We are a bustling trauma center with a huge need for neuroscience — specifically for traumatic brain injury and stroke. Being able to care for those patients closer to home is better for the patients — it eliminates the obstacle of travel for acute and follow-up care for the patient and their caregivers.”
Cape Fear Valley Health was among the first health systems to express interest in affiliating with Campbell’s osteopathic medical school; this next phase of investment and development increases the shared capacity to meet rural North Carolina’s health care needs.
“Today, we have a good thing before us — health care, comfort, the stamping out of disease – that is what we celebrate today,” said Dr. Don Maharty, regional associate dean for graduate medical education at Cape Fear Valley Health for Campbell University. “The GME Department — residents, faculty, staff — we are so thankful to everyone who came together to realize this vision.”
For more information on graduate medical education visit https://medicine.campbell.edu/academics/graduate-medical-education/
For more information on residency and fellowship programs at Cape Fear Valley Health visit https://www.capefearvalley.com/residency/index.html