CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Lee Health’s newest internal medicine clinic in Cape Coral will soon be filled with new patients, physicians, and opportunities for healthcare.
Dr. Maja Delibasic, program director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Lee Health/Cape Coral and associate professor of Clinical Sciences at Florida State University College of Medicine says the clinic is part of Florida State University’s internal medicine residency program.
“The cape coral residents are going to get better access to preventative medicine and managing of chronic medical conditions,” said Delibasic.
On Monday, she says patients can start receiving treatment at their new location off Country Club Boulevard on Tuesday, and students who are chosen to participate in the program will start training in July.
“Every institution that does have a residency program benefits because you get that academic educational guide and just being able to teach new physicians I think makes everybody sparkle more and you are more enthusiastic,” said Delibasic.
The program will add 12 students to its residency program each year for the next three years, capping out at 36 total students.
While the residency program will be based at Cape Coral Hospital, it will offer opportunities for residents to also train and see patients at the new Cape Coral Internal Medicine Residency Clinic with oversight from several faculty physicians who will begin practicing at the clinic once it opens.
Delibasic said families working with their young physicians are in very capable hands.
“They are no longer medical students they completed medical school successfully they passed their steps for their medical license, so they are young physicians,” said Delibasic.
The new clinic, which use to be a bank is equipped with 10 exam rooms, a room for vaccine administration, and blood work.
Delibasic told Fox 4 because of the clinic’s location, it will create a shorter travel distance to the Cape Coral Hospital and give an area that doesn't have a lot of physician offices, better access to healthcare.
Lee Health said the residency program is currently in the recruitment process, receiving nearly 1,700 applications to date, including more than 1,000 in the first 24 hours.
Match Day will take place on March 18.
Lee Health said that’s the day when the National Resident Matching Program notifies graduating medical students across the U.S. and Canada which residency program they have been accepted into.
