MENTORING INITIATIVE ESTABLISHED AT HOSPITAL

Greenwich Hospital recently announced the first medical resident-driven lecture series envisioned to both educate patients and provide doctors-in-training valuable, interactive experience within the community. Through the generosity of Scott and Icy Frantz, Greenwich Hospital’s residency program has begun a mentoring initiative to inspire residents to practice medicine in the community after graduation and to foster a lifelong passion for serving others.

The monthly, public lecture series is one aspect of the broader initiative, known as the Greenwich Physician Outreach Group, that pairs a Greenwich Hospital resident with an attending physician, who serves as a mentor. After receiving their medical degree, physicians spend three years as residents at Greenwich Hospital learning to care for patients alongside experienced doctors and nurses. The newly launched lecture series provides an opportunity for residents to practice explaining medicine to a lay audience, interact with the public and work closely with an attending physician outside the clinic setting.

The Franz’s gift, which was given in honor of Dr. James Brunetti, also enables the lecturers to disseminate health-related items such as blood pressure home monitors and pulse oximeters. Future talks will cover topics such as colon cancer, living to be 100, and advanced directives and ICU care.

“Greenwich Hospital is part of Yale, a thriving academic health system and this unique program is an example of how education can reach beyond the day-to-day training that takes place in a hospital and give residents the powerful experience of seeing firsthand a physician’s impact on their community,” said Greenwich Hospital President Diane P. Kelly.

The program will expand beyond lectures as the medical residents will add activities to complement their learning to include working with vulnerable populations locally – visiting organizations and local community centers where health assessment and well-being checks can be done.

Greenwich Hospital, a member of Yale New Haven Health, is a 206-bed regional medical center serving lower Fairfield County and Westchester County. It is a major academic affiliate of Yale School of Medicine. Founded in 1903, Greenwich Hospital has evolved into a progressive medical center and teaching institution representing all medical specialties and offering a wide range of medical, surgical, diagnostic and wellness programs.