Butler Memorial Hospital’s Butler Family Medicine Residency Program Earns Accreditation

BUTLER, PA – Oct. 29, 2024 – The Butler Family Medicine Residency Program, part of Independence Health System, has earned accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

In late 2021, Founding Program Director Joe Dougherty, MD, CAQ-CM, was appointed to help spearhead the launch of a new residency program, in collaboration with Chief Medical Officer Michael Fiorina, DO, FAAFP. Each year, the Butler Family Medicine Residency Program, a three-year program, will welcome eight new physicians. When fully staffed, the residency program will train 24 resident physicians under the tutelage of dedicated faculty. The program offers residents the opportunity to gain essential hands-on training in the clinical setting while under the supervision of seasoned medical professionals.

Throughout the residency, residents will gain both inpatient and outpatient experience during clinical rotations at the Butler Family Medicine clinic, Butler Memorial Hospital and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. They will train alongside physicians in various specialties, including ambulatory family medicine, hospitalist medicine, obstetrics, gynecology, pediatrics, cardiology, intensive care, and many other specialties. Additionally, residents will engage in numerous community programs, fostering a well-rounded educational experience. Upon graduating, residents will be fully licensed to practice independently within the Butler community and elsewhere.

“Receiving ACGME accreditation is a tremendous achievement,” said Dr. Dougherty. “Our program is designed to equip residents with the skills, knowledge and mentorship they need to excel in their career and make a lasting, positive impact on the community.”

The ACGME is an independent, not-for-profit organization responsible for overseeing the accreditation of residency and fellowship programs in the US. Its rigorous evaluation process ensures that programs meet the highest standards of quality in preparing physicians to deliver safe, high-quality health care.

“This accreditation represents a major milestone for our organization,” said Dr. Fiorina. “In light of anticipated physician shortages across the country and an aging population, our residency program aims to attract and train practitioners who, upon completion of the program, may opt to stay in the region and serve our community long-term.”

Butler Memorial Hospital’s Family Medicine Residency program will welcome its inaugural class of residents in 2025. For more information about the program, visit www.independence.health/ButlerFMR.

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Nationally recognized for quality care, Independence Health System comprises Butler Memorial, Clarion, Frick, Latrobe and Westmoreland Hospitals with a combined bed count of 925. With more than 1,000 physicians and advanced practice providers and 7,300 employees, the System is the third largest in western Pennsylvania serving a population base of 750,000 in a footprint spanning more than 10 counties.

The System includes tertiary programs rated among America’s best for cardiac care and surgery, earning accolades from a number of prestigious outlets and organizations. Locally owned and locally controlled, Independence Health System offers its patients low-cost, high-quality care across the care spectrum in such specialties as cardiology, cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, orthopedics and sports medicine, minimally invasive and robotic surgery, women’s health and obstetrics, emergency medicine, behavioral health and primary care. Its network of outpatient centers sees more than 1.2 million visits annually. The homecare division further supports patients at all stages of life with home health and hospice services. Learn more at www.independence.health