THOMASVILLE- Archbold Memorial is proud to announce its second class of internal medicine residents.

These five physicians will spend the next three years at Archbold, rotating between specialties with an emphasis on internal medicine. The residents had their welcome ceremony in late June and will begin their program in early July.

The class includes:

Richard Ewoodzie, MD, from Douglasville, Georgia, attended Ross University School of Medicine.

Rishi Kalia, DO, from Tampa, Florida, attended Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Frazier Novak, MD, from High Point, North Carolina, attended St. Georgie’s University School of Medicine.

Julia Patterson, DO, from Doerun, Georgia, attended Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine — South Georgia campus.

Xavia Taylor, DO, from Moultrie, Georgia, attended Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine — South Georgia campus.

“We are thrilled to welcome our second class of residents to Archbold and Thomasville,” said Dr. Raul Santos, Archbold nephrologist and Associate Residency Program Director. “Over the next three years, this group will train and work alongside members of our medical staff in hospital and clinical settings to provide high-quality care to patients in our region.”

South Georgia has a shortage of primary care physicians, and the residency program will focus on training and retaining physicians who will stay in the area to practice. Residency programs are important to communities, especially in rural and underserved regions, because physicians are more likely to stay and practice within 60 miles of where they completed their residency training. Archbold’s program will allow the region to grow its own physicians rather than solely recruiting from outside the area.

For more information about Archbold’s Internal Medicine Residency Program, please visit https://archbold.org/internal-medicine-residency.