Transformative Alliance
In a groundbreaking move that addresses Florida’s projected physician shortfall of nearly 18,000 by 2035, Baptist Health and FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine joined forces to establish an Academic Medical Center Enterprise. The strategic alliance, formed in 2023, will expand physician training, research and patient care in South Florida.
“Today we are planting the seed,” said Dr. Juan C. Cendan, dean of the College of Medicine, when the partnership was announced. “In time, we will train more and more doctors, and our researchers will develop better drugs and treatments. And we will measure our impact in the number of lives we touch.”
A recent report commissioned by the Florida Safety Net Hospital Alliance and the Florida Hospital Association paints a stark picture of the challenges the alliance aims to overcome. With a shortage of nearly 6,000 traditional primary care specialists and an additional need for around 12,000 specialists, the Sunshine State is at risk of a health care crisis. However, the collaboration between Baptist Health—the largest not-for-profit health care organization in the area—and FIU offers a sustainable solution.
Baptist Hospital will become a statutory teaching hospital with the goal of attracting highly specialized physicians to lead groundbreaking research and clinical innovation. FIU students, including those in other health programs, will benefit from the increased research as well as from a collaboration with the Miami Cancer Institute at Baptist Health. The alliance will also streamline residency training for FIU students and reduce redundancies, with programs beginning in 2025, including internal medicine, neurology, and diagnostic radiology.
An initial 22 new residency programs and the potential opening of a new clinical site at the main FIU campus are good news for local residents facing a physician shortage in that doctors tend to stay where they obtain their residencies. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges 2023 Report on Residents, more than half (57.1%) of the individuals who completed residency training from 2013 to 2022 in Florida stayed in the state.
In addition, Baptist will manage FIU Health, the College of Medicine’s faculty group practice. Since opening in 2011, FIU Health has been providing quality primary and specialized patient care to the community. The practice includes some of South Florida’s best physicians, anchored by the groundbreaking research and medical education at the university.
Baptist Health President and CEO Bo Boulenger sees this partnership as ushering in a new era. “This enhanced clinical and academic collaboration will be transformative in reshaping health care in the region. The elevation of Baptist Hospital to a statutory teaching hospital is a monumental leap that will expand undergraduate and graduate medical education programs, foster clinical research initiatives, and enhance patient care services.”
FIU President Kenneth A. Jessell emphasizes the significance of this partnership in raising health care standards. “There is a great deal of excitement around this collaboration because it elevates the work both FIU and Baptist are doing. We are creating a rich ecosystem that will result in some of the best health care in the nation.”
Building on a decades-long collaboration
The Academic Medical Center Enterprise builds on decadeslong joint effort between FIU and Baptist Health to meet the health needs of South Florida.
Starting in 2016, Baptist Health expanded the College of Medicine’s signature community-engagement program—Green Family Foundation NeighborhoodHELP—to neighborhoods in South Miami and West Kendall with $8 million in transformational giving.
Consequently, local residents in critical need for primary and preventive care services are receiving household-centered care from a team of FIU health professionals, often through mobile health centers at community sites; patients also are connected to other community providers when needed.
“We are grateful for the support of Baptist Health South Florida, whose investment has enabled us to expand our reach and continue making a positive impact on the health and well-being of those we serve,” says Dr. David Brown, who is chief of FIU’s Division of Family and Community Medicine, leads NeighborhoodHELP and was also instrumental in establishing the Family Medicine Residency Program at West Kendall Baptist Hospital.
“Our program not only provides critical health services and resources to individuals and families in the catchment area of South Miami Hospital and West Kendall Baptist Hospital, but also offers a unique opportunity for students to learn from and work alongside community members.”
In 2013, the College of Medicine and Baptist launched the West Kendall Baptist Hospital/FIU Family Residency Program. With four residents per year, the program offers an individualized approach to preparing clinically skilled physicians who work effectively as part of larger health care systems. Residents receive training in the full spectrum of family medicine, including management of acute and chronic conditions in adults and children, women’s health, sports medicine, health promotion and disease prevention. The first co-hort of residents included two FIU alumni: Dr. Gabriel Suarez and Dr. Andres Rodriguez, who is now assistant dean of students at the College of Medicine.
In addition, Baptist Health currently provides clinical rotations for FIU medical students in 40 specialties and subspecialties. The new affiliation will provide College of Medicine students even further access to Baptist’s dedicated medical staff of more than 4,000 physicians in virtually all specialties, many with national and international reputations.
As South Florida undergoes a transformative shift in its health care landscape, The academic and clinical affiliation between Baptist Health and FIU promises a future where medical education, research and care converge for the greater good of the community. This transformative shift will produce the next generation of physicians, attract world-class experts and engage in cutting-edge research.
“This collaboration is a testament to our shared commitment to pioneering health care solutions, creating a culture of continuous learning and innovation, and providing compassionate, highest-quality care for our community,” concludes Dr. Jack Ziffer, executive vice president and chief clinical officer at Baptist Health.