World-class medical talent comes to Newton Creek

Hailing from around the world and selected from a pool of nearly 200 applicants, a team of eight top-tier physicians in training began their residencies in Roseburg in July.

This is the start of a three-year cycle through the Roseburg Family Medicine Residency Program that will bring two dozen medical school graduates into local practices, including the Umpqua Health Newton Creek Clinic.

The newly minted doctors will rotate through four Roseburg clinics, training alongside local staff and providing patient care as they work to become board-certified family physicians.

Along with bringing talented physicians into Douglas County, the program is intended to develop connections within the community that entice them to stay beyond their residency. Because most residency programs are in large cities, recruiting doctors to rural areas can be a challenge.

Umpqua Health Alliance was a major contributor to the program, dedicating $400,000 to ensure its successful launch and sustainability.

You can read more about the program in the Roseburg News-Review or in the UV Life Magazine.

Meet the new resident

Dr. Eric Wong was born and raised in Hong Kong. He earned his medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine, Dominica, and a Master of Public Health from Chamberlain University, Downers Grove, Ill.

The preventive, cost-effective, pro-active, whole-person, integrative approach to health care he witnessed in Cuba inspired him to pursue a career in family medicine. That experience led him to Missouri where he became an assistant physician.

It was there he had the opportunity to treat an underserved population that further pushed him to a career in direct primary care. It helped Dr. Wong better understand how a trust-based relationship with a physician in concert with preventive care and health promotion can keep patients well and lower health care costs.