Beebe welcomes third cohort of medical residents
Beebe Healthcare has welcomed four new physicians into its family medicine residency — a program based out of the R. Randall Rollins Center for Medical Education.
Resident physicians who train at Beebe expand their clinical capabilities and knowledge with guidance and support from tenured physicians, faculty members and leaders at the Long Neck Health Center, home to Beebe Primary Care Long Neck, where the growing family medicine residency provides care for patients.
“Each year since our inception, we have introduced four new residents. So over time, we are diversifying the people, skills and clinical interests that make up our family medicine residency,” said Joyce Robert, MD, FAAFP, program director. “We are incredibly excited to welcome our new residents and to immerse them into all of the great things that are happening as our program continues to grow and thrive, while increasing access to primary care services for people in our community.”
At the white coat ceremony held in July, medical education leaders announced the intention to seek accreditation for an internal medicine residency and a transitional year residency, which would bring the total number of resident physicians to more than 20.
The newest family medicine residents to join Beebe are Javed Akhtar, MD; Fiza Fatima, MD; William Kang, DO; and Pranav Tiyyala, MD.
A graduate of Dow Medical College in Pakistan, Akhtar has worked as a clinical care provider in urgent care and primary care settings, and also served in the U.S. Army as a medical command officer. Akhtar is interested in chronic disease management, preventive care and creating avenues to increase rural health access. He believes it is important to practice a whole-person approach to care as he works with patients and guides them toward better health and wellness.
“My goal is to become a confident and compassionate physician leader with the skills necessary to serve both civilian and military populations,” said Akhtar. “I look forward to contributing to the growth of Beebe’s residency program and collaborating with others to enhance the training experience for residents now as well as into the future.”
Fatima earned her medical degree at the Shalamar Medical and Dental College located in Pakistan. Upon graduation, she visited the U.S. several times to pursue clinical training programs, a journey that was encouraged by her father because he believed the U.S. was the best place for his daughter to train. Through these meaningful experiences, Fatima’s passion for family medicine grew, along with a specialized interest in preventive medicine, and how vaccinations and screenings can help save lives. These interests led her to Beebe.
“My goal is to become a well-versed physician who can provide empathetic, evidence-based care to patients. I am excited to learn here, and to have a chance to build relationships with patients as well as the faculty,” said Fatima.
Kang completed his medical degree at the Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine. He went into medical school knowing that his clinical focus would be primary care, a field of medicine that involves relationship building, working with patients of all ages and with a wide range of medical needs — all things that are important to Kang. He is especially passionate about emergency medicine, women’s health and mental health, with a focus on understanding and addressing patient needs candidly, directly and openly.
“As a resident, my goal is to immerse myself fully into every clinical rotation and build my skills in all areas of medicine. This will help me become a well-rounded physician who my patients can rely on, no matter what their medical needs may be,” said Kang.
Tiyyala graduated from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. He was inspired to serve as a family medicine provider because of the opportunity the field presents to care for patients in both clinic and hospital settings, while focusing on long-term relationship building and continuity of care. Tiyyala has specialized interests in hospital-based medicine, sports medicine, medical education and community health advocacy.
“Beebe was a good choice for me because it has deep roots in the community, and being part of its residency program will allow me to grow as a clinician while making real impact locally,” said Tiyyala. “The warmth and camaraderie amongst the residents, faculty and staff made me confident that this is the right place for me to be.”
