SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND, JANUARY 30, 2024 – CCI Health Services (CCI) announced today that the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has accredited its Family Medicine Residency Program.

The ACGME sets nationwide standards for residency and fellowship programs to ensure safe and effective care. Programs only receive accreditation if they meet the ACGME’s standards and demonstrate compliance with their policies and procedures.

In November 2022, CCI was awarded a Teaching Health Center Planning and Development grant by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to create a family medicine residency program in Prince George’s County. The award distinguished CCI as Maryland’s first Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) with the ability to sponsor residency completion for community-based primary care specialties.

CCI sought accreditation as a Sponsoring Institution (SI), a designation achieved in January 2023. Unique for an FQHC, the SI status paved the way for CCI to sponsor its first residency program, selecting family medicine to address the health professional shortage in primary care.

The CCI Family Medicine Residency Program was developed in response to an urgent need for greater primary care access within Prince George’s County. Landover, Suitland, and Capitol Heights communities are designated geographic Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) by HRSA, while several neighborhoods are designated Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs). A study commissioned by the county in 2023 showed a shortage of more than 1,000 primary care physicians (PCPs).

“ACGME accreditation is our passport to train the next generation of family practitioners to meet the health needs of all members of the community,” said Dr. Sonya Bruton, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President. “Resident physicians will serve, learn from, and be accountable to community members from all walks of life by completing their degree at CCI; that’s equity in action.”

Scheduled to launch in summer 2025, the CCI Family Medicine Residency Program will train resident physicians in the organization’s culturally competent and patient-centered care model. The program will empower physician leaders to deliver effective care that aligns with population needs to improve the lives of neighbors in underserved communities. The program will also serve as a workforce pipeline in Prince George’s County by creating quality health care jobs.

“ACGME accreditation is the culmination of our efforts to launch a residency program that will train family physician leaders to deliver high-quality care to the Prince George’s County community and improve the landscape of primary care in the county and beyond,” said Dr. Mia Riley, CCI’s Graduate Medical Education Program Director.

About CCI Health Services: Founded in 1972, CCI Health Services is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides quality and affordable health care to patients in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. In addition, CCI empowers underserved populations and advocates for a more equitable health care system.