Monroe, LA – FMOL Health | St. Francis has earned accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) to establish a new Family Medicine Residency Program, marking the latest advancement in the organization’s efforts to expand healthcare education and strengthen the physician workforce serving Northeast Louisiana.
The new program builds on St. Francis’s growing graduate medical education portfolio and reinforces its long-standing role as a regional leader in healthcare excellence. With its first class of eight residents set to begin in July 2026, the program will prepare physicians to care for patients across every stage of life while deepening access to primary care throughout the community.
“Accreditation of the Family Medicine Residency Program is a major step forward for St. Francis,” said Thomas Gullatt, MD, President of St. Francis. “It represents the future of healthcare in Northeast Louisiana, one built on education, innovation, and the belief that the best care begins with those who live and train in the communities they serve.”
Residents will gain broad experience across inpatient, outpatient, and community-based rotations in pediatrics, obstetrics, geriatrics, behavioral health, and preventive medicine. Guided by experienced leaders, they will receive mentorship in evidence-based medicine, wellness, and leadership development, equipping them to provide excellent care throughout their careers.
“Our focus is on developing physicians who are both clinically excellent and deeply committed to service,” said Shaista Qureshi, MD, MBBS, DABFM, FAAFP, Program Director of the Family Medicine Residency at St. Francis. “Residents will train in an environment that values collaboration, compassion, and continuous learning, preparing them to meet the needs of patients and families across Northeast Louisiana.”
The Family Medicine Residency joins St. Francis’s accredited Internal Medicine Residency Program, reinforcing its leadership in physician training and supporting FMOL Health’s commitment to advancing academic medicine across the communities it serves.
For more information about the St. Francis Family Medicine Residency Program, visit fmolhs.org/research-education.