Maury Regional Health has been caring for this county for 73 years. On August 11, it marked the beginning of something it has never done before.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony at Maury Regional Medical Center celebrated the launch of the UTHSC-Maury Internal Medicine Residency Program, a three-year graduate medical education program built through a partnership between Maury Regional and the University of Tennessee Health Sciences. Ten resident physicians began their training on July 1. A new cohort will join each year.

The program is the first of its kind in Maury Regional's history and one of the more consequential investments a community hospital can make in its own future.

Why This Matters for Maury County

The physician shortage in rural and community settings is real and growing. Specialists are concentrated in urban centers. Primary care physicians are harder to find in smaller markets. Communities that cannot attract and retain physicians face longer wait times, more emergency room visits for conditions that should have been caught earlier, and ultimately worse health outcomes for their residents.

One of the most reliable ways to address that shortage is also one of the most straightforward: train doctors where you need them. Research consistently shows that physicians are more likely to build their practices in or near the communities where they complete their residency training. They form relationships here. They learn the particular health needs of this population. They become neighbors.

Maury Regional and UT Health Sciences understand this. "Training in a community health system offers experiences that are both professionally rewarding and deeply personal," said Dr. Deborah Goldsmith, the program's associate director. "Here, you're caring for neighbors, friends and family while becoming part of a community that values compassion, collaboration and service. We hope many of our residents will build lasting connections here and choose to continue serving communities like ours."

What the Program Looks Like

The three-year program pairs residents with both inpatient and outpatient clinical training. The first year emphasizes hospital-based internal medicine with four-week rotations through pulmonology, cardiology, infectious disease, gastroenterology, and nephrology. The program combines the resources of UT Health Sciences, Tennessee's largest educator of health professionals, with the personalized environment of a community hospital.

To support the program, Maury Regional renovated dedicated space for resident education including classrooms, laboratory areas, and facilities for residents to rest during long shifts. The Maury Regional Health Care Foundation funded a simulation lab where residents can practice procedures in a controlled environment before performing them on patients.

The Long View

Maury Regional CEO Martin Chaney framed the program in terms that go well beyond this year's ribbon cutting. "By investing in physician education today, we're investing in healthier communities for generations to come," he said. "We hope our residents discover not only a passion for practicing medicine, but also a passion for serving communities like ours. If they choose to build their careers here, the impact of this program will be felt for generations."

A county that is growing as fast as Maury County, absorbing thousands of new residents and watching its healthcare needs expand alongside its population, needs physicians who know it. The best way to get them is to train them here.

That is what Maury Regional started doing on July 1.

Sources: Maury Regional Health press release, September 3, 2026. mauryregional.com/InternalMedicine.