Brandon Ferguson, MD
HMS Family Medicine Resident PhysicianSilver City, NM (May 7, 2018) – In June 2018, the Hidalgo Medical Services (HMS) Family Medicine Residency Program (FMRP) will graduate its fourth class of competent Family Medicine physicians. In April 2018, both Brandon Ferguson, MD, and Neel Patel, MD, sat for and successfully passed their American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) certification examinations.
Neel Patel, MD
HMS Family Medicine Resident Physician
Darrick Nelson, MD
HMS Chief Medical Officer
and Family Medicine Residency Program DirectorDarrick Nelson, MD, HMS Chief Medical Officer and FMRP Director, stated, "After successfully completing their residency training and obtaining an unrestricted license to practice medicine, both Dr. Ferguson and Dr. Patel will become Board Certified by the ABFM. The HMS FMRP still maintains a 100% certifying examination first time pass rate.
Each graduating resident's ability to successfully pass their certification examination on the first attempt is a testament to the quality of education and experience that our residents receive during their Family Medicine residency training. The ability to train residents at this level of competence would not be possible if not for the quality experiences provided by the volunteer community physicians in Grant County and at Gila Regional Medical Center."
According to the ABFM, Board-certified family physicians voluntarily meet additional standards beyond basic licensing. They demonstrate their expertise by earning Board Certification through the ABFM. Before a doctor can become Board-certified, each must complete four years of premedical education in a college or university, a course of study leading to an MD or DO degree from a qualified medical school, and three years of full-time experience in an accredited residency training program. According to Nelson, Board certification is a meaningful indicator that a doctor has the knowledge, experience and skills necessary to provide high-quality patient care. Although Board certification is voluntary, ABFM certification is recognized throughout the world and signifies excellence in the practice of Family Medicine.
Nelson added, "I truly could not be more proud of our residents, faculty, the program itself, HMS support staff, and the numerous community physicians that volunteer and lend their expertise to HMS residents." Dan Otero, HMS Chief Executive Officer, stated, "I am in total agreement with Dr. Nelson that the HMS Family Medicine Residency Program would not the success that it is today without the contributions made by our medical community."
HMS is Hidalgo and Grant counties' only federally qualified community health center and serves approximately 16,000 patients every year. To learn more about HMS and its Family Medicine Residency Program, please visit www.hmsnm.org or http://newmexicoresidencies.org/silver-city.