White Coat Ceremony Held for SCRMC’s First Internal Medicine Residency Class

LAUREL, Miss. — July 1, 2025 — The inaugural class of South Central Regional Medical Center’s Internal Medicine Residency Program participated in a white coat ceremony – marking the beginning of their journey into the program. This event, which was attended by representatives from the hospital, local government and state government, signified a historic day for the health system.

Throughout the past several years, SCRMC has experienced exponential growth, established thriving partnerships with other area hospitals, incorporated new technology and expanded its services. The organization now has more than 80 physicians on staff representing 28 medical specialties and employs more than 2,500 people. Over the last year alone, SCRMC has treated approximately 263,000 patients and generated $444 million for the local economy.

“In just two years this program went from a casual conversation in the parking lot to becoming fully executed,” said SCRMC President and CEO Gregg Gibbes. “We did it because our hospital needed to find intentional ways to hire doctors. We did it because training the next physicians — the best and brightest — is important long term. We did it because it is the right thing to do.”

Although South Central has seen remarkable growth in many areas, it recognizes that the need for more physicians at SCRMC — and across the nation — is growing and will continue to increase. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, due to many circumstances, “the United States will face a physician shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036.” Organizations such as the American Medical Association have also spoken out about this crisis, warning that swift action is needed.

Additionally, the need for physicians in rural areas is currently high. According to the National Rural Health Association, “ease of access to physicians is greater in urban areas. The patient-to- primary care physician ratio in rural areas is only 39.8 physicians per 100,000 people, compared to 53.3 physicians per 100,000 in urban areas.”

“The need for physicians, particularly rural physicians, in our country and region has never been higher,” said SCRMC’s Graduate Medical Program Designated Institutional Official, Deepu Thoppil, MD. “We have the ability to begin training physicians, so we feel a responsibility to do so. Data shows that residents tend to stay in the state where they complete residency, which is our hope for our residents.”

The SCRMC Graduate Medical Education Program is thrilled to welcome this inaugural class of residents and plans to continue growing by developing additional residency programs in the near future.

About South Central Regional Medical Center: South Central Regional Medical Center is one of Mississippi’s premier healthcare organizations, offering a wide range of medical services and specialties. Committed to excellence and innovation, South Central strives to deliver compassionate care and superior patient outcomes.