Piedmont Launches Expanded System Graduate Medical Education Program

ATLANTA , Feb. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Piedmont, a nationally-recognized destination for clinical care, is launching a new Graduate Medical Education (GME) program designed to elevate healthcare quality and access across Georgia. Beginning in 2027, the program will integrate medical and surgical residents into several of Piedmont's clinical hubs, significantly enhancing statewide medical training and care delivery.

Piedmont has recently welcomed Karen Law, M.D., as its Chief of GME to run the program. Dr. Law brings decades of experience in Undergraduate Medical Education and Graduate Medical Education to Piedmont. Previously, she served as a Professor of Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine, Internal Medicine Residency Program Director, and Associate Vice Chair of Education in the Department of Medicine. Through these roles she has mentored countless medical students, residents, fellows, and teaching physicians, and has overseen the start of several new GME programs and primary care clinics.

Currently, Piedmont operates local residency programs at its hospitals in Columbus, Cartersville, Macon, and Athens, with 80 new residents matching earlier this year. The new system GME program aims to build on this foundation by adding residency and fellowship opportunities at Piedmont Atlanta, Piedmont Athens Regional, and Piedmont Augusta. By 2035, the program plans to host 386 additional residents and fellows per year, addressing the critical need for more healthcare providers in Georgia.

This initiative arrives at a pivotal time. With one in three health-care providers nearing retirement age and with an anticipated 27 million adults aged 65 or older by 2050, the United States is projected to face a physician shortage of 124,000 by 2034. Research from the Association of American Medical Colleges demonstrates that physicians often stay to practice where they complete their residencies, making this program a strategic investment in Georgia's healthcare future.

"Piedmont exists to serve its communities and the creation of this program will benefit all Georgians by increasing the quantity and quality of physicians in the state," said Piedmont Healthcare President and CEO Kevin Brown. "One of our values is to 'Embrace the Future' and we are proactively addressing current and upcoming health-care challenges to better serve our state."

The new GME program will begin with Internal Medicine and General Surgery at Piedmont Atlanta. As the program grows, Piedmont plans to offer additional training in Obstetrics/Gynecology, Pulmonology/Critical Care, Orthopedic Surgery, Gastroenterology, Hematology & Oncology, Neurosurgery, Transplant Hepatology, and Cardiovascular Disease.

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SOURCE Piedmont Healthcare