Medical Residencies Set to Boost Primary Care Numbers in Greenville, SC
Physician shortages are on the rise across the country. By 2030, South Carolina is projected to have a shortage of 3,230 doctors, according to the Cicero Institute. Additionally, the state ranks 38th in the country for the availability of active primary care doctors. In the Greenville area, however, two medical residency programs are working to address the shortages.
Bon Secours
Bon Secours’ first class of 12 internal medicine residents began at the St. Francis Downtown campus in July 2025. The class is set to work on a rolling basis like many other schools or training programs. Residents who began in July 2025 will graduate in June 2028.
By welcoming its first residents in its nearly 100-year history, Bon Secours is evolving from being a sole provider of quality care to also being a center for medical education and physician development.
“Our new internal medicine residency program is intentionally designed to foster a strong sense of belonging and purpose, with a curriculum rooted in compassion, mentorship and service,” says Dr. Surabhi Gaur, system medical director for clinical transformation at Bon Secours Mercy Health.
Gaur says Bon Secours recognized a need for primary care and general practitioners in the Upstate.
“Having a residency clinic that directly serves the Greenville community gives our residents firsthand experience in meeting the real-world health needs of the Upstate,” Gaur says. “By investing in these residents and embedding them in our mission-driven approach to care, we’re hoping to build a sustainable pipeline of skilled, compassionate doctors who will be equipped and inspired to serve the Upstate for years to come.”
Gaur says the program’s personalized, mission-driven approach to training sets it apart from others.
“We’ve designed a residency experience that emphasizes resident well-being, one-on-one mentoring and a strong foundation in compassionate, community-focused care,” Gaur says. “Our program blends advanced medical education with the kind of supportive, values-based culture that’s reflective of our mission.”
Prisma Health
The Family Medicine Residency Program at Prisma Health in Greenville was established in 1971. To date, the program has successfully trained 348 residents, and Prisma works collaboratively with the other residency and fellowship programs at Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital, its primary teaching campus.
The Prisma Health Greer Family Medicine Residency Program started in 2020, and the first class graduated in 2023. Out of three graduating classes, so far, two-thirds of graduates have stayed in the Upstate to practice.
In addition to primary care, Prisma Health also offers residency programs in specialty and sub-specialty rotations, such as sports medicine.
“As a program, we try to recruit residents who have an interest in this area,” says Dr. Seth Patterson, family medicine residency program director in Greer. “Our program is focused on community medicine, so residents spend 50% of their time training in our practice, the Center for Family Medicine-Greer, or in other community practices. We offer residents experiences in lifestyle medicine, community outreach, sports medicine, pediatrics and other primary care opportunities.”
Melissa Keller, executive director of graduate medical education administration and operations at Prisma Health, says the program works to train family physicians who can practice a broad scope of family medicine.
“We emphasize compassionate, empathic and focused care of the entire patient and their family or social unit with awareness of the social drivers that influence health and the unique needs of a diverse patient population,” Keller says. “As we grow, we’ll evolve our mission with the needs of our patients, their families and the Upstate.”
Most residency graduates enter community outpatient practices, but Prisma Health has also placed several graduates into primary care sports medicine fellowships and academic family medicine positions.
“Our program has a strong emphasis on lifestyle medicine, understanding how our daily lives and the choices we make influence our overall health,” says Dr. Stephen Carek, family medicine residency program director in Greenville. “We hope to prevent and address disease using the components of lifestyle medicine, taking a comprehensive, whole person approach and providing care that is individualized.”
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