The partnership between Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola and the FSU College of Medicine has expanded to include the medical school’s sponsorship of Sacred Heart’s residency programs in obstetrics and gynecology and in pediatrics.

In Pensacola, the College of Medicine has been affiliated with Sacred Heart, as well as Baptist Health Care, West Florida Hospital and Santa Rosa Medical Center, since 2003, when the inaugural class first began third-year clinical training at the medical school's regional campuses.

Sacred Heart’s obstetrics/gynecology residency program dates to 1964, and its pediatrics residency program to 1969. The programs have operated since 1995 under the sponsorship of the University of Florida College of Medicine. Both are based at Sacred Heart Children’s and Women’s Hospital. 

“We are very excited about consolidating and expanding all our physician training programs through our affiliation with the FSU College of Medicine,” said Dr. Paul Baroco, chief medical officer for Sacred Heart Health System.

Under the new affiliation, both the residency faculty and the residents became FSU employees in June.

The pediatrics residency program has 18 residents, and the obstetrics/gynecology program has 12. The two programs have a total of 70 faculty and staff. The obstetrics/gynecology program is under the direction of Dr. Clyde Dorr, and the pediatrics residency program is under the direction of Dr. Edward Kohaut. Dr. Alma Littles, associate dean for academic affairs at the medical school, is the designated institutional official responsible for FSU’s oversight of the programs.

“We’re glad to be able to call the residents and faculty at Sacred Heart part of the FSU family,” Littles said. “We know the expanded partnership will have great educational benefits for our residents and students alike.”

Drs. Paul Payne and Chris Sundstrom, members of the 2006 graduating class at the College of Medicine, joined the Sacred Heart obstetrics/gynecology residency this summer.