New Medical Residency Program Transforms Doctors and the Community

Alexa Frederique, M.D., is exactly where she wants to be. The Arizona native has joined the first class of physician residents in the new Florida International University/Baptist Health residency program, staying close to both where she completed medical school and her grandparents while launching her surgical career.

“I’m excited to stay in Florida and give back to the community while learning from exceptional faculty in a high-volume surgery center,” the surgical resident says. “The technology and the resources dedicated to this program are outstanding.”

Dr. Frederique’s story reflects a larger mission: training physicians who combine cutting-edge skills with deep community connections. At a time when doctor shortages have reached concerning levels, this innovative program is preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals to serve patients with expertise and compassion.

(Watch Now: Meet the first class of physician residents in the new Florida International University/Baptist Health residency program, pairing high-quality medical care and academic rigor in training physicians of the future. Video by Michael Justiz.)

Investing in the Physicians of the Future

The new physician residents in internal medicine, general surgery and neurology — along with existing residencies and fellowships in family medicine, orthopedics and radiology — are training across Baptist Health hospitals, which include Baptist Hospital, South Miami Hospital, West Kendall Baptist Hospital and Doctors Hospital. Diagnostic radiology residents will begin in July 2026.

“This is a very important investment in the growth of young physicians and in the health of our community,” says Diego Torres-Russotto, M.D., program director of the FIU/Baptist Health Neurology Residency. “When I’m in my clinic, I am helping one, two or three patients at a time. But by training other physicians, I can eventually be helping thousands of patients.”

Choosing Their Residency Programs

FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine graduate and first-year neurology physician resident Carlos Lezcano, M.D., is especially happy to stay in Miami. “It’s an amazing privilege that I’ve been able to do both medical school and residency in my hometown,” he says. “One of the main reasons I chose neurology was for my grandpa who has Parkinson’s. I saw how it affected his quality of life and I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to develop skills so that I can help patients suffering from these chronic conditions live their best quality of life.”

A similar situation shaped the career of first-year neurology physician resident Maria Jacome Llovera, M.D., who chose her specialty in part because of her experience with a family member who had a neurological condition. “I know firsthand what it is to deal with the complexity of a neurological disease,” she says. “I’m feeling very excited and grateful to be here. It’s a great institution that offers the best care to patients, and I’m excited for all the things I’m going to learn here.”

Christopher Senkowski, M.D., program director of the FIU/Baptist Health General Surgery Residency, says the quality of physicians in the inaugural cohort is exceptional. “Surgery is very competitive. I wanted an eclectic group of excellent, caring surgeons who want to stay in South Florida,” he says. “I want them to be academic leaders one day, chairmen of departments, the best surgeons. We have a wonderful team. The potential is tremendous.”

Significant Expansion Over Next Five Years

There are 68 physician residents and fellows from medical schools around the country in the new programs. Over the next five years, the FIU/Baptist Health programs will expand significantly, growing to approximately 325 physician residents and fellows. Baptist Health has additional residents and fellows at Boca Raton Regional Hospital and Bethesda Hospital through the longstanding partnership with Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine.

Baptist Hospital also is on track to become a statutory teaching hospital, further supporting the mission to improve health outcomes through education, research and access to high-quality care.

“We have the high-quality community-based medical care that Baptist Health is known for and the academic rigor of FIU,” says Seema Chandra, M.D., program director of the FIU/Baptist Health Internal Medicine Residency. “We have residents from all around the United States and even the world. We have people interested in primary care all the way to subspecialties in cardiology. We have researchers, we have innovators. But first and foremost, we have amazing physicians who will always put the patient first.”