The American College of Physicians, the second-largest physician group in the United States, named the Med-Peds residency program taught by Wayne State University School of Medicine faculty a 2021 “Elite Residency Program.”

The residency program is directed by School of Medicine Associate Professor of Medicine Eric Ayers, M.D., FAAP, FACP, who is also section chief of Med-Peds in the divisions of General Internal Medicine and of General Pediatrics-Adolescent Medicine at WSU.

The ACP is a national organization of internists, who specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and care of adults. With 154,000 members, ACP is the largest medical-specialty organization and second-largest physician group in the U.S., after the American Medical Association.

Med-Peds residents are integrated into both the Medicine and Pediatrics departments, and are taught by hybrid-trained faculty in each department. The program offers a diverse and challenging patient population in Detroit, and residents are at the forefront of caring for an urban, underserved population.

“We the faculty and residents recognize that there are other worthy programs that did exactly what we have done. So we humbly accept this award in the spirit of collegiality, service, education, safety and the well-being of the patients we serve,” Dr. Ayers said. “It is our mission to be prepared, be of service, and achieve in our unique field of medicine dual certification in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics to provide as many patients as possible with the utmost care they deserve.”

The Med-Peds program has 23 residents, with five new residents beginning in July. The program prepares residents to be excellent comprehensive primary care physicians while providing the tools and skills to pursue subspecialty fellowships. Residents can pursue rotations in global health, community health and transitional medicine. They see patients in ambulatory clinics in Detroit as well as at the Detroit Medical Center’s Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Detroit Receiving Hospital and Harper Hospital.

“The recognition of being an Elite Residency Program is indeed an honor, especially when one looks back over the events of the past year. The ACP bestowed this honor on our program based on our commitment in advocating for our residents’ mental wellness and our unwavering commitment to lifelong education and professional development,” Dr. Ayers said. “It recognizes the tremendous effort in adapting to the challenge of the pandemic by maintaining and supporting the educational and professional development of our residents through educational committees and mentorship programs, to name a few.”