VISALIA, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Kaweah Health has selected its next class of residents for its six residency programs, which will join the organization’s 80 resident physicians in serving the community this summer.

The 49 new residents learned of their match on Friday, March 17, also known as Match Day, a day when medical school graduates from around the world learn which residency program they will train in for the next three to seven years.

From September through February, Kaweah Health received over 4,200 applications and interviewed over 700 candidates for the residency programs, according to officials.

It’s always an exciting day and a rite of passage for physicians. For us it’s another chance to celebrate the work we are doing to bring more physicians to our area so that we can improve access to physicians in the Central Valley.

Dr. Lori Winston, Kaweah Health’s Chief Medical Education Officer

Health officials say the incoming residents and fellows will now start making plans to relocate to Visalia, where this summer, they will begin a two-week orientation before starting their rotations at Kaweah Health.

Kaweah Health says their Graduate Medical Education Program began in 2013 and to date, has graduated 148 resident physicians, 40 percent of whom have remained in the Central Valley to practice medicine.