Piedmont’s Expanded Graduate Medical Education Program Earns Accreditation, to Enroll Residents Fall 2027

Atlanta, Ga. (September 24, 2026) – Piedmont has received accreditation for three new Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs, marking a major milestone in its effort to expand physician training and strengthen healthcare access across Georgia.

The newly accredited programs include:

• Internal Medicine Residency (based at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital).
• Vascular Surgery Fellowship (based at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital).
• Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship (based at Piedmont Athens Regional, with Piedmont Atlanta serving as a participating training site).

Piedmont is currently recruiting residents and fellows for these programs, with the inaugural classes anticipated to begin training as early as July 2027 (Internal Medicine and Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine) and 2028 (Vascular Surgery).

The accreditations build on Piedmont's broader strategy to establish a systemwide graduate medical education program that will train the next generation of physicians while helping address Georgia's growing physician workforce shortage.

"Receiving accreditation for these programs is a significant step forward in Piedmont's commitment to developing the physician workforce our communities need," said Kevin Brown, President and CEO of Piedmont Healthcare. "By training physicians in the communities we serve, we are investing in the future of healthcare across Georgia."

The addition of these new programs expands opportunities for physicians seeking advanced clinical training within Georgia's leading health system. The initiative comes at a critical time as the nation faces a projected physician shortage and growing demand for healthcare services. Research has consistently shown physicians are more likely to practice where they complete their residency or fellowship training, making graduate medical education one of the most effective long-term strategies for strengthening local healthcare access.

"The accreditation of these programs reflects the outstanding clinical expertise, educational resources and commitment of our physician leaders and hospital teams," said Karen Law, M.D., Piedmont’s Chief of GME. “We are excited to recruit outstanding residents and fellows for 2027 and to cultivate training environments that prepare future physicians to provide exceptional care for patients across Georgia.”

By 2035, Piedmont expects its expanded GME program to support hundreds of additional residents and fellows annually across multiple specialties. Future growth plans include additional programs in areas aligned with community needs and institutional strengths, including primary care, cardiovascular disease, orthopedics, transplant medicine, and other specialties.

Physicians interested in learning more about the newly accredited programs and upcoming recruitment opportunities can visit https://piedmontcareers.org/gme/ or email at PHCGME@piedmont.org.