ALAMOSA — Valley-Wide Health Systems is pleased to announce that the Alamosa Rural Training Track (RTT) Residency Program had its first graduation ceremony June 29 honoring Dr. Rabaiya Ali and Dr. Nataliia Baker. The event was a great success with attendance from program faculty, Valley-Wide and SLV Health administration and specialist preceptors.  Other distinguished guests attended to congratulate and acknowledge graduating residents including Marguerite Salazar, Dr. Ricardo Velasquez and Dr. Barbara Troy. The mission of the Alamosa RTT Residency Program is to provide medical education and training for Family Medicine residents in an accredited residency program while they live and work in a rural community.  Training begins with the internship year at St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center in Pueblo, and the next two years are spent in Alamosa. The residency program is integrated with Valley-Wide Health Systems for primary care and with the SLV Health hospital for specialty rotations.

SLV wishes the graduating residents well in their careers as family medicine physicians. Ali has joined Presbyterian Medical Group Family Practice in Albuquerque, N.M.  Baker has joined University of Colorado Health Family Medicine in Windsor. 

Dr. Carissa Tripi, SLV Health orthopedic surgeon, noted “Our Rural Track residents work with some of the best providers from Valley-Wide and SLVH, so I consider it a great honor to be recognized among them. Precepting residents can be challenging because you have to balance taking time to teach while continuing to give your patients all the time they need during their visit, but the overwhelming benefit is that it keeps us physicians who have been out of training for a while on our toes. We have to know what the latest data and literature suggests in terms of diagnosis and treatment in order to properly train the residents so that they are as up to date as possible when they graduate. Together, we make each other better and this will continue to raise the bar for the quality of healthcare in the San Luis Valley”. 

Dr. Clint Sowards, SLV Health family medicine physician noted “It has been a pleasure to work with Dr. Ali and Dr. Baker.  Dr. Ali’s friendly demeanor and willingness to work and learn will bode well in her future. Dr. Baker’s work ethic will open many doors for her”.

Dr. Tammy Gregg, Valley-Wide family medicine physician and RTT site director noted

“This residency program’s graduation has been a long time in the making for the San Luis Valley.  We are grateful for everyone’s hard work for the possibility of today.  I am excited to see how these young doctors will turn out in their careers and am looking forward to our next graduation as well.”

Tripi was awarded “Preceptor of the Year” by the residents and Gregg received the “Faculty of the Year” award at the graduation ceremony.

For more information, please call 719-589-3658 or visit www.vwhs.org.