Affinia Healthcare has earned full accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) for its Family Medicine Residency Program.

     This is the final step in establishing the program and now allows for the recruitment of future professionals to serve in communities facing declining healthcare options.  

     “North St. Louis County faces a critical shortage of primary care services, with an estimated 75 percent of low-income residents lacking a healthcare home,” said Dr. Melissa Tepe, Affinia Healthcare VP and Chief Medical Officer. “The region struggles with some of the worst health indicators in Missouri — including high rates of infant and maternal mortality, chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension, and poor access to mental health and substance use care.” 

     The newly ACGME-accredited Affinia Family Medicine Residency (which will be based at the Affinia Healthcare location in Ferguson) stands as a vital and timely response to this crisis. As a Teaching Health Center program embedded within a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), it is designed to train physicians in the very neighborhoods where care is most urgently needed.  

       “Graduates of such programs are significantly more likely to practice primary care, remain in underserved communities, and offer integrated services such as behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment,” said Dr. Kenneth Hemba, Affinia Healthcare Family Medicine Residency Program Director. “By anchoring physician training in the community, Affinia’s residency program not only expands access to care but also builds a sustainable pipeline of highly competent providers committed to health access and long-term impact.” 

        The accreditation process, conducted by ACGME’s Institutional Review Committee, ensures the residency program meets industry compliance standards. According to ACGME, accreditation is received through a voluntary process and review based on certain industry standards. The accreditation process is thorough to ensure the program meets the standards for specialty practices to prepare graduates.  

      The Family Medicine Residency program is accepting applications for the 2026 class. The program will focus on Primary Care and Community Medicine (PCCM) experience, spanning all three years of the residency program and focus on outpatient care.  

     Affinia Healthcare was awarded a grant in 2023 for the residency program to help develop future primary care physicians to serve in community health centers. Affinia Healthcare is partnering with A.T. Still University, Christian Hospital and SSM Health DePaul Health Center on the residency program. 

     Affinia Healthcare is the sponsoring institution for this program and received initial accreditation in 2024 which allowed the health center to create the structure of the residency program.  

     “This marks the beginning of a new and exciting chapter for Affinia Healthcare,” said Dr. Tepe. “I want to congratulate our Family Medicine Residency team on all the hard work done so far. We have a great foundation, and I am confident this program will make a positive impact in community health.” 

      To learn more about the Family Medicine Residency Program or to apply, visit www.affiniahealthcare.org/family-medicine-residency/.  

CAPTION: Members of the Family Medicine Residency Program are (from left), Dr. Kristia Abernathy, Dr. Kenneth Hemba, Laura Williams, Project Director; Dr. Mihiret Belihu, and Dr. Alexa Arastoo.