Health care giant BayCare adds 100 students with expanded residency

Clearwater-based hospital system BayCare announced it is expanding its graduate medical education programs for the 2025-2026 academic year. 

Seven programs will line the new docket, including emergency medicine, adding four more internal medicine programs, another transitional year program and a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry, according to a statement. The programs will add an additional 100 students. 

The programs will take place at hospitals around the Tampa Bay area, including St. Joseph’s hospitals in Tampa and Riverview, Morton Plant North Bay Hospital in New Port Richey, Mease Countryside Hospital in Safety Harbor and St. Anthony’s Hospital in St. Petersburg. 

This will bring the total number of GME programs to 16 serving 280 students, up from the current enrollment of 172 students. 

“BayCare is committed to ensuring our communities have access to the highest-quality care,” says BayCare President and CEO Stephanie Conners in the statement. “We are excited to train the next generation of physicians to serve the families of West Central Florida.” 

The program growth comes amid a statewide doctor shortage. The Florida Medical Association reported Florida Hospital Association’s projection of a shortfall of 17,924 physicians in the Sunshine State by the year 2035. BayCare expects to grow to 650 residents by 2029 according to a release from the hospital system.

BayCare, according to its website, currently operates 16 hospitals and employs nearly 32,000 employees. It had $5.5 billion in operating revenue in 2023.