HCA Healthcare-Mercer University School of Medicine-Grand Strand Health Program

Program Identity & Fit

This is a community-based, HCA-affiliated Transitional Year program sponsored by Grand Strand Medical Center's Internal Medicine residency, with academic ties to Mercer University, University of South Carolina, and VCOM. Set in South Carolina's busiest trauma center (403 beds), the program combines high-acuity core rotations (inpatient medicine, EM, MICU, night float) with 24 weeks of electives spanning anesthesia, dermatology, radiology, PM&R, and procedural subspecialties, explicitly designed to prepare residents for PGY-2 entry into fields like Anesthesiology, Radiology, Dermatology, and PM&R. A dedicated simulation center supports procedural training (ultrasound-guided lines, paracentesis, thoracentesis), and residents can tailor simulation and elective experiences toward their intended specialty, with research support available through HCA's national infrastructure and Scholarly Commons/journal for those who want it. The program emphasizes wellness and psychological flourishing (autonomy, belonging, competence) as an institutional priority, alongside flexibility to build a launching-pad year rather than a terminal training experience.