Piedmont Family Practice Named 2016 South Carolina AHEC Practice of the Year

The Practice of the Year Award recognizes practices and training sites that exhibit exemplary dedication to the teaching of health professions students and a commitment to serving their communities. The South Carolina AHEC recognizes Piedmont Family Practice as the South Carolina AHEC 2016 Practice of the Year.

Piedmont Family Practice, with locations in Anderson and Greenville counties, is a National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) recognized Level III Patient Centered Medical Home. The practice provides quality comprehensive care with exceptional service to their patients. All of the providers are recognized by the NCQA for providing excellent care for both diabetes and heart disease/stroke prevention. In addition to being board certified in family medicine, several of the physicians are also certified in geriatrics, allowing them to better serve a diverse community.

Piedmont Family Practice serves as a superb example to students of rural medical care, inter-professional teamwork and community commitment. The practitioners have served as preceptors to students for MUSC and South Carolina AHEC for many years. Always willing to accept students, the practice provides preceptors for a number of disciplines including medicine, nursing, and physician assisting. During the past year, they have precepted 14 students from MUSC.

Students often comment on the outstanding clinical experience and the welcoming, pleasant atmosphere at Piedmont Family Practice. The positive and non-intimidating environment allows students to have a greater, richer clinical experience. They receive one-on-one teaching from their preceptors, and everyone at the practice is eager and excited to host healthcare students. Though students are often reluctant to complete a rural clinical rotation, they leave Piedmont Family Practice with a wealth of knowledge and experiences, both clinical and personal.

Upstate AHEC Health Professions Student Program coordinators emphasize that working with the physicians, mid-level providers, nurses and support staff at Piedmont Family Practice is an absolutely wonderful experience. They do not say “no” to a placement request from AHEC. Piedmont Family Practice is always more than willing to take a student (or two) and are flexible with the placement request needs. They have even been able to fulfill last minute placement requests without any hesitation. Their willingness is serve students is one of many examples of how Piedmont Family Practice has committed itself to student education.

The providers and staff at Piedmont Family Practice go above and beyond in supporting the education of health professions students. They have made a commitment to student education and are doing an outstanding job of providing exceptional rural clinical experiences to our students.

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