As part of Partners In Health Liberia’s ongoing efforts to repair the health system and empower the next generation of health care professionals in Liberia, particularly in Maryland County, where it operates, PIH collaborated with the County Health Team to induct two new residents into the Family Medicine Residency Program on September 3, 2025.
Housed at the PIH-supported James Jenkins Dossen (JJD) Memorial Hospital, PIH collaborates with CHT and the Liberian College of Physicians and Surgeons (LCPS) to operate the Family Medicine Residency Program to increase the number of well-trained physicians who possess the knowledge, skills, and commitment to meet the health needs of the Liberian people. The residency program is a three-year post-graduate course that follows the West African College of Physicians (WACP) curriculum.
Dr. Gerald Ekwen, PIH Liberia’s general surgeon, helps first year resident Dr. Davidlene A. Reeves to wear her white coat. Photo by Ansumana O. Sesay / PIH
The white coat ceremony was held at PIH’s Harper Officer to induct the two first-year residents, Dr. Davidlene A. Reeves and Dr. James C. Dennis Jr.
PIH Family Medicine Residency Program Lead, Dr. Gueilledana Paul, reminded the new residents that the white coat is not merely a garment; rather, “it is a symbol of your professional identity and of the trust society places in you.”
Dr. Paul informed the residents that the coat embodies the values of honesty, integrity, and humanism, and holds deeper significance in fostering relationships with patients, their families, and the entire community.
She said the white coat symbolizes accessibility, continuity, and steadfast commitment.
“It reminds us that our work extends beyond treating illness—we are called to accompany families through every stage of life, to listen attentively to them, to understand their context, and to care for the whole person,” Dr. Paul said.
Dr. Gueilledana Paul, PIH Liberia’s family medicine residency program lead, helps first year resident Dr. James C. Dennis Jr. to wear his white coat. Photo by Ansumana O. Sesay / PIH
Maryland County Health Officer, Dr. Siedoh Freeman, welcomed the new residents. She encouraged them to approach the life-saving tasks ahead of them with commitment, passion, and empathy, as their work is more community-driven. The program also seeks to prepare family medicine doctors for the reality of working in remote, underserved regions across the country.
For PIH, health system strengthening means adequately empowering the individuals who work to make the system strong. PIH is committed to strengthening the local health workforce and developing the next generation of global healthcare professionals through partnerships with international universities and accredited teaching hospitals, as well as side-by-side mentorship and training.
In his keynote address, Dr. John Vanglist Ssentamu, PIH Liberia’s internal medicine and non-communicable diseases lead, also reminded the resident doctors that their success will not be measured only by the letters after their names or the titles on their doors, but by the lives they will impact. “To wear the white coat is a privilege, but to honor it daily is a responsibility,” said Dr. Ssentamu.
On behalf of the Executive Leadership Team of PIH, Dr. Sarah Anyango, PIH’s Deputy Director of Clinical Services, thanked the residents for choosing their specialty in family medicine. She also told them that the white coat is a symbol of trust, respect, humility, and empathy for the patients whom PIHers refer to as “their bosses”.
The Family Medicine Residency Program was launched in July 2017 and relaunched in February 2024, through partnerships with the Maryland County Health Team, the Liberian College of Physicians and Surgeons (LCPS), JJ Dossen Hospital, and PIH. Following its relaunch in February, five resident doctors, including Dr. Flomo Cole, Dr Michelle Ricks-Dargba, Dr. Robert Sieh, Jr., Dr. Kangar O. Diggs, and Dr. Beyan Gweama, were deployed to Maryland County. They have been rotating in different core clinical areas, including pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, surgery, and internal medicine.
