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Blackstone Rural Track — St. Francis Family Medicine Residency

The Blackstone program recruits two residents each year. It places particular importance on residents interested in rural medicine. There is a large focus on outpatient procedures that would benefit physicians passionate about providing care to underserved communities.

Being one of the only medical clinics in Blackstone, residents have numerous opportunities to perform procedures like joint injections, colposcopies, LARC insertion and removal, I&Ds, trauma and much more. The clinic is equipped with an ultrasound machine as well as an in-house lab, allowing residents to advance their imaging skills while providing optimal care to their patients.

Residents of this track receive a well-rounded training of both urban and rural medicine, as they complete all their inpatient training at the main St Francis site. Their outpatient training is a hybrid between the main site and Blackstone.

The Blackstone Family Practice clinic is located about one hour from the St. Francis Medical Center in Blackstone, Va., a rural town of 3,400. The clinic provides care to a heavily underserved population.

Program History

The Blackstone Family Medicine Residency Program is more than 50 years old! It was initially founded in 1970. In 2005, the ACGME regulated that all residency programs had to be located within 30 minutes of the admitting hospital, forcing the program to shut down. However, in 2013, the St. Francis Family Medicine Residency Program developed a rural track and restarted training at Blackstone.

Blackstone Rural Track Site Director

 
Marissa Esquivel, MD

Dr. Esquivel received her undergraduate degree from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va. She went on to receive her medical degree at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Medical School. She completed her residency at the VCU Blackstone Family Medicine Residency Program and since graduation has remained on as faculty. Her passions include teaching, pediatrics and women’s health. In her free time, she enjoys cake baking, home renovations, interior design and spending time with her family.