A hospital in Athens is looking to become an educational facility for medical interns.

St. Mary's Health Care System announced Wednesday that it filed with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education to sponsor an internal medicine residency program.

Bruce Middendorf, St. Mary's chief medical officer, said there is already a shortage of internal medicine practitioners in the Athens area, and many physicians are nearly set to retire. He said a residency program at the hospital could help ensure area residents have continued access to essential medical care.

Hospital officials hope to begin hosting resident interns in the summer of 2015.

Tags: health, medical residencies, graduate medical education, St. Mary's Health Care, gpbwell