Butler Memorial Hospital as seen on Wednesday, May 15. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Butler Memorial Hospital’s newly accredited residency program celebrated a significant milestone, announcing the four medical students who will make up its first class of residents.

Friday, March 21, was National Resident Matching Day, or just “Match Day,” when fourth-year medical students found out where they will complete their training.

The inaugural class consists of Rachel Cataldo from the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Lauren Duttry from the Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Gerald “Jerry” Eddis from American University of the Caribbean and Amba Pasupuleti from MNR Medical College in India.

“We are thrilled to welcome our first class of residents to the Butler Family Medicine Residency program,” said Joseph Dougherty, director of the new residency program. “We look forward to working with this talented group of physicians, and we are confident that they will provide exceptional care to our patients and contribute to the growth of our the program while making a positive impact on the community.”

According to a news release from Independence Health System, Butler Memorial Hospital’s parent company, the new residency program received more than 170 applications and extended invitations to 20 of them.

The Butler Family Medicine Residency program officially begins July 1, after the four students begin orientation on June 24. They will train alongside full-time physicians in specialties such as pediatric medicine, obstetrics, gynecology, ambulatory family medicine and intensive care.

The program received official accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education in late 2024, giving it the green light to begin classes this year.

Throughout the program, students will rotate between three sites: Butler Memorial Hospital, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and the Butler Family Medicine Primary Care facility on Woody Drive in Butler, while also participating in numerous community programs.

The residency program will run with four students per year for its first two years before expanding to eight for the 2027 season.