UAMS South Regional Campus in El Dorado Celebrates Two Milestones
| The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) South Regional Campus in El Dorado has delivered two firsts this summer: graduating Arkansas’ only surgical obstetrics fellow while ushering in its first class of family medicine rural track residents. Both milestones will strengthen healthcare access for south Arkansas.
UAMS South’s first class of rural track family medicine residents.
C’Asia James, M.D., is the first to graduate from Arkansas’ only surgical obstetrics fellowship at UAMS South. The one-year fellowship trains family medicine physicians to perform cesarean sections and offer advanced obstetric care after completing a three-year family medicine residency.
James is staying in El Dorado to continue caring for the area’s patients. She recently joined the UAMS Health Family Medical Center in El Dorado, where she’ll offer comprehensive care for all ages with a focus on women’s health and obstetrics. She will also train residents as an assistant professor.
Donya Watson, M.D., was James’ program director and also directs the new Family Medicine Rural Track Residency Program in El Dorado. Watson is a 1997 graduate from what was then called the Area Health Education Center in El Dorado (now UAMS South Regional Campus) and returned four years ago as a seasoned family medicine physician with obstetrics expertise. Watson said she is excited that James will be helping her train residents and the next obstetrics fellow.
“As her program director and mentor, I know firsthand her incredible dedication to full-spectrum family medicine, maternal care, and rural health,” said Watson. “The residency program and the community of El Dorado are incredibly lucky to have her passion and leadership. I cannot wait to see the lasting impact she will make on future residents and rural healthcare.”
Molly Mefford, M.D., is the new surgical obstetrics fellow at UAMS South.
Arkansas has only 3.8 obstetric providers per 10,000 women in rural areas, according to the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement (ACHI). Despite the lack of obstetricians, the shortage turns into an opportunity for UAMS’s program.
“It’s unique that we have this volume,” said Watson, referring to the 650 babies born last year and only three full-time obstetric providers. “That provides a volume that is resource-rich for training residents and fellows.”
The surgical obstetrics fellowship began in 2025. The program’s second fellow, Molly Mefford, M.D., began July 1 after completing her family medicine residency at the UAMS West Family Medicine Residency Program in Fort Smith, where she was chief resident.
The same day that Mefford began her fellowship, four residents started their training at UAMS South’s newly minted family medicine residency program. Watson and Janie Ward, the campus’ residency coordinator, started recruiting the program’s first class of residents last summer. The residents will train their first year at Little Rock’s UAMS Health Family Medical Center, UAMS Medical Center, and Arkansas Children’s Hospital before returning to El Dorado for their final two years.
Lemuel Reber, M.D., a UAMS College of Medicine graduate, celebrates his match with the UAMS South family medicine residency in May.
The four new residents are Hammed Bello, M.D., from Evanston, Illinois; Lemuel Reber, M.D., from Benton; Miya Elie, M.D., from Miami, Florida; and Shihab Idris, M.D., from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Once they return to UAMS South, Watson will work with them at the UAMS Health Family Medical Center in El Dorado as well as Baptist Health Medical Center – El Dorado.
A broader look at UAMS’ rural healthcare programs that impact the health and well-being of rural Arkansans can be found at the UAMS Rural Health Hub.