The Wellmont Health System and Lincoln Memorial University’s DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine welcomed nine new residents at the Mountain empire Community College in Big Stone Gap this past Tuesday and graduated their first resident, Dr. Aaron Porter. This program is in its third year and is operated out of Lonesome Pine Hospital and is designed to increase the number of doctors serving the region. Porter will be joining Wellmont Medical Associates. The program will now have 19 residents. The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) has granted approval for the program to have as many as 24 physicians. And in future years will care for patients here at Lee Regional Medical Center as well as other close by medical facilities. Mountain View Regional became a training site earlier this year.