With primary carephysicians so hard to come by, Billings Clinic has come up with an innovative solution.

It plans to grow its own.

The Clinic is developing an internal-medicineresidencyprogram that at full capacity could be producing as many as six new doctors a year.

The hope is that those new doctors will choose to practice in Montana where most counties have a shortage of primary carephysiciansand 10 counties have no physician at all.

Thestartupinvestment of "several million dollars" will be underwritten by Billings Clinic, Billings Clinic Foundation and grants.

Jim Duncan, president and CEO of the Billings Clinic Foundation, said the proposed program is one of the most transformational initiatives the Clinic has undertaken in nearly two decades.

Billings Clinic last fall applied for accreditation from the Chicago-based Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and completed the site evaluation process in February. A decision is expected in early June.

I feel very positive about that result but you never know until you actually get the letter, said Dr. Roger Bush, the program's director.

If approved, the program would open to the first class of students in July 2014. The program will feature six positions each year in the three-year curriculum, a total of 18 slots when full.

It would be the first program of its kind in Montana, Wyoming and North Dakota. There is one program in South Dakota, two in Iowa and three in Minnesota.

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Billings Clinic starting Internal Medicine Residency Program