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Graduate Medical Education in Muncie

IU School of Medicine offers three residency programs based at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie: internal medicine, family medicine, and transitional year. As educators, our goal is to instruct the highest quality graduates—competent and compassionate practicing physicians who are active in our community.

IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital is a major non-profit teaching hospital with 360 beds and the largest medical education program in Indiana outside Indianapolis. Graduate medical education programs at Ball Memorial date back to the 1930s. The hospital serves as a tertiary referral center and teaching hospital for east central Indiana and was recently named as one of the top 100 teaching hospitals in the United States.

Clinics staffed by family medicine and internal medicine residents provide low-cost medical care for nearly 25,000 patient visits each year. Many residents also become involved with the local community through volunteer service.

In addition to clinically-focused experiences, academic excellence is encouraged and supported. Residents and faculty publish many articles in peer-reviewed journals and regularly present posters and abstracts at regional and national meetings. Each year, a research symposium held at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital showcases original research and case studies created by residents.

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Internal Medicine

The Internal Medicine Residency program is designed to provide a comprehensive experience in clinical internal medicine.
Learn More Internal Medicine
a resident uses a stethoscope to listen to a child's breathing

Family Medicine

The Family Medicine Residency program offers a comprehensive broad-based education in clinical family medicine.
Learn More Family Medicine
resident wearing a mask and white coat talks to a patient not seen in the photo

Transitional Year

The Transitional Year program offers one base year of clinical training prior to entering advanced specialty residency programs.
Learn More Transitional Year

Resident Benefits

Indiana University School of Medicine residents working in Muncie are entitled to school amenities both regionally and statewide. Details about applying for residency at IU School of Medicine and details on employment are available through the Office of GME. This office serves as the human resource office for residents and fellows. In collaboration with the school’s affiliated hospitals throughout Indiana, the Office of GME provides administrative guidance and professional development for program directors, faculty, residents, fellows and coordinators to enhance administrative expertise toward fulfilling state and national requirements for ACGME, NRMP and other specialty organizations.

Life in Muncie

Muncie offers all the benefits of traditional campus life in a small town—all within about an hour’s drive to bigger-city amenities in Indianapolis. With more than 20,000 students, Ball State University offers access to many cultural and educational opportunities such as theatre, music, great recreational facilities, one of the largest planetariums in the Midwest, and Division I sports. Housing is affordable, and nearby schools are excellent.

Program Leadership

portrait of Matthew Neal, MD

J. Matthew Neal, MD, MBA

Assistant Dean for Graduate Medical Education
Professor of Clinical Medicine

Medical School: Indiana University School of Medicine
Residency: IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital
Endocrinology Fellowship: Indiana University School of Medicine
Board Certification: Internal Medicine; Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism

Dr. Neal is a native of Muncie and completed his undergraduate and medical studies at Indiana University, a Master of Business Administration degree at the University of Massachusetts, and a graduate certificate in epidemiology and biostatistics at Drexel University. He completed his internal medicine residency at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital and fellowship in endocrinology and metabolism at Indiana University. He was appointed as Executive Medical Director, Academic Affairs in 2011 and remains active as a teacher in all programs. He also has a system role as Assistant Dean for Faculty Affairs and Professional Development for the Indiana University School of Medicine.

He has been in the private practice of endocrinology since 1993 and stayed on as adjunct endocrinology faculty at IU Medical Center until 1995. He became an associate director for the Internal Medicine Residency in 1996 and served as program director from 2000 until 2011.

Dr. Neal is a dedicated educator and the author of five endocrinology textbooks which have been used as teaching tools by medical schools and other residency programs as far away as Europe. He is a past winner of the Cullison Housestaff Teaching Award and the IU School of Medicine-Muncie Excellence in Teaching Award, and is the author of many peer-reviewed journal articles. In addition, he has been a question writer for the American Board of Internal Medicine, reviewer for MKSAP (Medical Knowledge Self-Assessment Program) and reviewer for several peer-reviewed medical journals. He has also been a member of the Internal Medicine In-Training Examination Committee, responsible for creating and editing endocrinology content for the IM-ITE from 2016-2020.

Dr. Neal is a Master of the American College of Physicians and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians – London, the American College of Endocrinology and the American Association for Physician Leadership, and is Past Governor of the American College of Physicians’ Indiana Chapter. He has been awarded the CPE (Certified Physician Executive) designation by the Certifying Commission for Medical Management. He is a member of the Authors Guild and American Medical Writers Association. One of his major interests is helping residents improve their writing and presentation skills.