MY TURN: Love letter to North Idaho from a homegrown physician
In February, many people are writing love letters, and although this may sound cheesy, I thought I’d write one for North Idaho. I am a homegrown Idaho physician in my last year of training, and I wouldn't have gotten to where I am now without the support of my community.
I grew up in Sandpoint, enjoyed the outdoors, playing volleyball and loved science, especially my high school anatomy and physiology classes. While trying to determine my career path, I was encouraged by a professor to shadow a local doctor. It was this experience that influenced me to become a doctor. During this experience, I saw how impactful rural physicians can be in their community by providing medical care and also being involved in local politics, school sports and community service.
In 2016, I started attending Idaho WWAMI Medical Education at the University of Idaho in Moscow. The University of Idaho has partnered with the University of Washington School of Medicine since 1972 to educate and train Idahoans here. This creates a pipeline of physicians that have roots across the state. Idaho WWAMI's impact is evident in the high physician retention rate of 51%, surpassing the national average of 39%.
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