MY TURN: Caring for the community you call home

I grew up in Idaho. I played in our lakes, walked the streets of my hometown and went to school with neighbors who are now my patients. Today, as a physician in North Idaho, I care for families in the same community that raised me. That connection is invaluable. It shapes how I approach patient care, understand concerns and build trust.

Idaho faces a growing physician shortage, particularly in critical specialties. But the challenge is not only about increasing numbers — it’s about ensuring physicians choose to practice here. Those of us who were raised in Idaho carry an understanding of our communities that can’t be taught in a textbook. We know the culture, the economic realities and the barriers that affect health. That insight strengthens the care we provide. Care that feels personal because it is personal.

That is why expanding medical education in Idaho matters. The Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah partnership with the University of Idaho creates new opportunities for Idaho students to pursue their medical degrees while staying connected to home. Students who build their training around Idaho communities are far more likely to return and serve them.

For more than 53 years, the University of Idaho has supported medical education through its WWAMI partnership with the University of Washington. Adding a second pathway through the University of Utah expands access while maintaining a focus on Idaho. These programs help develop physicians who understand not just a diagnosis, but the lives behind it.

When doctors practice in the communities that shaped them, the impact is immediate. Patients feel understood. Families trust their care teams. Outcomes improve because physicians recognize local challenges and opportunities. That kind of connection cannot be replicated.

Idaho’s medical education system is at a pivotal moment. By strengthening partnerships and expanding opportunities for Idaho students, we can grow our physician workforce while preserving the community-based care that defines our state.

If we want a healthier Idaho, we must invest in the next generation of physicians — those who choose to build their careers where their roots already run deep. That is the future worth building.

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Dr. Maggie Greene is a Coeur d’Alene native and local physician.