Trading classrooms for the Idaho outdoors, Alaska WWAMI students Abigail Crawford and Mariah Johnson joined peers from across the region in Coeur d’Alene for an unforgettable weekend of leadership, advocacy, and hands-on training. The annual TRUST (Targeted Rural Underserved Track) Leadership Retreat held August 20–22, 2025, at Camp Lutherhaven, challenged scholars to think on their feet, work as a team, and strengthen the skills they’ll need as future physicians in rural and underserved communities.
“Meeting my peers across WWAMI was special,” said Alaska WWAMI second-year TRUST scholar Mariah Johnson. “We had the opportunity to share our experiences in the TRUST program and the different ways we are navigating rural healthcare across the region, connected by our common mission to practice in similar communities.”
“I especially enjoyed hearing directly from rural physicians, whose stories and experiences highlighted both the rewards and challenges of practicing in underserved areas,” Alaska WWAMI second-year TRUST scholar Abigail Crawford said.
One of the highlights was the interactive Wilderness Medicine session. Students navigated outdoor emergency scenarios, learning to solve problems under pressure, practicing real-world survival medicine, and receiving immediate feedback to sharpen their responses.
The retreat also featured a visit with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, where students gained valuable insights into tribal health and community-centered care, as well as workshops on leadership and advocacy that empowered them to use their voices for change.
Crawford said for her, the most valuable part of the retreat was the set of skills and perspectives she gained that will help her grow into a more effective physician.
“From the workshops to the mentorship opportunities, I walked away with practical tools and a deeper understanding of how to provide care in resource-limited settings while staying grounded in the values of community-based medicine,” she added. “These experiences have helped me return to Alaska with stronger clinical abilities and greater insight into the communities I’ll be serving.”
