For Wesley Simko, the path to medicine began close to home, watching his father care for patients as an emergency room nurse in a critical access hospital. His RUOP experience in Hailey gave him another opportunity to see the difference a physician can make in a rural community.
An Idaho WWAMI student, Wesley completed his four-week Rural Underserved Opportunities Program (RUOP) rotation from June 29 to July 24, 2026 under the mentorship of preceptor Joseph Pendleton, MD. The elective gives rising second-year students an opportunity to immerse themselves in community medicine while learning firsthand about the unique challenges and rewards of practicing in rural and underserved communities.
Growing up in Sandpoint, Wesley saw firsthand the impact health care can have in a rural community through his father’s work. That experience, combined with his love of science and desire to help people through difficult circumstances, inspired him to pursue medicine.
His experiences since then have taken him well beyond Idaho. While in Hawaii, Wesley conducted research in the Tropical Medicine department at the
John A. Burns School of Medicine, studying the infectious cycle of SARS-CoV-2. He found the experience particularly rewarding because of the opportunity to work alongside a dedicated team focused on finding solutions to complex health challenges.
He was also deeply affected by his work at a medical detox facility serving unhoused populations in Honolulu. Witnessing the resilience of the people he encountered—and the commitment of the staff who cared for them—shaped his understanding of the responsibilities of a physician.
Now, Wesley is keeping his specialty options open but is particularly interested in emergency medicine. Through RUOP and the TRUST program, he values the opportunity to gain clinical experience early in medical school while spending enough time in a community to truly get to know its people.
“I love that the program allows me to have a lot of clinical experiences in my first couple years of medical school,” Wesley said. “The amount of time I get to spend at my TRUST site means that I have the opportunity to really get to know the community.”
Wesley said it’s the opportunity to get out into the community, talk with people and hear their stories that keeps him excited about becoming a physician. Through those experiences, he continues to discover what it means to care for patients and serve a community.
Outside of medicine, Wesley loves to travel and spend time outdoors. His favorite pursuits include running, skiing, surfing and freediving.