Paves Own Path in Family Medicine
For Katie Baker, growing up in Craig, Alaska, meant watching her father, a dedicated family physician, serve and care for the community she calls home. Now retired, his work left a lasting impression on Baker.
“As a little girl, I admired the close-knit relationship my father had with the people in our community,” she reflects.
Rooted in Alaska Native values, the spirit of community and mutual support has always been central to Baker’s worldview. Of Yupik descent, she embraces the community’s principle of taking care of those around you—a guiding force in her decision to pursue medicine.
“Caring for one another, listening to our elders, and sharing what we have are deeply ingrained values for me, and for many Alaskans,” Baker says. “It’s what I want to bring into my work as a physician.”
Her journey into medicine began during college, where she found her passion for healthcare while studying biology. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) and Clark College in Vancouver, Washington, and then went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in biology, with a minor in chemistry from Eastern Washington University in 2019. Afterward, she gained invaluable experience as an Emergency Medical Technician in Craig and as an emergency room technician at Kootenai Health in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. But her heart remained in Alaska—the state that shaped her.
“I’ve always considered Alaska home,” she says.
Now a third-year medical student in the University of Washington School of Medicine’s (UWSOM) Alaska WWAMI program, Baker is currently participating in WRITE (WWAMI Rural Integrated Training Experience) in Kodiak, Alaska, working at KANA’s medical clinic (Kodiak Area Native Association). The WWAMI program is designed to address the region’s shortage of rural physicians and to provide medical students with hands-on clinical training.
“I’m passionate about working with Alaska Native communities,” she says. “Experiencing that in my third year has been incredibly rewarding.”
For Baker, being able to contribute to her beloved state is a privilege.
“Alaska needs doctors in all specialties, but family physicians are especially needed,” she explains.
Baker, her husband Zach, and their 7-month-old son Cole have felt embraced by the Kodiak community since their arrival in September. A nurse immediately offered them baby equipment, and one of Baker’s preceptors gifted them venison.
“The community has been so welcoming,” she says. “It’s that spirit of sharing that I love.”
“Katie is a shining example of how Alaska WWAMI is working to train state physicians to serve Alaskans, especially in our rural and underserved communities,” said Dr. Barbar Doty, M.D., Assistant Clinical Dean for UW SOM Alaska WWAMI program. Imbedding students in a long-term relationship with rural community physicians increases the quality of care provided to state residents and the quality of education offered to our Alaskan students. It also reinvigorates our rural physician workforce. It’s a triple win! “
In March, Baker and her family will move to Anchorage, where she spent part of her early childhood, to begin a three-week OB/GYN rotation at the Alaska Native Medical Center (ANMC). It’s a full-circle moment for Baker, as it was at ANMC where her son, Cole, was born.
“I’m really looking forward to this next step in my journey,” she says.