For Sabrina Allison, caring for others has always been rooted in community. Her RUOP rotation in Orofino offered a chance to build on that commitment while experiencing rural medicine firsthand.
Sabrina completed her four-week Rural Underserved Opportunities Program (RUOP) rotation at Clearwater Valley Health from June 29 to July 24, 2026 under the mentorship of preceptor Ann Lima, 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.
Raised in a large Filipino family in Boise, Sabrina’s path to medicine was shaped by both the care she provided close to home and what she witnessed while visiting family in the Philippines. Seeing how limited healthcare resources and preventable illness affected people she knew strengthened her desire to serve underserved communities.
That commitment led Sabrina to work as a community health worker at free clinics in Boise, where she supported underserved patients and developed a deeper understanding of the social factors that influence health outcomes. She also became a certified birth doula, providing patient-centered advocacy and education during some of the most vulnerable moments in people’s lives.
Through RUOP, Sabrina was eager to expand her clinical experience, learn from practicing physicians and gain a firsthand perspective on providing care in a community different from her own.
When she’s not in the clinic, Sabrina enjoys hiking the foothills with her dog, taking group fitness classes and spending weekends in McCall with family.