For Idaho WWAMI student Grace Benjamin of Boise, four weeks in Preston offered a firsthand look at the close connections and continuity of care that make rural medicine unique.
Grace spent June 29 through July 24, 2026 at Franklin County Medical Clinic under the mentorship of preceptor Lance Hansen, MD, as part of the Rural Underserved Opportunities Program (RUOP). The four-week immersion gives rising second-year medical students the opportunity to experience medicine in rural communities across the WWAMI region.
Grace was drawn to medicine by her love of problem-solving and fascination with science and the human body. Her three years as a CNA at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center deepened that interest and gave her experience caring for patients from a wide range of backgrounds. Those experiences also shaped her goal of becoming not only a skilled clinician, but a calm, compassionate and dependable presence for patients and their families.
During her RUOP experience, Benjamin was particularly interested in seeing the continuity of care and close provider-patient relationships that are hallmarks of rural medicine. The experience gave her an opportunity to learn firsthand from rural physicians and explore the unique rewards and challenges of practicing in a rural community.
Outside the clinic, Benjamin enjoys cooking, baking, exploring the outdoors, traveling, or planning her next scuba dive trip.