Third-year Montana WWAMI medical student Alex Wickens knows firsthand how uncertain the path to medicine can feel, especially for students growing up in rural towns. That’s why he’s committed to giving back by visiting high schools across Montana, encouraging students to consider futures in medicine and educating them about the WWAMI program. Wickens, who grew […]
Alaska WWAMI students are reaping the rewards from the Targeted Rural Underserved Track (TRUST). TRUST helps students get hands-on insight into the benefits and challenges of rural practice throughout medical school while building lasting connections in underserved communities. First-year Alaska WWAMI students Mauri Butzke, Yi Chan and Abigail Moffett recently completed their initial TRUST experiences […]
On June 17, 2025, Idaho WWAMI second-year student Halle Torgerson took the stage at the Governor’s Cup Scholarship Banquet in Boise, sharing her journey from scholarship recipient to future physician. The event brought together state leaders and current scholars. Torgerson received the Governor’s Cup Scholarship as a high school senior after demonstrating a strong commitment […]
New Idaho WWAMI graduate Caleb Allred delivered a powerful and emotional address to classmates during the Transition to Residency Plenary Session in late May. He called on his classmates to embrace compassion, humanity, and intentionality as they step into residency. Caleb shared two deeply personal experiences that shaped him as a new physician and as […]
Montana WWAMI was in the spotlight at the annual Rural Medical Educators Conference in Atlanta, Georgia May 20-23, 2025. Montana WWAMI Assistant Clinical Dean Jay S. Erickson, M.D., and third-year medical student Chelsea Koessel, provided presentations on integrating advocacy into the TRUST (Targeted Rural Underserved Track) curriculum. “Advocacy and community engagement are key to successful […]
On May 22, 2025, Montana WWAMI fourth-year medical student Darcie Caldwell delivered a powerful, personal reflection while representing her class during the University of Washington School of Medicine’s Transition to Residency plenary session. Her speech highlighted the emotional depth of medical training, and the bonds forged within the WWAMI program. In her speech, Caldwell likened […]
Growing up in Anchorage, Alaska WWAMI student Martin Juarez-Alvarado saw firsthand how the cost of care can prevent families from getting the medical attention they need. “Even when care was sought, treatment often had to be delayed or abandoned entirely because they couldn’t afford to pay for services,” he said. Those early experiences sparked a […]
In November, we will be honoring the retirement of our long-serving Montana WWAMI TRUST* Director, Lisa Benzel, after years of dedicated service. Lisa was hired for this newly created position in November 2013 and is responsible for growing and shaping TRUST into what it is today. As director and the face of TRUST for Montana, […]
Alaska WWAMI’s Sophie Nethercut is preparing to advance to the next phase of her medical career: residency. Her chosen specialty, psychiatry, can be traced back to her fascination with people and their personal stories. While attending Yale University and gathering oral histories of various individuals, it suddenly struck her what she wanted to do. “I […]
Did you know caffeine can help to prevent kidney failure in pre-term babies with congenital heart disease (CHD)? Montana WWAMI students Courtney Hallock and Annalisa Hawk are driving forward advancements in pediatric medical research that could help save the lives of infants with CHD. The fourth-year students presented their groundbreaking study at the Pediatric Academic […]
