For Dr. Maureen “Mo” Ferguson, TRUST is about more than preparing medical students for rural clinical rotations. It is about giving them the tools, relationships, and perspective they can carry throughout their careers. “I think that creating those connections, not just between doctors, faculty and preceptors, but between the students, is probably the most important […]
Receiving her white coat marks the beginning of student Heidi Sellmann’s journey toward becoming a physician For Heidi Sellmann, receiving her white coat at Idaho WWAMI’s White Coat Ceremony was more than a milestone. As the first (future) physician in her family, the ceremony offered a chance to reflect on the winding path that […]
When Idaho WWAMI students walk into the interview room at State Hospital South in Idaho, their attending psychiatrist is already waiting for them on a screen. That is Eunice Stallman, MD, and for the next six weeks she’ll be their teacher, their supervisor, and often the person they turn to when the biggest questions of training […]
After more than two decades of leadership with the University of Washington School of Medicine, Dr. Suzanne Allen retired from her role as Vice Dean for Academic, Rural and Regional Affairs in June, leaving behind a legacy rooted in expanding medical education opportunities across the Northwest and preparing the next generation of physicians to serve […]
Ian Qureshi, DO; Jessica Sallstrom, DO, and John Hatzenbuehler, MD Three Idaho physicians have earned Idaho WWAMI Excellence in Teaching Awards after being nominated by the people who have experienced their impact firsthand: WWAMI students. The annual awards recognize physician preceptors who go above and beyond to educate and mentor medical students during their clinical […]
For Roger Turcotte, MD, the path to medicine ran through Idaho and back again. An Idaho native set on returning home to practice primary care, he made WWAMI his first choice for medical school. “As an Idahoan, I was committed to coming back to Idaho and I was interested in primary care, so WWAMI was […]
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 […]
For Idaho WWAMI student Natalie Warr of Boise, the desire to become a physician began early—shaped by watching people she loved struggle to access health care and trust the system. Her RUOP rotation gave her the opportunity to turn that early calling into hands-on experience serving a rural Idaho community. Natalie completed her four-week Rural […]
For Karen Sanchez-Reyes, rural medicine is more than a career path—it reflects the community that first inspired her to become a physician. Karen completed her four-week Rural Underserved Opportunities Program (RUOP) rotation at Valor Health in Emmett from June 29 to July 24, 2026 under the mentorship of preceptor Madison Beatty, MD. The elective gives […]
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 […]
