Category: WWAMI Stories and Features

Read feature stories about students, staff and faculty from across the WWAMI region.

Mentorship Opens the Door to Medicine in Montana: HOPA Mountain

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Across Montana’s rural and tribal communities, HOPA Mountain works at the intersection of education, ecological health and economic development, supporting long-term wellbeing through community partnerships. Within that broader mission, the HOPA Mountain Medical Mentorship Service Learning Project at Montana WWAMI focuses on strengthening pathways into medicine. The program connects aspiring medical school applicants with current […]

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Idaho’s First Pediatrics Residency Takes Root

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When leaders at Full Circle Health began exploring the idea of a pediatrics residency program in Boise, they weren’t just thinking about training physicians. They were thinking about access. For decades, Idaho has faced a severe shortage of pediatricians. In 2019, a feasibility study led by Dr. Perry Brown revealed just how stark the gap […]

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UW Medical Student Briana Martin-Villa Recognized with Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship

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The first lessons Briana Martin-Villa learned about health didn’t come from a classroom. They came from long days in orchards, working alongside her mother and twin brother as their family migrated between California’s Central Valley and Eastern Washington following seasonal harvests. There, she saw the realities many farmworkers face: physical strain, pesticide exposure and illnesses […]

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Hooked in the OR: Erin Petersen Matches in Urology

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Erin Petersen, a Montana WWAMI student, will soon head to the University of Washington after matching into Urology (research track). Her path to urology began with a chance connection. After meeting a urologic oncologist at UW, she became involved in research and quickly discovered the specialty’s remarkable breadth. “After scrubbing in on my first radical […]

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Caring for Women, Strengthening Communities: Aubrey Kessel Commits to Women’s Health

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Montana WWAMI‘s Aubrey Kessel will continue her journey in women’s health after matching into OB-GYN at the University of Michigan Health-Sparrow. Originally from Sidney, Montana, the fourth-year student was drawn to OB-GYN because it offered everything she hoped to find in medicine: the opportunity to build long-term, meaningful relationships with patients across the lifespan while […]

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Match Day Spotlight: Brayden Crowley Head to Carolinas for Emergency Medicine

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After years of hands-on experience and a deep commitment to serving others, Montana WWAMI fourth-year student Brayden Crowley matched into Emergency Medicine at Carolinas Medical Center. Originally from Roundup, Montana, Brayden found his path to emergency medicine early — working as an ER tech in his hometown’s critical access hospital. Even as he kept an […]

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Rooted in Bozeman, Driven to Care: Sofia Shomento Matches in OB-GYN

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After years of dedication to reproductive healthcare, Montana WWAMI fourth-year student Sofia Shomento reached an exciting milestone, matching into OB-GYN at the University of Utah. From a young age, Sofia Shomento found herself drawn to reproductive healthcare—first through her work with Bridgercare in Bozeman, and later through her clinical experiences in medical school. During her […]

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