Born in Boise and raised in Kuna, Idaho, Kenya Morales-Luna grew up as the daughter of immigrant parents from Guanajuato, Mexico. From a young age, she often served as an interpreter during her parents’ medical appointments, giving her an early view into the challenges many families face when navigating the U.S. healthcare system. “Through my […]
Across the entire country, there are fewer than 8,000 geriatricians caring for more than 58 million Americans over the age of 65. By 2030, that demand is expected to be more than double. In Idaho, where the physician shortage is already the worst in the nation, that gap is even more acute. “We simply do […]
For years, a complex neurological diagnosis in North Idaho often came with an unwelcome prescription: a long drive. Patients seeking specialized care for epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and other neurological conditions frequently had to travel hours away often across state lines to find it. Dr. Cliff Hampton has spent the last 11 years working to change […]
When Dr. Bethaney Fehrenkamp talks about the immune system, her enthusiasm is immediate and unmistakable: “The immune system is everything, everywhere and plays a critical role in proper development,” she says. As a reproduction and developmental immunologist and Clinical Assistant Professor with Idaho WWAMI, Dr. Fehrenkamp has built her career around understanding how the earliest […]
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 […]
Each March, Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month serves as a reminder that early detection saves lives. While screening and prevention efforts have made real progress, new trends are reshaping who is most affected by colorectal cancer—and why staying up to date on screening has never been more important. According to Dr. Sheev Dattani, a board-certified minimally […]
With Match Day—the annual release of National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) results—on the horizon, fourth-year medical students Chey Malmin and Colton Brodock are charting their next steps together after years of shared training. Having both grown up in Idaho—Chey in Boise and Colton in Emmett—their shared roots played a big role in choosing the Idaho […]
Military service has never been just a duty for Idaho WWAMI second-year medical student Alexander LeBlanc. It’s a calling that continues to shape who he is, and that calling is a family tradition. For LeBlanc, military medicine and medical education are two parts of the same mission: caring for others with skill, integrity, and heart. […]
For Dr. Frank Batcha, Idaho WWAMI’s Assistant Clinical Dean, his decision to enlist in the Idaho Army National Guard years ago was a deeply personal calling rooted in family history. “My father was a WWII veteran, coming ashore in Normandy at Omaha Beach and fighting in the hedgerow country in France until he was wounded,” […]
Last month, ten Idaho WWAMI students stepped into simulated high-stakes medical scenarios that tested their skills, sharpened their instincts, and readied them for the challenging realities of residency. Open to all fourth-year students training in Boise, the sessions offer a concentrated, real-world experience in lifesaving care through Idaho WWAMI’s Critical Care Cardiac Boot Camp. Students […]
