Ellensburg
Ellensburg, Washington WRITE Site
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Kittitas Valley Healthcare Family Medicine Ellensburg 100 E Jackson Ave, Suite 301 Ellensburg, WA 98926 Phone: 509-933-8777 |
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Ellensburg lies in the scenic Kittitas Valley, bordered by the Cascade Mountains to the west and the magnificent Columbia River to the east. The arts meet agricultural in a community known for its seasonal events and enjoyed by its 21,000 residents. www.kittitascountychamber.com
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| Primary WRITE Preceptor
John Merrill-Steskal, M.D., FAAP Family Medicine Dr. Merrill-Steskal enjoys mentoring medical students and loves all aspects of primary care. He has a number of topics of special interest, including the benefits of vaccines as well as discussing and promoting healthy life behaviors. Additionally, Dr. Merrill-Steskal hosts a monthly health radio show on Ellensburg community radio called “Dr. John’s Radio Show.” (eburgradio.org); he and guests have discussed a wide variety of health topics over time. During their time in Ellensburg, students are often invited to be an “expert” on a subject of their choice to be interviewed. Dr. Merrill-Steskal attended The University of Kansas for his medical degree and completed his residency in Family Medicine at The University of Wisconsin, St. Mary’s Hospital and Medical Center, in Madison, Wisconsin.
Participating Physicians: Jamin Feng, M.D. (Internal Medicine) Robert Wageneck, DO (FM practicing OB at our Women’s Health clinic) Vanessa Wright, M.D. (Family Medicine) Site Contact: |
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Clinic: KVH Family Medicine-Ellensburg has been a WRITE site since 2000. The clinic staff includes five board-certified physicians, four physician assistants, and one nurse practitioner, providing care to 10,600 empaneled patients. Physicians also serve as preceptors for students participating in the RUOP (Rural / Underserved Opportunities Program) and TRUST (Targeted Rural Underserved Track). In 2020 the clinic moved to the KVH Medical Arts Center.
Hospital: Kittitas Valley Healthcare is located at 603 South Chestnut is a 25-bed critical access hospital providing services in areas including obstetrics, 24-hour emergency and critical care, imaging, laboratory, inpatient and outpatient surgery, physical therapy, and respiratory care. The hospital’s website is kvhealthcare.org/
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| What to Expect: Students will be scheduled in a continuity clinic with all providers where there will be access to electronic health records. One day per week will be spent with Pediatrics and Obstetric patients with the opportunity to work with potentially 30 deliveries during the course of the program. Psychiatric components will be completed with continuity patients. Students will have opportunities to work with the faculty and residents of the Central Washington Community Health Center- Ellensburg rural training site.
Directions: Ellensburg is located at the geographical center of Washington State. It is located 170 miles west of Spokane and 107 miles east of Seattle. Housing: Student housing, located in a residential area, is available to students on a shared basis. Extracurricular Activities: The area‘s culture is influenced by its history, the presence of Central Washington University, and the economies of the region (hay farming, ranching, and logging). Outdoor activities include superb fly-fishing, rafting, hiking, mountain climbing and skiing. In addition, professional, community and university theaters and auditoriums provide the stages for a year-round schedule of plays, concerts, dance recitals, operas, musicals, films, and lectures. Art galleries and museums can be found on the CWU campus and in the community, featuring fine arts, crafts, pottery, weaving and sculpture. Downtown shopping features a blend of restaurants, art galleries, and unique shops.
Weather Trends: The snowcapped Cascades, rolling foothills, rivers, alpine lakes, desert terrain and fertile valleys form a diverse landscape. The mountains screen much of the rainfall, giving Ellensburg a dry climate with four distinct seasons. There are about 300 days of sun per year and the average precipitation per year is 8”. Average temperatures vary with the time of year: January ranges from 34° to 19° while July temperatures range from 83° to 53°. |
