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Training the Future of Montana Medicine

From medical school to practicing family medicine, UW School of Medicine’s rural training programs make it possible for Montana’s students to serve their communities.

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Did you know that many students who pursue careers in rural areas or small cities in the WWAMI region (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) come from rural communities themselves? After graduating, they often return to their own or similar communities throughout the five-state area to practice.

Watch this video to learn how Trey Dschaack, a third-year medical student, and other School of Medicine alumni have made the journey from Montana to medical school and back to care for their communities.

"If you can commit to a rural area, you can really make a difference in people's lives, and that’s super rewarding."

- Marjorie Albers, MD ’18

Featured Programs

UW School of Medicine RUOP students.

RUOP — Rural Underserved Opportunities Program

RUOP is a four-week elective rotation where students live in rural or urban under-resourced communities throughout the WWAMI region. They work side-by-side with local physicians, providing health care to underserved populations.

UW School of Medicine TRUST students

TRUST — Targeted Rural Underserved Track

This track prepares students for future practice in underserved rural areas and underserved small cities of the WWAMI region. Students who choose TRUST start with a one- to two-week summer experience in a WWAMI community, then they return to that same community throughout the first 18 months of their medical education.

UW School of Medicine WRITE students.

WRITE — WWAMI Rural Integrated Training Experience

WRITE offers selected third-year medical students a 21-to-24-week clinical education experience at a rural primary care teaching site. Throughout the clerkship, the emphasis is on the rural physician’s roles and responsibilities to diagnose, treat and manage a wide range of health problems.

Learn more about rural programs and WWAMI:

Rural programs

You can train tomorrow's medical leaders

Help students like Trey become physicians for rural and underserved communities by making a caring gift to scholarships that support students across the WWAMI region.

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Related Stories
Returning to My Community
How scholarships put Wyatt Bowles, a medical student at the University of Washington School of Medicine, on the path to becoming a small-town doctor for his hometown.
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Joan “Mutt” Dickson, MD ’97, invites you to join her in supporting scholarships for Montana medical students at the UW School of Medicine.
From First Responder to First-Generation Medical Student
How scholarships are helping Kathryne Mitchell, a former firefighter and paramedic, pursue her dream of becoming a doctor and giving back to her Alaska community.