MS4 Janett Phelps, exploring Alaska while on rotation.
Rotation Summary
The South Central Area Health Education Center provides rotations for fourth year medical students interested in practicing medicine in a rural setting. Students who are selected for our fourth year rotations have a variety of experiences during their time within the state. Students can expect a full four-week rotation working with the faculty, residents, and staff of the Alaska Family Medicine Residency located in Anchorage. While you are with us, opportunities for a ride along with the emergency flight medevac team LifeMed are available, as well as a three-day rural immersion program to better acquaint yourself with rural Alaskan medicine.
Sunshine Clinic in Willow, AK.
Rotation Experiences
Rotations are fast paced and very energetic. Students comment that they are not just viewed as a single student but as a part of a cohesive group of people working towards the common goal of improved healthcare practices. Alaska Family Medicine Residents work together with the students both in and outside of the clinic setting. It is not uncommon for a resident to invite a student to various activities taking place across the state.
Dr. Barbara Doty (Right) and Dr. Margaret Kepler (Left)
enroute to a Health Center in Kwethluk, AK.
Housing Accommodations
Housing is a short walking distance from the Providence Alaska Medical Center and is supplied free of charge during the rotation. Morning walks over to the Providence Campus may expose the student to some of our local wildlife; it is not uncommon to see moose, geese, or other wildlife pending the time of year.
Student Comments
Janett Phelps, MS4 states,
“Now that I’ve completed other rotations, I can say, the AKFMR program is unique and set apart from other programs by it’s people, setting, and of course it’s strength as a introduction to Alaskan Medicine.”
Sarah Shuttleworth, MS4 wrote about her experience and memorably recalls,
"The physician that met us in Kodiak was so pleased that a medical student was involved that she took the time to give me a tour of the regional health center in Kodiak with an introduction to their Telemedicine program, which allows them to provide healthcare to people in frontier Alaska through Community Health Aids or Practitioners and real-time teleconferencing. The regional health center in Kodiak, which is very rural itself, provides healthcare in this manner to 12 villages that would not otherwise have access to physicians."
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