TWIN FALLS First comes the residency.

But after Brooke Jardine completes that final step of her medical training, she plans to head somewhere rural hopefully, in Idaho.

Jardine, a 2003 Twin Falls High School alumna and hopeful future pediatrician, is finishing up her last year of medical school through the University of Washington School of Medicine. Shes there through a 41-year-old partnership among UW and five states Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho (WWAMI) that among other purposes, is meant to train students to become physicians in rural and underserved areas.

Its been going really well, she said.

Two other 2003 TFHS alumni Jake Smith and MaryAlice Lopez will graduate from the UW program with Jardine this June.

Jardine said the program is unique because students spend time in Seattle, but also have five other states to choose from for clinical rotations.

WWAMI gives students experience with urban medicine, university-based medicine and small-town care, she said.

Dr. Mary Barinaga, Idaho WWAMIs assistant dean for regional affairs, said physicians arent distributed evenly between rural and urban areas.

Were trying to get some doctors to go into more rural areas, she said.

It worked for Barinaga. After graduating from the program, she spent 12 years practicing medicine in a small town in north Idaho.

Read more from the original source:
Twin Falls Grads Prepare to Become Rural Doctors