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WWAMI – Living, working the rural life in Libby, Montana while learning to be a doctor.

February 12, 2009 /

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Bear Paw Development Corporation is a private non-profit organization created for the purpose of administering programs to help improve regional economic conditions in Hill, Blaine, Liberty, Chouteau and Phillips Counties and the Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy's Indian Reservations.

Nestled in the Rocky Mountains in the heart of Kootenai Valley, Libby’s beauty and remoteness are known more for attracting outdoorsmen than providing a resource for medical training.

The humdrum of a small town doesn’t evoke exhilarating images of medical students huddled to observe open-heart surgery or brainstorming diagnoses for unusual diseases.

However, Libby has hosted medical students for a few decades now, offering future doctors a glimpse into rural medicine and lifestyle of a small community.

Emily Beck, a third-year medical student at the University of Washington School of Medicine, began her family medicine clerkship last week under Dr. Greg Rice at the Libby Clinic.

“Because I haven’t had any family medicine (training) yet, I’m thinking ‘Wow!’” Beck said last week. “I’m seeing everything so far: old people, young people, babies – I watched a c-section just this morning.”

Beck is part of the WWAMI http://uwmedicine.washington.edu/Education/WWAMI/ (an acronym for Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) Rural Integrated Training Experience, or WRITE program, which sends third-year medical students to hospitals and doctor’s offices in 11 rural communities.

By Canda Harbaugh, The Western News

Full Story: http://www.thewesternnews.com/articles/2009/02/12/news/doc4991dc7f80d6f511866357.txt

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WWAMI funding maintained in initial vote

By DANIEL PERSON Chronicle Staff Writer

HELENA – Amid fears that budget cuts are on the way, state programs that make medical school more affordable for Montana students made it through their first budget committee unscathed Wednesday.

By a unanimous vote, the Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Education approved giving the WICHE, WWAMI and Minnesota dental programs about $1.4 million for the next two years. That is enough to maintain the 43 slots now available each year in the programs.

Full Story: http://bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2009/02/12/news/50wwami%20program.txt