A shortage of physicians is a problem in South Dakota's small towns. But a new initiative at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine is designed to help fix the problem by sending medical students to rural South Dakota hospitals.
This week the first group of students in the FARM, or Frontier and Rural Medicine program, started their work at five rural community hospitals as a part of their physician training. While other medical students rotate to different hospitals around the state for six week stints, these six students will study in one rural location for the entire nine months. Participating hospitals in the FARM program are in Milbank, Mobridge, Parkston, Platte and Winner.
Dr. Susan Anderson is chair of the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine’s Department of Family Medicine and director of the FARM Program. She discussed the initiative on Dakota Midday.