03/12/2020
This is a major milestone for Payson and the start of something truly beneficial for the community and rural communities in Arizona. Thanks to the MHA Foundation for their leadership and support of this project; Dr. Michels for his vision and commitment; and The Rim for hosting this event.
The future of rural health care in Payson and other rural areas depends on Lauren Washatkaâand other medical students like her. Washatka was one of more than 25 medical students interested in practicing medicine in rural areas like Payson, along with local health care providers as future faculty, and University of Arizona medical school in Phoenix, that met to discuss the Longitudinal Academic Strategic Student Opportunities (LASSO). The March 7 conference was sponsored by Arizona Eastern Arizona Area Health Education Center (AZ EAHEC) and facilitated by Dr. Judith Hunt serving as supervising faculty. The University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix recently received accreditation for a rural Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (LIC) program that will be implemented in Payson, for third and fourth year medical residents. The LIC will place medical students like Washatka in a rural medical community where they will learn clinical skills, knowledge and patient management by following patients over time throughout their treatment, providing a continuity of care for patients, local health care providers, and the community of Payson. The students will work with University of Arizona faculty, 20 of Paysonâs 60 physicians will mentor the students, and Dr. Alan Michelsâspearheading the project, Dr. Judith Huntâsupervising faculty, with financial and visionary support provided by the MHA Foundation.
Featured speakers included Dr. Jay Erickson, Assistant Dean for the Montana WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho). He oversees similar programs as Paysonâs LIC in Missoula, Bozeman and Billings. Also speaking was Dr. Jill Konkin, Family Medicine and interim Rural Integrated Community Clerkship Coordinator, University of Alberta, Canada, implementing similar clerkships to Paysonâs. Jill stated the sustainability of these programs require participation by the community âso they feel they are part of something bigger. I am delighted to see that you have that in Paysonâ, referring to the millions invested by MHA Foundation to establish the program.
The Payson LIC program offers a model for solving the shortage of doctors in rural areas. âThe shortage of physicians is a national problem, but it disproportionately affects us in Arizona, said Dr. Guy Reed, dean of the University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix. âWe currently need 563 primary care physicians. In 10 years we will need 1,941 more. Citizens in rural Arizona already acutely feel this need.â Medical students like Washatka are part of the plan to fill those rural provider shortages.
