Doing a WWAMI rotation in Jackson truly enhanced my medicine residency experience! During this rotation I was precepted by Dr. Martha Stern, and I had the opportunity to take care of patients in the outpatient setting, on the medicine wards, in the ER and the ICU. I value this experience because I was able to focus on continuity of care by taking care of the same patients in clinic and in the hospital. The radiologists, surgeons, and emergency room physicians were a delight as well, and they often went out of their way to provide teaching. I appreciated the sense of community and collaborative work amongst the physicians working in Jackson.
Being in this amazing town speaks for itself, and of course I had plenty of free time to ski, hike, and trail run. I hiked in Yellowstone National Park with my preceptor, and we even waded in the natural hot springs while being watched by a group of buffalo! I woke-up every morning with an amazing view of the Grand Tetons, and met people from all walks of life in this small town.
A month in Jackson was not enough…
This picture was taken on a Sunday afternoon, Dr Loge and I cross-country skied out to a spring by his cabin. Once there we made a fire and roasted hot dogs :)
just got back from my WWAMI rotation in Dillon, MT a few months ago but it feels like it was so long ago – being back in the Seattle residency chaos does that…
My experience in Dillon was excellent. I plan on going into primary care and this was really the first opportunity I had to be in a primary care clinic on a regular, daily basis. The experience is completely different than the constantly rotating schedule we have in Seattle. Working in a small town was also different – by week two I was recognizing people in the grocery store and running into patients downtown, an experience I’m yet to have in Seattle. But I think the highlight of the rotation is the mentors. I was lucky enough to work with both Dr Loge and McIntyre. They are both very welcoming and involve you in both the care of the patients and the small town Montana experience. We went cross-country and downhill skiing, I was invited over for Sunday dinner, and went out to Dr Loge’s beautiful cabin with his family.
I recommend a WWAMI rotation to everyone, even if you’re not interested in primary care, the continuity of being in the same clinic on a daily basis is something we never experience of in Seattle. In addition, Dr Loge does many procedures — EGDs, bone marrow biopsies, treadmills, joint injections — regularly, and manages patient who would be managed by specialists here in Seattle, so there’s something for people with all interests.
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