Medical student arrives in Sandpoint for training

Call it on-the-job training, a preceptorship or a rural rotation, Lindy McLandress will be experiencing life as a doctor before she actually graduates from medical school.

A native of North Idaho, McLandress is a third-year medical student from the University of Washington School of Medicine. She is among a group of students who are a part of the WWAMI Program, which stands for Washington-Wyoing-Alaska-Montana-Idaho. It is an established medical education program geared to educate physicians who choose to practice in the rural areas of the Northwest.

Students who train through the WWAMI program will be working in one of the states involved and it encourages doctors to practice in the more underserved rural areas. Sandpoint is one of the most popular training sites offered in the program.

As a student of the WWAMI program, McLandress is the seventh student to train in Sandpoint under the Rural Integrated Training Exper-ience program.

Third-year medical students have the option to be placed in a rural practice for six months, working alongside many of our physicians who are faculty members of the University of Washington Medical School.

McLandress will be working under the direction of Dr. Hugh Leedy and Dr. Dan Meulenberg of the Family Health Center. She will also be working with Dr. Brad Schwartz, Dr. Tom Lawrence, Dr. Scott Dunn, Dr. Steve Puffer, Dr. Joyce Gilbert, Dr. George DeLand, Dr. Bruce Honsinger, Dr. Margaret Bowden, Dr Debra Owen, Dr. Doug Cipriano, Dr. Terry Iddins, and Dr. Ken Gramyk.

She will spend one night a week working in the emergency department and at least one week-end a month in the obstetrics department.

Sandpoint is a rich training ground for young physicians, and McLandress will be spending her next six months with primary care physicians, specialists and hospital staff. She will have the opportunity to get a "hands-on" experience of the practice of medicine in a rural area. She will experience the lifestyle of a physician in a rural community, as well as build her confidence and professionalism in the primary care setting.

McLandress's clinical rotation will develop her ability to be an independent learner and problem solver. It's a unique teaching environment that will prepare her for life as a doctor.

Sandpoint is familiar ground to McLandress, as she was born in Coeur d'Alene, and grew up in Northern Idaho. On the personal side, she enjoys running, skiing and relaxing with a good cup of coffee. Professionally, she is leaning towards OB/Gyn, but is also considering Family Practice.

The appeal of Sandpoint as a training ground hs its roots in the location, rural nature and its excellent reputation for learning and teaching. She looks forward to her time here, meeting members of the community and enjoying the unique flavor of North Idaho.

Not only was McLandress fortunate to have been selected to train in Sandpoint, but our community is fortunate to have the best and the brightest train under the capable hands of our Sandpoint medical community.