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GME Rural & Underserved Rotation Opportunities

GME Newsletter | April 2023

GME Rural & Underserved Rotation Opportunities

GME RETURN rotation

What is RETURN?

For those who are not familiar with RETURN (Resident Engagement & Training for Underserved and Rural Needs), it is a program whose initiative aims to expose trainees to the rural and underserved healthcare needs here in Utah. RETURN does this by developing partnerships between residency programs and community partner sites to provide anywhere from a 2 day to 6 week rural/underserved rotation for trainees.

In addition to getting a unique learning experience, RETURN fully funds salary, benefits, travel, and housing during your rotations. RETURN also works hand-in-hand with GME’s amazing wellness team so that trainees have any support needed during their RETURN rotation.

Where does RETURN go?

During the current 2023 academic year our trainees have been able to go to 10 different clinics and hospitals throughout the state. Each location provides a different experience and we are always working to continue fostering relationships with potential rural sites in order to increase our site numbers and create opportunities to provide care for more Utahans in need.
Our current partner sites include:

  • USU Behavioral Health Clinic
  • Mountain West Medical Center
  • Coalville & Kamas Health Centers
  • Ashley Regional Medical Center
  • Uintah Basin Medical Center
  • St. George Regional Medical Center
  • Revere Health Family Medicine
  • Utah Navajo Health Systems sites including:
    • Blanding Family Practice
    • Montezuma Creek Community Health Center
    • Monument Valley Community Health Center

    Who is going?

    This year RETURN has been lucky enough to facilitate 50 rotations! Several of RETURN’s participating programs have required rural rotations, however, many trainees are able to complete a RETURN rotation during elective periods.
    Current Participating Programs:

    • Anesthesiology
    • Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
    • Dermatology
    • Emergency Medicine
    • Family Medicine
    • Neurology
    • Obstetrics and Gynecology
    • Pediatrics
    • Pediatrics – Internal Medicine
    • General Psychiatry
    • Radiology
    • Triple Board Psychiatry
    • Dentistry
    • Orthopedic Surgery
    • General Surgery
    • Pediatric Endocrinology

    The RETURN team anticipates that funding will continue to allow around 50 rotations per year and spots are granted on a first-come-first-serve basis. If any programs are interested in participating please reach out to the RETURN team and they can help connect you to rural clinic sites as well as walk you through the application process.

    RETURN Program Manager: Colton Van Komen, Colton.Vankomen@hsc.utah.edu
    RETURN Program Coordinator: Samantha Shaffer, Samantha.shaffer@hsc.utah.edu