HURON — For the seventh year, Huron Regional Medical Center is welcoming health professions students for a rural health experience. Ellie Gubbrud, University of South Dakota (USD) Medical Doctor student from St. Paul, Jasmine Salcido-Santos, Dakota Weslyn University Registered Nursing student from Mitchell and USD Physical Therapy student Jett McGirr from Huron will complete rural rotations at Huron Regional Medical Center.

Huron joins 16 other South Dakota communities selected to participate in Rural Experiences for Health Professions Students (REHPS). REHPS communities must have populations under 14,000 people and house a critical access hospital. The program is designed to bring health professions graduates to rural South Dakota for rewarding careers.

Each community generally hosts two students from different areas of healthcare who were selected through a competitive process. Students are inspired by the experience, due in large part to the host communities, and their professionals’ mentoring skills.

The 2024 REHPS communities include Canton, Chamberlain, Deadwood, Dell Rapids, Flandreau, Huron, Miller, Parkston, Redfield, Scotland, Sturgis, Tyndall, Vermillion, Viborg, Wagner, Webster, and Winner. The REHPS program connects interprofessional groups of students enrolled in clinical psychology, family nurse practitioner, medical, medical laboratory science, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, and registered nursing programs from Dakota Wesleyan University, South Dakota State University and University of South Dakota.

“It’s fantastic to see communities like Huron actively engaging in the REHPS program to expose health professions students to rural healthcare experiences. Providing these students with hands-on learning opportunities in rural settings is crucial for fostering interest and appreciation for careers in rural medicine” said Melissa Ettswold, REHPS Program Director.

REHPS receives funding from the Office of Rural Health/South Dakota Department of Health and is managed by the Southeast South Dakota Area Health Education Center.