UND Bismarck-Hettinger Rural Track Program Overview

The UND SMHS Rural Track Hettinger program was approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education in 2014.

The Hettinger rural track program has many unique qualities that are not found in your typical residency program. The uniqueness stems from the patient interaction and care along with a group of attendings who are dedicated to passing their experience and knowledge to the next generation of physicians.

At WRHS, there are currently two residents, but will have four residents in 2021. We also have medical students who rotate throughout the year. This provides a great one-on-one environment to help teach and guide medical students. Along with this, the attendings outnumber the residents 4:1. Each attending has their own different strengths that they share and the teaching is outstanding. Attendings understand that through an educational environment, residents are able to incorporate their advice and skills into their own practice.

The first year of residency is completed in Bismarck, N.D., which provides a great program to get the resident ready to practice and treat patients when the arrive in Hettinger. The program in Hettinger is set up in a manner similar to others in the fact that each month you do ACGME required rotations. Along with this, one night each week you are on call for the ER. This provides a great opportunity to initially see the patients and follow through with their care: whether this be discharging and following up in clinic or admitting to the hospital. The program truly does embody the role of a family medicine physician.