HealthPartners celebrates its 2024 rural residency graduates

NEW RICHMOND, Wis. – The Western Wisconsin Rural Family Medicine Residency program recently celebrated its 12th and 13th graduates, Drs. Michael Jepsen and Linnea Kruit. The residency program, started by HealthPartners in 2017, trains residents who are interested in providing primary care medicine in rural communities.

According to the American Hospital Association, 70 percent of physician shortages occur in rural areas. “Our program helps address these shortages by preparing physicians who are interested in rural medicine,” said Steve Massey, president of Westfields Hospital & Clinic in New Richmond, Wis.

Deb Rudquist, president of Amery Hospital & Clinic, emphasized the program’s importance. “It helps residents become highly skilled and compassionate physicians who can meet the evolving and unique needs of our community,” she said. “It’s exciting and rewarding.”

The three-year program is designed to give residents experience in both metro and rural hospital settings. Residents spend the first year at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, Minn., followed by two years of rural rotations at Amery Hospital & Clinic and Westfields Hospital & Clinic.

As teaching facilities, all three sites are dedicated to developing skilled and experienced residents who will continue providing consistent and compassionate care to patients.

“Working in a rural community has always been appealing to me due to the broad spectrum of care you get to practice,” Dr. Jepsen said. “I’ve really enjoyed the variety as well as the strong sense of community at each site.”

Starting this fall, Dr. Jepsen will practice full time at Westfields, and Dr. Kruit will practice at HealthPartners Clinic in Somerset, Wis.

“Rural communities have always been close to my heart,” Dr. Kruit said. “I grew up in one and wanted a similar feel when deciding where to settle down and practice. I’ve really enjoyed working in western Wisconsin.”