We are ecstatic to have received so many submissions for our Celebrating Montana Healthcare Careers: National Rural Health Day Contest this year. We would like to recognize the students who participated in this contest, and the healthcare workers they interviewed. Thank you to everyone who participated!
Name: Cheryl Rauckorst, from Alan Rauckorst Endodontics
Student: Brad Penrose, from Sentinel
Challenges: There are lower income patients, making business rough and there is more travel included
Benefits: Not as much competition, and I enjoy the feeling of being in a small town
Name: Registered Nurse Shannon C. from Billings Clinic Deaconess Hospital
Student: Brooke Endy, from the Billings Career Center
Challenges: “Finance, distance, and access to a medical facility. Distance is hard because for smaller towns they have to travel to a different community that’s not close home and the same for a medical facility.”
Benefits: “People a great way to start my day off right because they come in with positive attitudes and are the greatest people. They treat all the staff very nicely. It’s also tough for the people to come to a facility that’s far away from them. Communication among all of the doctors and medical staff is a very good part of working in a rural community. The doctors get together about things they need to discuss about to get a better view of how to fix the problems. All of the staff are very nice and have a positive outlook for the patients in the hospital. I love working here and would never want to go anywhere else.”
Name: Dr. Louis Dubs from Teddy Bear Dental
Student: Cassidy Brown, who attends the Billings Career Center
Challenges: Being on call 24/7 and finding staff to help us. There aren’t that many dentists in town.
Benefits: Getting to know everyone
Name: Bernie Swansen, a dental hygienist
Student: Tori Lee, a sophomore who attends the Billings Career Center
Challenges: Weather and less job opportunities
Benefits: Relationship building
Name: Victoria (Tori) Taylor who is an RN at Billings Clinic
Student: Katie Lipari, who attends the Career Center in Billings
Challenges: Some of the challenges Tori faces while working in a rural community is that nurses play multiple roles within the hospital. They have a great amount of responsibility.
Benefits: Some of the benefits of working in a rural area is she gets to know her patients more than she would in bigger cities. She also sees her having to be cross trained in different things as a benefit. The biggest benefit is being able to take better care of your patients and become close to them.