Intern Studying Rural Medicine at OMC

— from the Orcas Medical Center —

Mark Tom, studying rural medicine at OMC

The Orcas Medical Center has been pleased to have Mark Tom, second-year medical student at the University of Washington School of Medicine, as a month-long summer intern working with Dr. Giefer. Mark, who grew up near Chicago and has never lived in rural areas, became interested in rural medicine after spending time on the Olympic Peninsula. His internship, through UW’s Rural Underserved Opportunities Program, has let him gain further exposure to the practice of medicine in a rural setting.

“I love seeing patients at the clinic and then seeing them again out in the community, maybe at the market,” Mark says. “I’m also impressed with the desire for collaboration I’ve seen among community service providers such as OMC, Orcas Cares, and EMS. San Juan County is the healthiest county in Washington state, and it’s clear that the community is willing to work to keep it that way.”

“I’ve loved my time at OMC; Dr. Giefer and the staff have gone out of their way to help me understand the challenges and opportunities of rural medicine. I want to continue to explore this field in the future.” Dr. Giefer adds, “It’s been a pleasure to have Mark join us. It’s always stimulating and inspiring to have medical students in training spend time with us.”