Three Buena Vista University biology students participated in a Rural Medicine Internship during J-term, in which they worked at select hospitals in the surrounding areas.

Buena Vista University provides students with endless opportunities during January Interim on campus along with select internship possibilities which help students engage in their area of study solidifying future career plans. Three pre-med students are chosen to participate in an Undergraduate Rural Medicine Education and Development (URMED) program during January.

This year the three students chosen for this experience were: Christian Kladstrup, a senior majoring in biology; Jacob Staudt, a senior majoring in biology and chemistry; and Jacob Braddock, a senior biology major.

Fortunately, the Rural Medicine Internship provided Kladstrup, Staudt, and Braddock with first-hand experience benefiting their current major studies at BV and solidifying future career choices.

During the course of the internship, the three students spent time working at the Buena Vista Regional Medical Center (BVRMC) in Storm Lake, Iowa for a period of two weeks. Following, Staudt spent one week of the internship at the Loring Hospital located in Sac City, Iowa and Kladstrup worked at Stewart Memorial Community Hospital (SMCH) in Lake City, Iowa for the duration of one week.

The students were each given the opportunity to shadow doctors and healthcare personnel on the job who specialized in different medical areas. Some specialties include: cardiology, surgery, family practice, and emergency physicians.

While job shadowing, Jacob Staudt had the chance to watch an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery. “It was an interesting experience because I have been in sports my whole life, and I know athletes who have torn their ACLs,” said Staudt.

When asked about the overall experience Christian Kladstrup commented, “I would absolutely do URMED again. I will recommend it to other pre-med students coming up next year. It is an amazing program that has given me a ton of great and valuable experience.”