The Summer Training Option of Rural Medicine program offered 20 medical students between their first and second years of medical school an opportunity to experience practicing rural medicine firsthand.

Seven of the 20 STORM students came to work with preceptors at hospitals and clinics in Northwest Kansas for four weeks. Since the program began in 1992, more than 830 University of Kansas Medical School students have participated. Many of the students who participate in STORM stay in Kansas after residency to practice in a rural community.

The Hansen Foundation covers the cost of stipends for students who come to Northwest Kansas.

Participant Eli Bullinger had this to say about the program:

“I got to see so much over the past month and got to be very involved as well. I got to see my first delivery, and assist on a C-section which was very overwhelming, but also one of my favorite experiences over the past month. I got to assist with his weekly, wound care and work on many different wounds, perform different physical exams as I saw necessary, take countless health histories, learn so many different patient’s stories, and what makes them unique, comfort a mom as she was told she had a miscarriage, be there for when her mom delivered her baby boy, and so many other valuable experiences. I’m so thankful that I got to experience all this. It has provided me with so much more energy and passion for my studies as I know this is what I have to look forward to one day.”