For University of Iowa medical student Charis Edwards, spending part of her summer at Waverly Health Center (WHC) offered more than clinical experience. It gave her a firsthand look at rural medicine.
Originally from Duluth, Minnesota, Charis now lives in Iowa City while attending the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. With an interest in pursuing Obstetrics and Gynecology through the Medical Education Community Orientation (MECO) program. She was drawn to the MECO program because of her interest in providing health care in rural communities.
During her experience, Charis was surprised by the wide range of services and specialties available at a smaller, rural hospital. During her time at WHC, she gained experience in breast care, pediatrics, family medicine, women’s health, emergency care, the Birthing Center, Walk-In Clinic and the medical-surgical floor. She also gained a better understanding of how visiting specialists and part-time physicians work alongside local providers to expand the services available.
“Getting such a wide exposure so early on in my training was a huge gift,” Charis said. “It has helped me understand how different parts of the health care team work together to take care of a community as a whole.”
One of the highlights of her experience was spending time in the Birthing Center, where she had the opportunity to observe two births. Charis said the experience allowed her to see the full picture of maternity care.
“I felt so lucky that the patients were very welcoming to me and let me learn and celebrate with them during such a big moment in their lives,” she said.
Charis’ interest in obstetrics and gynecology comes at a time when access to maternity care faces significant challenges. According to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Iowa ranks 45th in the nation for women’s health providers per capita.
For Charis, her MECO experiences at WHC reinforced her interest in becoming an OB/GYN and pursuing a career that focuses on caring for women through different stages of life.
A Different Look at Rural Health Care
Throughout the program, Charis was particularly impressed by how well WHC providers and staff knew their patients and the communities they served. She saw how rural medicine allows providers to understand not only a patient’s medical needs, but also the family, home life and community factors that can influence their health.
“I loved that the providers had the time and care to address these many issues,” she said.
Charis credits Dr. Sean Westendorf, Dr. Elizabeth Dupic and their teams for making a significant impact during her experience.
“They really helped me feel welcome and taught me so much during my time with each of them,” she said.
Experiencing the Waverly Community
Charis’ MECO experience extended beyond the walls of the hospital. During her summer in Waverly, she explored local ice cream spots, biked the trails, attended music in the park, visited a local church and spent plenty of time getting to know the community.
For Charis, those experiences were an important part of understanding what practicing medicine in a rural setting could look like both professionally and personally.
“This definitely helped me understand what life in rural medicine could be for me,” she said.
Her advice to other medical students considering MECO is simple: do it.
“I strongly recommend doing the University of Iowa MECO program with Waverly Health Center,” Charis said. “It’s a great way to build relationships outside of Iowa City and gain experience across a wide range of health care settings.”
Above all, Charis said she will remember the people who made her feel like part of WHC.
“From the administrative team to the doctors and nurses who mentored me, to the friendly and helpful staff, this is really a place where people wanted me to feel like I belonged.”
