Family Medicine Rural Training Track
Complete Your Residency in Rural Nebraska
Explore the unique needs of rural populations. In the the Family Medicine Rural Training Track, you'll serve patients in Nebraska City in southeast Nebraska. Residents will collaborate with supportive attendings and administration at CHI St. Mary’s for their rural health training.
Residency Overview
This track is part of the Family Medicine Residency, with an emphasis on rural healthcare. The Family Medicine Residency has been teaching future physicians for more than 50 years, and the rural track lets you experience the benefits and challenges of serving in a rural area. The rural training track is in beautiful Nebraska City, NE, which is less than an hour south of Omaha.
- The PGY-1 is spent in Omaha to experience specialty training including ICU, large in-patient service, and a busy pediatric experience. You will travel to Nebraska City one day a week for your continuity clinic. This allows you to begin to immerse yourself in the community and get experience immediately with rural medicine.
- PGY-2 and PGY-3 will be spent in Nebraska City. You will become a True Rural Physician learning all the unique skills needed including medicine, administration and leadership in a Critical Access Hospital.
- All three years of residency will be in collaboration with the Omaha Family Medicine residents and faculty for didactics, retreats, and assistance.
- You’ll learn from supportive attendings and administration with a desire to train Rural Family Physicians.
- You’ll have the flexibility to mold your education to your needs and practice.
- Creighton’s Graduate Medical Education Office is dedicated to the wellness and support of all residents with a special emphasis on the rural residents across all programs.
An Innovative Curriculum
Residents within this program will experience our longitudinal curriculum, which presents and reinforces content in relevant and natural settings. Instead of month-long rotations in different specialties, residents will have continuous exposure to all the specialists throughout their second and third years.
The Curriculum
- Exposes residents to the comprehensive scope of practice and continuity that defines Family Medicine
- Enhances long-term retention of knowledge and skills across different methods of care delivery
- Mixes multiple subjects or topics frequently to improve learning
- Improves categorization and problem solving skills, inductive reasoning, in-training scores and access to the patient's Primary Care Physician
- Increases the ability to transfer learned knowledge into real clinical settings
In this curricular approach, learners have substantial exposure to at least three different curricular components in any given four-week span. No single component is taught exclusively for more than two weeks.
Why the Rural Training Track?
Several studies have demonstrated that rural communities are underserved by the medical community. Nebraska, as a state with a majority of rural communities, is no exception. Creighton University and CHI Health are expanding their role and responsibility in providing medical education to these rural communities by creating a Rural Track Program. Competence in rural medicine requires special training only found by hands-on experience in a rural community. In this unique program, you will be able to explore the unique needs of rural populations.
About Nebraska City
Nebraska City is a charming and historic town with an approximate population of 7,000. The town is renowned for its rich history, and attractions include the Arbor Lodge State Historical Park, former home of J. Sterling Morton, the founder of Arbor Day. Nebraska City is situated along the Missouri River and is close to natural attractions like Indian Cave State Park. Embracing a blend of history, community spirit and natural beauty, Nebraska City offers a unique and rewarding environment.
CHI Health St. Mary's
CHI Health St. Mary's is an innovative healthcare institution that has been providing comprehensive services to Nebraska City and the surrounding community since 1927. CHI Health St. Mary's Clinic is affiliated with and attached to CHI Health St. Mary’s Hospital, a Trauma Certified Critical Access Hospital. Patients can find care for a variety of needs, from chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure to routine check-ups for both adults and children. Services include one-on-one health coaching, acute care, OB/GYN care, state of the art on-site lab and Radiology and more. Surrounded by I-29 and two busy highways, we see a large variety of medical concerns and are well equipped to assist patients with their needs.
Meet the Site Director
The Rural Family Medicine Residency is led by Dr. Stacy Blum. Dr. Blum is a family medicine specialist with more than 20 years of experience. A Rural Nebraska native, Dr. Blum attended Wayne State College as a Rural Health Scholar. She then completed her medical training at the University of Nebraska in 2000. Her residency was in the University of Iowa Community based program in Mason City, Iowa. She is passionate about rural medicine and medical education.
Contributive Services Faculty
- Samantha Boyer, DO, Assistant Clinical Professor
- Dan DeFreece, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Hospital President
- Cole Marolf, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor
- Brett Meyer, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor
- Brad Vasa, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor
“My favorite thing about the Creighton University Family Medicine residency program is the sense of community.”
Febi Oyelana, MD
Family Medicine Resident
Contact Us
Creighton University Education Building
7710 Mercy Road Suite 602
Omaha, NE 68124
For clinic information, visit CHI Health.
We accept all ECFMG pathways for Step 2 CS.
