MITCHELL, SD (Mitchell Now) Avera Queen of Peace has been selected by the University of South Dakota School of Medicine as a Frontier And Rural Medicine (FARM) site. In March 2027, two students will begin their third year Pillar 2 rotation in Mitchell.
“This was a competitive selection process. To be chosen signals that Avera Queen of Peace offers the clinical breadth, leadership and care environment needed to educate future physicians,” said Dr. Hilary Rockwell, President & CEO of Avera Queen of Peace Region. “Rural communities continue to face physician shortages. Exposing medical students early in their education increases the chances they will consider rural practice.”
Over a span of 11 months, medical students will participate in the full spectrum of rural medicine as they work alongside health care teams to provide supervised care. Students will follow patients and their families over time in the clinic, hospital and long-term care settings in the Avera Queen of Peace region.
“The FARM experience provides medical students with valuable, hands-on learning in an integrated approach to rural medicine,” said Dr. Darren Manthey, Chief Medical Officer at Avera Queen of Peace. “They’ll develop relationships with patients and their families while learning alongside providers, medical staff and other members of the care team.”