UM Family Medicine Residency Program Receives $750K to Expand Training Sites

The program is one of 15 throughout the country to receive an award to develop new residency programs in rural communities.

“We are grateful to HRSA and the RRPD for funding our proposal to expand residency training in Montana,” said Rob Stenger, the residency program director. “Our state has a significant need for physicians in rural and underserved communities that will only grow as our population grows and currently practicing physicians retire.”

The three-year award will support the development of residency training sites in Butte and Helena, in partnership with St. James Hospital and Southwest Community Health Center in Butte and St. Peters Health and PureView Health Center in Helena.

FMRWM currently partners with Community Medical Center, Greater Valley Health Center, Logan Health Medical Center, Partnership Health Center and Providence St. Patrick Hospital to train residents in Missoula and Kalispell. With the planned expansion, FMRWM will grow from training 30 residents each year to training at least 39 residents  annually.

The proposed new training sites in Butte and Helena will focus on full-scope family medicine, including obstetrical training, similar to the Missoula and Kalispell training programs.