HURON — Huron Regional Medical Center (HRMC) recently welcomed its second set of Rural Experiences for Health Professions Students (REHPS) for the summer.

Tara Paulsen and Jett McGirr completed their rotations at the hospital, which has been a rotation site for seven years.

Paulsen is from Steen, Minn., and will begin her third year of the registered nursing program at South Dakota State University this fall. McGirr is from Huron and will begin his second year of physical therapy school at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion in the fall.

While completing his REHPS rotation at HRMC, McGirr also completed a clinical rotation, which required most of his time to be spent in physical therapy focusing on his future career, however, he was able to experience orthopedic surgery and clinic care, wound care and more.

Paulsen had the opportunity to work in various areas of the hospital and clinic during her time at HRMC, including primary care, wound care, surgery, inpatient care, pharmacy, radiology, obstetrics, and more. Paulsen noted her time in outpatient treatment with infusion patients being the most rewarding experience at HRMC. “I was able to practice more clinical nursing skills in just two days in outpatient treatment at HRMC than in my previous clinicals,” said Paulsen. “That time with patients was so rewarding and the individuals receiving care in that department often return several times per week, so you are able to develop a bond with them.”

In addition to experiences in the hospital, the students participated in community service projects to bring health awareness to others.

Paulsen worked with the Huron Public Library to provide an educational presentation about flood water safety to day camp students. She observed contaminated water under a microscope with the students, discussed safety plans and provided mini first-aid kids to the children.

McGirr joined the Huron High School boys’ basketball team open gym sessions to provide preventative ankle health training to help athletes build strength and stability to help prevent future ankle injuries.

“It was great of Coach Buddenhagen and the team to allow me to come use knowledge I’ve gained in my training to help provide information that can be beneficial to the athletes as individuals and as a team,” said McGirr, who is set to return to the community to provide physical therapy services upon completion of his doctoral degree.

Huron is one of 16 South Dakota communities, with populations under 14,000, selected to participate in Rural Experiences for Health Professions Students (REHPS). The program is designed to bring health professions graduates, who are selected through a competitive process, to rural South Dakota for rewarding careers.

The 2024 REHPS communities are: Canton, Chamberlain, Deadwood, Dell Rapids, Flandreau, Huron, Miller, Parkston, Redfield, Scotland, Sturgis, Tyndall, Vermillion, Viborg, Wagner, Webster, and Winner. The REHPS program connects interprofessional groups of students enrolled in clinical psychology, family nurse practitioner, medical, medical laboratory science, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, and registered nursing programs from Dakota Wesleyan University, South Dakota State University and University of South Dakota.

“We’re thrilled to host REHPS students at HRMC as this excellent and competitive program provides a glimpse into rural medicine,” said Kris Tebay, HRMC education coordinator.

“Students often depart from their rotation with a new understanding of how rewarding a career in rural medicine can be.”

REHPS receives funding from the Office of Rural Health/South Dakota Department of Health and is managed by the Southeast South Dakota Area Health Education Center.