June 23, 2009

Broadlawns Residency Graduates Choose Rural Practices

Des Moines, June 23, 2009 – Broadlawns Medical Center is steeped in the tradition of serving the underserved in Polk County. It seems that tradition has been transmitted through the Family Residency Program to its most recent graduating class.  The graduates of the Class of 2009 are choosing to serve in rural and underserved communities across the country.

“We are very pleased that six of our seven family medicine graduates have chosen to practice in rural areas, where the need for physicians is great,” said Larry Severidt, M.D., director of medical education and director of the Family Medicine Residency Program. “The seventh, Dr, Bibiana Ladino Gutierrez is going to a practice serving the Hispanic community in Dallas, TX.”

Three of the graduates are remaining in Iowa, while the others are moving to Oklahoma, North Dakota and Arizona. Brian L. Bluth, MD, is going to Edmond, OK; Lucas J.H. Brinkman, DO, to Fredricksburg, IA; Anthony M. Coppola, DO, to Decorah, IA; Matthew R. Sampson, MD, to Safford, AZ; Eric Thomson, MD, to Fargo, ND; and Daniel S. Wientzen, DO, to Decorah, IA.

In addition to the seven family medicine residency graduates, five transitional year residents are also graduating from the Broadlawns program. Rachel, Berger, MD, Carla Cloos, MD; Abel Luksan, MD; Kallol Saha, MD; and Jacob Walter, MD,  will be continuing their education through other residency programs in various specialties. 

The Broadlawns Family Residency Program is one of the oldest and largest family medicine residency programs in Iowa, second only to the program at the University of Iowa. Over the three decades since the program originated in 1977, nearly 300 graduates of this program have taken their training to improve healthcare in countless rural areas, small towns, communities and large metropolitan areas, with than 170 Broadlawns graduates taking up practice in rural Iowa.

With a history that reaches back to 1903 as a community health center, Broadlawns Medical Center first opened its doors as a hospital to the residents of Polk County on April 13, 1924.  Over the years, Broadlawns has adapted to the changing demands of public health care, yet remained true to its mission of offering quality health services to all Polk County residents and training tomorrow’s health care professionals. Celebrating its 85th anniversary this year, Broadlawns Medical Center is composed of:

• An acute care community hospital serving medical, surgical, mental health and primary care needs 
• A 60-member physician practice overseeing numerous specialty clinics and outpatient services
• A Family Medicine Residency Program that graduates physician leaders who today serve in 22 of Iowa’s 99 counties 

 

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