For the 14th consecutive year, the University of Washington School of Medicine Department of Family Medicine has reviewed Orcas Family Health Center (OFHC) physician David Shinstrom’s credentials and reappointed him as Clinical Instructor.

Shortly after arriving on Orcas in 1993, Shinstrom contacted the University of Washington to become a part of the training for medical students and family medicine residents. Since then, dozens of aspiring physicians have spent a three- to four-week rotations experiencing the rural medical practice characteristic of Orcas.

“It really is an eye-opening time for them,” says Shinstrom. “They are used to having easy access to emergency services and sophisticated testing equipment available in the big city and must readjust. Practicing medicine on Orcas, with so little in the way of testing, makes them rely on the patient encounter as the primary source of information.” This upcoming summer, four of the trainees who have now graduated will be coming to Orcas for varying amounts of time to assist in patient care. “Our summertime volume often is 30 percent greater than other times of the year, so I very much appreciate being able to handle the increase with these highly qualified physicians. It is hoped one of them may decide to stay.”

OFHC is a 501(c)(3) Federal Rural Health Center with the mission of treating all patients regardless of`ability to pay. Board president Ken Speck comments, “All of Orcas benefits from this relationship we have with the University of Washington.”