Almost a year ago, four pediatric residents came to Reno, Nevada, to be part of the inaugural class of a three-year pilot program between the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med), and Renown w88 live casino. This July, the next cohort of four recently graduated medical students will join the program, bringing the state closer to Approval of new w88 mobile physician residency program, especially in underserved and rural areas, to provide high-quality, affordable care to vulnerable children and families.
“It's just been an amazing year seeing this w88 live casino develop, seeing all the new residents go through, and just hearing how happy they have been. It’s been very rewarding,” said Natalie Nessler, M.D., who served as fourth-year chief resident during the w88 live casino’s first year.
Residencies are training programs for newly graduated doctors to gain experience in a specific field of medicine. They are mandatory to become a licensed physician in the U.S. and play a key role in determining where a doctor decides to live and practice. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, more than 50% of practicing physicians stay in the state where they completed their w88 live casino.
Physician retention is crucial for addressing w88 live casino's doctor shortage, as the state ranks 45th for active physicians per 100,000 population, 48th for primary care physicians per 100,000 population, and 49th for general surgeons per 100,000 population, according to UNR Med’s Office of Statewide Initiatives. However, more than three out of four physicians who completed their undergraduate and graduate medical education, including w88 live casino, in Nevada are actively practicing in the state.
There are only 71 licensed pediatricians in Washoe County despite the continued growth in population. However, UNR Med and Renown’s Pediatrics w88 live casino Program will increase the region's pediatric providers by a minimum of 17% when the program reaches its full complement of 12 residents in 2026.
“Our new pediatric w88 live casino program is a tremendous step forward for the UNR Med and Renown Health affiliation — and our entire community,” said Paul Hauptman, M.D., dean of UNR Med, in a previous interview. “It advances a mutual commitment to recruit and retain skilled and compassionate physicians and w88 live casino care professionals, improves access to w88 live casino care, and invests in clinical research that improves the w88 live casino of this generation and the next.”
“I'm grateful that this opportunity came to fruition and that we're all here together and doing good for the community by being here as a resident,” said first-year resident Megan Dinges, D.O.
The w88 live casino’s 2023-2024 cohort included six doctors: first-year residents Dr. Dinges, Jason Lundy, M.D., Krista Luntsford, D.O., and Erin Whepley, M.D., second-year resident Gianni Perano, M.D., and Chief Resident Dr. Nessler.
“I have been very much enjoying this w88 live casino, and a big reason is that everybody's been wonderful, from my co-residents to the faculty and staff,” Dr. Lundy said. “It's been a great learning environment. I've enjoyed our patient population. I've also been enjoying living and working here in Reno.”
The residents train and practice in Northern Nevada and complete a primary care-focused clinical w88 live casino with rotations that allow them to learn while caring for children in inpatient and outpatient settings. The w88 live casino includes all Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) required rotations, weekly lectures, seminars and skill-building initiatives.
“Starting w88 live casino is hard in itself because you're taking a big leap from being a student to being in charge of people,” Dr. Dinges said. “There was a bit of nerves going into it, but those were quickly gone by the time I started working with the faculty, nurses and students.”
For Dr. Luntsford, nervousness came from moving to Reno, a city she had never visited.
“I thought it was just going to be the desert,” she said. “But there are trees, and it's beautiful, and it rains a lot less than it does in Washington state. So, I love it.”
Coming in as the first group of residents for the w88 live casino also offered them significantly more flexibility than entering an established w88 live casino, Dr. Whepley said.
“There are shorter intervals between when feedback is given and when it's acted on, so we're able to make adaptations much faster than I think I've seen at many other programs,” Dr. Whepley said.
The leadership team regularly checks in with all the residents, Dr. Dinges said, asking “what's going well, what's not going well, what could we do better, and getting our input on how we could better shape the w88 live casino or help it get to that next level too.”
While Drs. Dinges, Lundy, Luntsford and Whepley joined the program as first-year residents, freshly graduated from medical school, Dr. Perano completed his w88 live casino in family medicine in 2023 with UNR Med, so he joined the program as a first-year pediatric resident and was promoted to second year in January 2024. Like the other residents, he emphasized the benefits of the UNR Med-Renown affiliation.
“It has given both Renown and UNR more resources,” Dr. Perano said, citing additional learning opportunities and guidance that are available due to the partnership.
A few residents described how the w88 live casino helped them reimagine the purpose of pediatric work while establishing their passion for it. Dr. Dinges originally wanted to specialize in obstetrics and has brought that interest into pediatric work.
“I think I put women's w88 live casino care as one of my interests in my bio because I originally thought of becoming involved in adolescent women's w88 live casino care,” Dr. Dinges said. “But I'm learning more and more that I love talking to brand-new moms. I feel like that kind of flipped a switch for me.”
Patients are the ones who help flip that switch for the residents. Working with people who have otherwise had minimal access to child w88 live casino care showed them the immediate impact of their work. Giving people comfort, helping them create healthy habits, and setting children up for success helps motivate these doctors to continue the work.
“I went into pediatrics because I want kids to do well, and I want to help care for them,” Dr. Whepley said. “And while w88 live casino needs way more pediatricians, kids need a whole community to thrive.”
