Grand Itasca Rural Residency Program
Become a rural family medicine physician in picturesque Grand Rapids
Is it your goal to practice full-spectrum family medicine in a rural setting, driven by a mission to care for underserved populations? Would you like to hone your skills in a friendly community with access to endless outdoor activities? Most of all, are you ready to answer the call to serve communities that face a critical shortage of healthcare providers?
The Grand Itasca Rural program offers top-tier rural health training to help you meet your goals.
You will receive a customized, hands-on learning experience as you care for patients in a rural environment. Each day, you’ll spend a large amount of time directly with your patients, navigating complex social determinants of health under the one-on-one guidance of deeply experienced faculty.
Kick off your first year of residency with our urban partner, UMN Woodwinds Hospital Family Medicine Residency. You will then spend your second and third years in the family-friendly community of Grand Rapids, nestled in the Northwoods of Minnesota.
Explore our Urban Training Partner Program: UMN Woodwinds Hospital Family Medicine Residency
Get trained in critical skills in rural communities
To effectively serve areas with limited resources, a physician must be versatile. Your experience will include in-depth training alongside family medicine physicians in the hospital, intensive care, emergency department, obstetrics, and clinic. Additionally, you will work alongside a variety of highly experienced specialists in the areas of mental health, neurology, urology, OB/GYN, hematology/oncology, rheumatology, orthopedics, and cardiology.
Apply, benefits and residency resources
- How to apply - NRMP Code 1334120C9
- Resident stipend and benefits
- Relocation Moving Expenses: Up to $2,000 total ($1,000 for the move to St. Paul and $1,000 for the move to Grand Rapids)
- Grand Itasca Rural Family Medicine Residency Program fact sheet
- Grand Itasca Rural Residency Program Policy and Procedure Manual
- University of Minnesota Graduate Medical Education Institutional Policies
- Support resources for residents (including mental health, well-being tools, and more)
Grand Itasca Clinic & Hospital
Grand Itasca is an integrated clinic and hospital located in Grand Rapids, designed to remove barriers to care. You can quickly and easily walk down the hall to speak to an obstetrician or a colleague in primary care or specialty care. From the inpatient hospital to the infusion center to the emergency department—it’s all in one place.
The clinic’s specialties include anesthesiology, cardiology, chiropractic, ear, nose and throat, elder care, emergency medicine, family medicine, general surgery, hospitalist, internal medicine, neurology, obstetrics/gynecology, occupational medicine, oncology, orthopedics, pediatrics, psychiatry, pulmonology, radiology, rheumatology, sports medicine, and urology.
Grand Itasca’s deep roots in the community date back to the logging camps and the booming paper mill in Grand Rapids and surrounding areas. In the late 1800s, the Sisters of St. Benedict opened a hospital in the town, but it closed in 1912. With a growing need for healthcare, the community worked together to open Minnesota’s first independent, locally funded hospital in 1918. More than 100 years later, Grand Itasca continues to thrive.
- 45-bed hospital
- 1,700 surgeries/year
- 320 births/year
- 15,700 emergency department visits/year
- 93,500 clinic visits/year
- 800 employees
- A 76-acre lot along the Mississippi River
M Health Clinic - Bethesda
Located in Minnesota’s capital city of St. Paul, Bethesda clinic serves a diverse population of patients. The clinic provides specialties in behavioral health services, international travel medicine, pain management, sports medicine, family medicine, medication therapy management, pediatric psychology, and substance use disorder.
M Health Fairview Woodwinds
- Only residency at the hospital
- Only hospital in the southeast metro area
- Specializes in maternity care and orthopedic surgery
- Location for all inpatient rotations
- Complimentary food and spacious call rooms
- Honored as one of U.S. News and World Report's 2023 "Best Hospitals for Maternity"
- Named “High Performer” in 2024 LGBTQ+ health equity index
Grand Itasca Clinic & Hospital
- Only residency at the hospital
- Complimentary food
- Integrated clinic and hospital
- Rehabilitation therapy services are provided at off-site locations
- Named 2025 Best Hospital for Maternity Care & Access
- Received UCare Award for Overall Clinical Excellence in Quality of Care
Masonic Children’s Hospital
- Comprehensive Care
- Inpatient Rotation
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Tele-NICU Service
Fairview Range Medical Center
- Inpatient Mental Health
Rooted in Community Service
Grand Rapids became a logging town due to its ready access to the Mississippi River, which quickly became the method of choice for log shipment to population centers. The Forest History Center, located in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, is a State Historic Site and a living history museum where you can witness daily life in a turn-of-the-20th century logging camp.
As of the 2022 census, there were 11,268 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city of Grand Rapids was 88.4% white, 1.1% African American, and 2% Native American. The median age in the city was 43.8 years.
Grand Rapids is the birthplace of Judy Garland, who played Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, and is the home of the Judy Garland museum. Grand Rapids High School is home to one of the state’s most successful competitive marching bands.
Grand Rapids offers many family-friendly local attractions:
- Judy Garland Museum and Children’s Discovery Museum
- Mt. Itasca Ski and Tubing Hill
- Myles Reif Performing Arts Center: dance, theater, and concerts
- Evening nightlife, shows, events, and music: Rapids Brewing Company, Klockow Brewing, Reif Center, and Zorbaz
- Macrostie Art Center for open pottery and open studios
- Itasca County Family YMCA for physical activity, offering childcare and a pool
- Tioga Beach on Lake Pokegama
- Mesabi Bike Trail starts at Itasca County Fairgrounds, 150 miles of scenic paved trails
- Tioga Recreation Area home to 25 miles of world-class mountain biking
- Grand Rapids Farmers Market
- Barely Reality for virtual reality
- Pokegama Golf Course
- Eagle Ridge Golf Course
- Sugar Hills Golf Course
- Winter sleigh rides at the Forest History Center
- Itasca Curling Club
- Grand Rapids Area Library
- Group painting classes at UnWined Up North
Annual tourism and local events:
Your Training
Program Mission and Aims
What is the mission, and what are the aims of the Grand Itasca Rural Family Medicine Residency Program?
Our Mission:
Shaping rural health care by setting the standard of excellence in medical education and clinical care, while fostering community connections.
Our Aims:
- Provide a holistic and comprehensive rural family medicine training program that supports clinical competence through hands-on procedural experience and technical training.
- Develop physicians who are reliable, adaptable, and resilient leaders in a health care organization.
- Provide high-quality, compassionate care in our community.
- Promote lifelong learning through active inquiry, curiosity, and evidence-based medicine in an environment that supports self-evaluation, continuous quality improvement, and professional development.
- Nurture physicians who are equipped with the skills to care for themselves and others, allowing them to be engaged professionals of the health care team for the long haul.
- Act with the highest standards of professionalism in all situations and relationships, respecting the rights, values, needs, and autonomy of all people. We value the unique perspectives of people diverse in age, gender, ethnicity, religion, physical abilities, and sexual orientation.
- Promote and collaborate with regional partners who all strive to improve the health of our community.
Primary Rotation Sites
- Grand Itasca Clinic & Hospital
- M Health Fairview Woodwinds Hospital
- M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital
- Fairview Range Medical Center
- M Health Fairview Clinic - Bethesda
Curriculum
See the curriculum by visiting our Curriculum and Call page
FAQs
What is the program's capacity and the number of residents accepted each year?
- We are a 2-2-2 program. Our inaugural class will join us in June 2026!
Do you offer a family medicine rotation/clerkship?
- Yes, two- and four-week medical student rotations/clerkships are available for third- and fourth-year medical students from U.S. LCME-accredited and COCA-accredited medical schools. Depending on the dates, complimentary housing may be available. Contact [email protected] with questions and to apply.
Do you invite International Medical Graduates (IMGs) for interviews?
- Yes. All applications that meet the minimum criteria are reviewed.
Do you sponsor employment visas?
- We do not sponsor H-1B or J-1 visas.
Do you participate in the couples' match?
- Yes, we accept applicants participating in the Match as a couple.
Contact Us
Tim Pehl, MD
Program Director
[email protected]
Lori Kent
Program Coordinator
[email protected]
218-999-1144
University of Minnesota Grand Itasca Rural Residency
Grand Itasca Clinic and Hospital
1601 Golf Course Rd, Grand Rapids, MN 55744
Learn about the Grand Itasca Resident Experience
Grand Itasca Student Opportunities
Rotations
We welcome medical students from U.S. LCME-accredited or COCA-accredited medical schools for two- to four-week rotations. Complimentary housing may be available.
For more information about medical student opportunities, contact Lori Kent.
Grand Rapids is located in Northeast Minnesota, about 180 miles — an easy three-hour drive — from the Twin Cities.