TEST News by Category Alumni

After graduating from the University of Minnesota Medical School in ‘06, Dr. Elfering discovered a passion for medical education

Dr. Kathy Halverson developed a culturally appropriate interactive approach to disease prevention and community health development in the Amazonian lowlands. The Duluth Campus alumna is a Medical School Alumni Board member, among other volunteer opportunities, and fondly recalls her educational journey. Twelve years ago, in the Amazon lowlands of Peru, Dr. Kathy Halverson ('86) joined nationals and tribal leaders seeking to improve their communities' well-being. "I came first with my black bag," she said. "But it was apparent that everyone would soon be sick again from preventable disease...

Dr. Denny Peterson (’89) practiced Family Medicine in Willmar (1992-2013) and is now in St. Cloud, Minnesota, as faculty for UMN/Centracare St Cloud (2013-present). While doing so, he has supported and mentored numerous physicians through medical school and the residency program. Many past and current residents have ethnic connections to Somalia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Central America, Russia, and the Philippines. “The diversity of Minnesota has changed quite a bit during the last 30 years,” he said. “When I went to medical school, our class and most Minnesota communities were pretty homogenous....

In November 2022, Dr. Greta Bauer became the director of the Institute for Sexual and Gender Health (ISGH), succeeding Dr. Eli Coleman. In this interview, Dr. Bauer discusses her background, her research focus on the impact of social marginalization on health, and her vision for the future of the Institute.

Carolyn Torkelson, MD, recently retired DFMCH faculty and an alum of Methodist Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program, discusses her new book, “Beyond Menopause: New Pathways to Holistic Health,” and her hopes for the future as more women become advocates for their health.