STUDENTS STUDYING RURAL HEALTH CARE

Seven students from the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine are in Cape Girardeau, working side-by-side with local surgeons, pediatricians and psychologists.

The students are in a partnership between the college and Cape Girardeau's two hospitals.

In the program, students spend their two clinical years here and the city has a chance to recruit them.

Five seniors and two juniors are here. Last year, Dr. Dale Alsager was the only senior student in Cape Girardeau. He is doing his three-year residency in Seattle.

"I was very impressed with the Cape Girardeau community," Alsager said. "The people were very open and warm, and I was impressed with the medical community's level of expertise."

He added that, if there were an internship and residency program offered in Cape when he graduated, he would be here.

The Kirksville school offers one of the relatively few rural medical programs in the United States and encourages students to become primary care physicians in rural areas.

The college places students at medical facilities in Joplin, Jefferson City, Rolla, Kirksville, Cape Girardeau and Sikeston to give students a chance to see what practicing medicine in smaller cities is like.

Bob Newton, a fourth-year student, completed his clinical studies and will do his residency in Carbondale, Ill., in association with Southern Illinois University. Although a Florida native, Newton said he may establish his practice in this area.

Newton worked with Cape Girardeau doctors in eight areas of medicine to learn more about each and perhaps pick a specialty. He made rounds with them and discussed various treatment options.

Dr. John Hall, a urologist and director of medical education, didn't work with Newton but helped other students learn more about their chosen field. He said he learned a lot, too.

"When you are in practice, everything becomes routine," Hall said. "Suddenly, the medical students have fresh questions. They want to know why I'm doing what I'm doing. It's great for me because I have to brush up so I can talk to them."

There will be more students here next school year, but the number hasn't been established yet. Hall said the number will level out at between 10 and 15 a year.