Iowa, like the rest of the United States, is grappling with a shortage of psychiatrists, and the need is felt most acutely in rural settings.
In Mason City and its surrounding rural communities, …
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Iowa, like the rest of the United States, is grappling with a shortage of psychiatrists, and the need is felt most acutely in rural settings.
In Mason City and its surrounding rural communities, there are currently only three psychiatrists to service a large area. Later this year, Mason City will be adding a new psychiatrist to the area: Dr. Shea Jorgensen.
Jorgensen is fourth-year psychiatry resident at UI Health Care who this past year helped launch a new Rural Residency Track program at UI Health Care. Similar programs at other institutions have been shown to increase retention of mental health providers in rural areas between 30-70%; Jorgensen hopes UI Health Care’s program will help replicate this success at building out a pipeline of psychiatrists in rural Iowa.
The Rural Residency Track currently has two residents who have been paired with a rural mentor and will select from the following communities for their rotations: Mason City, Quad Cities, and Ottumwa. UI Health Care plans to add two new residents each year to the Rural Residency Track program and expand clinical rotation options to more sites across the state.
