Riverwood welcomes RPAP medical student

Kyle Strate, Rural Physician Associate Program student, 2024-2025

Riverwood Healthcare Center is pleased to welcome Kyle Strate, a third-year medical student at the University of Minnesota Medical School, who is participating in the Rural Physician Associate Program (RPAP).

Through the RPAP program, a third-year medical student lives in a rural community for nine months and participates in rotations of hospital and clinic care of patients under the supervision of local physicians. In October, Strate began seeing patients with Dr. Don Hughes, Riverwood Family Practice physician who acts as the primary mentor and trainer for resident physicians and medical students at Riverwood.

In the months ahead, Strate will also learn about obstetrics and gynecology care and spend time observing surgical care from local surgeons. He will see patients in clinic, hospital, emergency room, hospice and within the community.

A native of Sleepy Eye, Minn., Strate completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Genetic Biology from University of Minnesota, Duluth.

Strate describes how he developed a passion for practicing medicine: “I came to understand the importance of personal health early in life and how it impacts families and communities, particularly through the loss of both my grandfathers. I now pursue medicine with the desire to help people attain their health goals, recover from illness, navigate the health system, and grow to an age where they can spoil their grandchildren. I am honored to be part of this community for the next nine months as I further my medical education.”

He adds, “I feel strongly that rural medicine is ideally positioned to provide personalized care as these health care providers know much more about their patients and communities outside of the clinic and hospital. RPAP has excited me for some time because rural communities have a great deal of wisdom and encourage active engagement with the health care system.”

Strate and his fiancé, Kassandra, a middle school English teacher in Superior, Wisc., are planning a June 2025 wedding. They live in Duluth with two dogs, a black lab and chocolate lab, that they enjoy spending time with outdoors. He also enjoys reading and woodworking, and annual fishing and hunting traditions with family.

Strate will work at Riverwood through June 2025.