Congratulations to Zach Gorham, one of four recipients of the RhPAP 2020 Rural Medical School Award. Each student receives $5,000 to assist with their studies toward rural practice.
Gorham grew up in Spring Coulee, population 60, located about 50 kilometres south of Lethbridge. As a youth, his parents operated the hamlet’s general store and the family lived in the back. Their backyard was a wheat field. In fact, while he was growing up, he spent seven summers working on a nearby farm.
Being enrolled in second-year medicine at the University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine, Gorham spends a lot of time in Calgary these days.
However, there’s nothing he likes better than being able to return to his roots.
There’s just something about the wide-open spaces of the rural areas that lowers my anxiety and gives me a sense of freedom – Zach Gorham
“Every time I’ve had the chance to head south on Highway 2 during my medical school experience and get out of the city limits, I feel like my blood pressure just goes down. I feel like I can breathe and really relax.,” Gorham explained.
“There’s just something about the wide-open spaces of the rural areas that lowers my anxiety and gives me a sense of freedom.”
Gorham plans to do his clerkships and residency in southern rural Alberta. He likes the diverse scope of practice in rural medicine as well as the opportunity to establish long-term relationships with patients.
“Being out in a rural community allows you to see all these different aspects of medicine and to dabble in a little bit of everything. And I really like that,” Gorham added.
He is thankful to RhPAP for the financial help.
“Personally, I didn’t come from lots of money or anything like that, so I’m financing my education largely through debt. … To receive this award for me is a major stress relief. It’s a big deal for me, and I really appreciate it.
In the future, Gorham hopes to set up practice in Cardston.