Looking ahead

As part of CRISP, Rosenmeyer is building her own foundation. She is not sure if she wants to work in pediatrics or gynecology, but she is certain she wants to serve a rural community.

She says the program matters not just for her, but for the future of small towns across the state.

"If we want to keep these communities thriving and keep all these great values that we've established, we need to be able to provide for people in those communities, especially with health care," Rosenmeyer says.

She is an example of someone who understands the attributes and needs of rural communities, and her perspective underscores why CRISP prioritizes recruiting students with those same roots.

"I definitely want to be someone who's both involved in health care as a provider, but also within the community as well," she says. "My dad uses this quote: 'You can either be a manager or a leader.' Managers just keep everybody where you're at, but leaders are promoting everyone to do well and bring them to the next level. That's a really important thing as a provider in a rural community - to step in and do the harder things."

For Rosenmeyer, it's not just about becoming a doctor.

"It's about coming back home," she says. "And taking care of the people who took care of me."