Decorah's Sarah Dodge learns about health needs of the Oglala Sioux

Sarah Dodge (center) talks with a patient at the clinic in Pine Ridge

One of the people participating in Gundersen Lutheran's "Global Partners" initiative is Physician's Assistant Sarah Dodge, an employee at the Gundersen Clinic in Decorah.

Dodge has traveled to the Pine Ridge Reservation in Porcupine, South Dakota twice--once last October and again this past January.  She chose the trip to Pine Ridge because it was less logistically challenging than going overseas, yet still offered a chance to serve those who are underserved with medical care.

"My biggest benefit was spending time with the other (Gundersen) providers," she tells decorahnews.com.  The long drives to and from South Dakota gave her a chance to ask questions of people working in other medical specialties--and to learn from them.

She says she also came to appreciate the Sioux living at Pine Ridge.  Despite all the adverse conditions on the reservations, they had "a lot of drive to improve conditions."

With medical care, the biggest problem the Sioux face is the constant changeover of medical staff at their clinic, which makes it difficult to maintain consistent medical care.  That's why she's excited about Gundersen Lutheran's commitment to have a long-term, sustainable partnership with health care providers in Pine Ridge.

Dodge says she made more connections going to Pine Ridge a second time in January.  She looks forward to returning again in the future--probably some time this fall.