Behind the Stethoscope: The Heart of ERx
In 2025, we would like to highlight the medical directors of our ERx team. Their commitment to rural health care is the driving force behind our organization. Sara Ragsdale, DO Medical School Year: 1998, University of Kansas Health Sciences Joined ERx: 2013 Current Positions: Director of Providence St.Joesph Hospital in Chewelah, WA Director of Columbia Health in Dayton, WA Co-director of Providence Mt Carmel Hospital in Colville, WA What inspired you to pursue a career in medicine? “I am guessing it was because my mom was sick. She died when I was young. When I was eight, I decided I wanted to be an OB/GYN. My dad still has the picture when I drew “What I wanted to do when you grew up.” There is a stick figure person standing next to a table with a lady that has a giant pregnant belly, so I even knew what an OB/GYN was.” Why did you choose to work in rural Emergency Medicine? “I chose my family medicine residency based on location and stayed in Kansas City. They’re totally prepared to do family medicine in the city, which is working in the clinic. This was my least favorite part of family medicine. Looking back, I wish I would’ve done a different residency but at the time I wanted to be close to my family and so with a new baby. When you do ER in a big hospital as the family medicine resident, they assume you don’t want or need to do a lot of ER procedures. The orthopedic residents do all the reductions, the anesthesia residents do all the intubations and the cardiology residents do all the cardioversions. I had the opportunity to moonlight in a rural hospital. It was amazing. I was able to do all the fun stuff because…
