Good Samaritan and Creighton Welcome the Nation's First Rural Track Physician Residents to Kearney

CHI Health, and its academic medical partner Creighton University School of Medicine, proudly welcome the first Creighton resident physicians to train at CHI Health Good Samaritan in Kearney.

Creighton University and CHI Health have launched the nation's first ACGME-accredited Rural Track Residency program, aimed at offering comprehensive medical training to residents. This initiative seeks to address the shortage of physicians and mental health professionals across 90 of Nebraska's 93 counties by expanding residency opportunities in underserved areas.

The inaugural class of the Rural Track Residency program, including internal medicine and psychiatric residents, is learning firsthand the benefits and challenges of practicing in both a metropolitan and non-metropolitan setting.

After finishing their first year of training at CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center - Bergan Mercy in Omaha, the internal medicine residents began their training at Good Samaritan on Nov. 5. The psychiatric residents will follow in May 2025, relocating from Omaha to Kearney to train at CHI Health Richard Young Behavioral Health Medical Center.

Dr. Abubakar Tauseef is the program’s newly-appointed site director. He will play a significant role in the day-to-day operations of the program and will guide and support the residents during their training at Good Samaritan. The site director for the psychiatric residents will be named soon.

“The need for skilled healthcare providers in rural areas is urgent,” says Dr. Tauseef. “Our Rural Track program meets this challenge by offering a comprehensive education to ensure all Nebraskans have access to top-quality medical care. I’m excited to create a supportive environment for our residents and contribute to strengthening the healthcare system in the region.”

The first group of internal medicine residents includes Drs. Muhammad Sikandar Karim, Narmada Lavu, Rutvij Patel, and Naimatullah Abdul Rahim. Over the next 20 months, they will provide care at Good Samaritan's 236-bed hospital and specialty care clinics before launching their professional careers in medicine.

“As a regional referral center and the only Level II trauma center in the area, we offer residents the chance to treat complex, high-acuity patients, much like they would in larger metropolitan cities—right here in Kearney. Working alongside our highly skilled specialists, new graduates have the opportunity to serve a diverse 23-county region and care for patients who are the backbone of American agriculture,” says Curt Coleman, president of Good Samaritan.