UNIVERSITY of MINNESOTA/LAKEWOOD HEALTH SYSTEM PROGRAM New Program!
The UNIVERSITY of MINNESOTA/LAKEWOOD HEALTH SYSTEM PROGRAM New Program! Family Medicine residency in Staples, MN is listed by AAMC with ERAS status “Participating” for the 2027 cycle. Use the official program page for curriculum, training sites, eligibility, and current contacts.
About the program
The University of Minnesota Lakewood Rural Residency is a new 2-2-2 rural family medicine program: PGY-1 at North Memorial in North Minneapolis (Broadway Family Medicine Clinic), then PGY-2 and PGY-3 at Lakewood Health System, a 25-bed critical access hospital in Staples, MN with about 500 births a year. The second and third years use a longitudinal rather than block curriculum emphasising inpatient care, emergency medicine and obstetrics, and graduates are expected to have over 80 births. The page says two residents will be accepted per year upon accreditation, for a start in mid-June 2027 (ERAS September 2026). No visa sponsorship for employment visas.
Summarized from the program’s official website. Confirm details with the program.
Program highlights
- Full-spectrum rural FM with obstetrics: over 80 births, with about 500 births a year at Lakewood; emphasise commitment to rural OB.
- Longitudinal PGY-2/3 curriculum (no traditional blocks) with a week of inpatient medicine plus OB every four weeks and home OB/ER backup call; ask how this works day to day.
- Only two residents per year and the only training program at Lakewood and North Memorial, so expect individual mentorship and little competition for procedures.
- Urban-to-rural structure: Level I trauma, Children's Hospital pediatrics and ICU in PGY-1, then critical-access practice; speak to wanting both.
- Ask about accreditation status and Match activation, since the page describes enrolment as upon accreditation; note that employment visas are not sponsored.
- Procedure list includes LARC, operative vaginal deliveries, perineal repairs, paracentesis, thoracentesis and intubation; ask about opportunities for C-sections, colposcopy and endoscopy.
PGY salaries
PGY salaries have not been verified for this program.
Program leadership and contact
- Program director
- Alex Harsha, MD
- Program coordinator
- Loren Walz
- Address
- Lakewood Health System - Staples Clinic, 49725 County 83, Staples, MN 56479
Program and application links
Review the official program page for training sites, curriculum, eligibility, required documents, deadlines, interview policy, visa sponsorship, and current openings.
About Family Medicine residency training
Family Medicine residency training typically lasts 3 years.
Training covers care across ages, including obstetrics, pediatrics and outpatient continuity of care.
General information about the specialty, not a statement about this program. Confirm details with the program.
How to apply to this residency
- Register with ERAS, the application service of the AAMC, and with the NRMP Main Residency Match.
- Apply to this program through ERAS during the application season, with the documents it asks for.
- If you interview here, rank the program on your NRMP rank order list by the deadline; Match results are released in March.
Deadlines, required documents, interview policy and visa sponsorship differ between programs and years. The program’s own website is the authority.
Prepare your application
- The NRMP Residency Match, explained
- Residency interview preparation: a four-week plan and question bank
- Residency interview strategies for USMLE candidates
- How to create a resume or CV for residency
- The Dean's letter (MSPE): what it is and how to get it from your medical school
- After the interview: highlight your strengths and send thank-you letters
- NRMP ranking algorithm & rank-list strategy
- Save money on USMLE and interview travel
- Study books by exam
- International medical graduates: ECFMG and visas
Questions to ask this program
Strong applicants use the interview to learn how a program trains its residents. Questions worth asking:
- How much autonomy do residents have at each training level, and how is supervision handled?
- Where do graduates go next: practice, fellowship or academic positions? Ask for recent examples.
- What are the call and night-float schedules, and how many hours do residents typically work?
- How are residents supported in preparing for board exams, and what is the program’s recent pass rate?
- What research, quality improvement or teaching opportunities are protected with time?
- What benefits, parental leave and wellness support does the program provide?
Compare nearby options
More Family Medicine programs in Minnesota
Frequently asked questions
How do I apply to the UNIVERSITY of MINNESOTA/LAKEWOOD HEALTH SYSTEM PROGRAM New Program! Family Medicine residency?
This directory lists the program in the NRMP Main Residency Match. Use the program and application links on this page for the current instructions, deadlines and required documents.
How long is the UNIVERSITY of MINNESOTA/LAKEWOOD HEALTH SYSTEM PROGRAM New Program! Family Medicine residency?
The program length recorded for this entry is 3 years. Confirm it with the program.
How many positions does the UNIVERSITY of MINNESOTA/LAKEWOOD HEALTH SYSTEM PROGRAM New Program! Family Medicine residency offer?
The directory records 2 position(s) per year. Positions can change from year to year, so confirm for the cycle you are applying to.
What does the UNIVERSITY of MINNESOTA/LAKEWOOD HEALTH SYSTEM PROGRAM New Program! Family Medicine residency pay?
Salaries have not been verified for this program. Many institutions publish a resident and fellow salary schedule on their graduate medical education office page.