Media Center

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8/9/2016 12:00:00 AM CENTRAL
Updated: 8/9/2016 2:45:04 PM CENTRAL
For more information, contact Katie Johnson.
LRH Foundation Awards Scholarships to Joel Money and Susan Berg
Joel Money & Susan Berg

(FERGUS FALLS, MN)  Lake Region Healthcare (LRH) Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of its new scholarship program to help students pursuing medical careers. Joel Money and Susan Berg have each been selected by the Foundation to receive a five-thousand dollar scholarship.

“The quality of applicants was outstanding and it was a very difficult choice for the committee to make,” said Foundation President, Larry Dorn. “Both Joel and Susan are very worthy of the award. We are glad to be able to help local students with the financial side of pursuing medical careers and hopefully encourage them to bring their skills back home someday as well,” he added.  

Joel Money is beginning his third year at the University of Minnesota Medical School Twin Cities campus. His specialty areas of interest include Internal, Family & Emergency Medicine.  In his application Joel stated “The role of a physician in a community goes well beyond taking care of patients in the clinic and hospital. In general, I believe physicians are viewed as leaders in their communities, not only by caring for the sick and promoting health and well-being, but often by serving in areas other than healthcare. I am interested in getting involved in my community by joining service organizations. [I would] also love to volunteer to be a coach for the local swim team or football team, as I learned many valuable life skills and values through both of these growing up and would love to give back by passing those skills and values on,” he added.  The review committee noted that his attitude of service combined with his exceptional grades made his application stand out.

Susan Berg is in her second year in the Masters of Physician Assistant Studies program at the University of Wisconsin Madison.  A strong sense of giving back and personal experience stood out to the review committee in Berg’s application as well. She explained in her application that “As a child and adolescent I was blessed with incredible health. It wasn’t until my sophomore year of college that I hit my first bump in the road medically. In my uncomfortable situation, I felt at ease under the care of Dr. Erin Peterson and Dr. Julie Gutzmer. The phenomenal care that these incredible women provided me, made me determined to do the same for other young women.  After completing PA school I plan to give back to my community by practicing in the Fergus Falls area, and aspire to provide exceptional care to young women who like myself hit a bump in the road,” she said.

This was the first year of the LRH Foundation Healthcare Professions Scholarship program. Dorn says he expects it to return in 2017 and encourages the applicants from this year who did not receive awards to reapply. He said he guidelines and application forms will be released in the winter of 2017.

About Lake Region Healthcare

Lake Region Healthcare is living out its vision to be Minnesota's preeminent regional healthcare partner. With over 80 Medical Staff and over 900 employees, its team is dedicated to serving its patients and community with integrity, teamwork, compassion and excellence. Its Foundation seeks to support continuation of its rich legacy of caring and planning for the future; focusing on providing the best possible access and scope of services for patients; clinical and service excellence; and maintaining a highly qualified and dedicated workforce. For more information about Lake Region Healthcare and its Foundation, visit www.lrhc.org.                                                                

# # #