Specialists in rural towns often find that the buck stops with them. Dr. Sam Wilson embraces his role as a dermatologist for patients who may be unable to travel for appointments. He enjoys finding purpose in his practice and “having a place” in the community.
Dr. Wilson demonstrated his commitment to serving his community recently when treating a patient with a cancerous lesion covering the top of their scalp. Due to the patient’s health and financial status, they were unable to travel for care. Dr. Wilson helped resolve the patient’s skin cancer by prescribing a combination of medication and therapy. The cancer survivor had not felt comfortable visiting a barber for 3 years, due to the cancerous scalp lesion.
In addition to treating the patient medically, Dr. Wilson and his staff demonstrated their commitment to the community by giving the patient a haircut, improving their self-confidence and hygiene. The patient would have gone without medical care if not for Dr. Wilson’s expertise, which may have been fatal.
Dr. Wilson speaks highly of practicing in a rural area and suggests that if “you’re from a small town and want to make a difference in someone’s life or in a community, don’t think twice and overanalyze it. You can’t go wrong increasing access to patient care and saving other people’s lives. Just jump into it, you won’t regret it.”
Dr. Sam Wilson is a dermatologist at Uintah Basin Healthcare and a recipient of the Rural Physicians Loan Repayment Program. Dr. Wilson and his family enjoy hiking, fishing, and 4-wheeling. They love living in a rural community away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Uintah Basin Healthcare’s mission is to care for communities through access to compassionate, quality healthcare and invest in the people the organization serves. Uintah Basin Healthcare is the largest independent rural healthcare system in Utah, with multiple locations throughout the Uintah Basin region.