Meet Us

Letter From The Program Director

Yá'át'ééh!

I'm thrilled to be a part of the Shiprock University of New Mexico Family Medicine Residency program, the first in the federal Indian Health Service. I arrived in Shiprock in September of 2009, expecting to stay and work for 2 years. More than a decade later, it is my home, one in which colleagues, patients, and community constantly teach, nurture, and inspire me. Our rural training track with the University of New Mexico will equip new physicians with skills to work in any setting after graduation. Residents will spend their first year working at UNM's hospital and affiliated sites, getting the intensity and variety that comes with an academic tertiary care setting. During the 2nd and 3rd years, they will join us on Diné Bikéyah, the Navajo Nation, learning the independence and self-sufficiency required in our busy rural clinic, hospital, and community sites. At Northern Navajo Medical Center (NNMC) in Shiprock, family doctors take care of patients in every stage of life, from preconception care to the nursing home. We are a small training program with 2 residents per year; residents will partner closely with faculty, who are role models practicing full-spectrum care.

Heather Kovich, MD
Program Director

Whether interested in population health, substance abuse treatment, musculoskeletal medicine, hospital procedures, and more, residents will find mentorship and expertise in our family medicine department. We have decades of experience teaching medical students and residents on elective rotations. Many of these learners returned to become our faculty. We are excited to extend this love of teaching into a dedicated residency program. The longitudinal experience will allow residents to reap the benefits of community based practice and learn the skills only available from continuity of care.

Living in the Four Corners is spectacular. Aside from its cultural wealth, the area offers ample outdoors recreation opportunities, including world-class hiking, biking, rafting, and skiing. National parks and monuments are adjacent in every direction. Diné Bikéyah has unlimited trail running and mountain biking, and hosts dozens of unique races for all ability levels. There are four distinct seasons, but sunny skies are the norm year-round. I work here because I can't imagine living or working anywhere better. I hope you will consider learning more about the work we do, visiting our community, and entrusting us with your medical training.

Sincerely, Heather Kovich, MD