Dual Health-System Sponsorship
You train at Avera Health and Sanford Health, two of the region's largest systems. A variety of options for clinical experiences, with broader exposure and a stronger network before you ever graduate.
Sioux Falls, SD
Become a rural healthcare leader in your community.
Over 50 years. Over 500 physicians trained.
Train in full-spectrum family medicine with the procedural depth, autonomy, and close faculty mentorship to practice confidently anywhere — in a tight-knit program rooted in the rural communities of South Dakota and the Upper Midwest.
A Legacy of Proven Success
50+
Years Training Physicians
Established 1973
500+
Physicians Trained
And practicing across the region
<30,000
Practice Population
Where our graduates practice — communities under 30,000
80%
Stay in the Upper Midwest
SD, Iowa, Nebraska, or Minnesota
Dedicated patient base at the Center for Family Medicine clinic
| Interactive Medical Student Rotations |
ACGME-accredited, USD Sanford School of Medicine affiliated
Program overview
See what training here actually looks like
Three minutes with our residents and faculty. More honest than any brochure.
Watch on YouTube · ~3 min
Why Sioux Falls Family Medicine Residency
What you will find at the Sioux Falls Family Medicine Residency
Here's what actually makes Sioux Falls different, in concrete terms.
9 Residents Per Year — The 9‑9‑9 Program
There are only 9 new residents per year in Sioux Falls. Not a face in a large cohort, but part of a tight team of 27. Attending physicians know who you are and what you're working on.
Dedicated Obstetrics Clinic
Manage complex pregnancy conditions through collaboration with our OB-GYN and Maternal-Fetal Medicine colleagues. Residents average 55+ deliveries over 3 years.
Urban Diversity Within a Rural-Focused Program
Sioux Falls has a significant refugee population. That gives you clinical exposure to patient diversity most rural programs never see. You train for the region without losing the range a bigger city brings.
Three-year program
How each year builds on the last
Year One
Build the foundation
Heavy inpatient time at Avera McKennan and Sanford Health, with weekly continuity clinic to start building your patient panel and managing OB cases independently.
- Core Family Medicine — 16 wks
- Inpatient Pediatrics
- Emergency Medicine
- Obstetrics & Night Float
- Outpatient Selectives
Year Two
Expand your range
Residents spend two half-days per week at the Center for Family Medicine. Residents also see patients at Falls Community Health, a FQHC community clinic.
- Rural Family Medicine
- Core Family Medicine
- Emergency Medicine
- Obstetrics
- Inpatient Team
Year Three
Lead and specialize
An elective-heavy schedule with options to cover global health, LGBTQ medicine, perinatology, and other subspecialties.
- Global Health Elective
- LGBTQ Health
- Perinatology
- Endocrinology
- Custom Selectives
Where you train
Dual sponsorship across two of the region's largest systems
Sponsoring Institution
Avera Health
One of the region's largest faith-based health networks. At Avera McKennan, you'll train inside an integrated hospital that's deeply tied to communities across the Upper Midwest.
- Avera McKennan Hospital — primary inpatient site
- Pediatric Specialists
- Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Sponsoring Institution
Sanford Health
The nation's largest rural health system, headquartered right here in Sioux Falls. At Sanford, you'll work with the systems and patient populations you'll see for the rest of your career in regional practice.
- Sanford USD Medical Center
- Diverse outpatient and specialty rotations
- Strong research and fellowship pathways
Rural Rotation Sites
South Dakota and surrounding rural communities
Milbank, SD Mobridge, SD Madison, SD Parkston, SD Winner, SD Orange City, IA Pipestone, MN
Where you'll live
Welcome to Sioux Falls, SD
South Dakota's largest city. Affordable, outdoorsy, and the kind of place residents actually want to stay in. Most of them do.
Live weather — Sioux Falls, SD
Fetching weather…
4 semi-pro sports teams · 12 golf courses · 8 swimming pools
225K+
Population
80+
Public parks
30 mi
Bike trails
700+
Restaurants
$310K
Median home price
$1,100
Median rent/mo
Voices from the program
Hear from our program leaders and recent graduates
“The advantage in Sioux Falls is that there are not several other specialized residency programs competing for the educational process, so our residents are the ones that manage and help physicians in these specialized areas.”
“Because of refugee relocation, we see so much global health and diseases you would not see elsewhere. To get that training without even leaving Sioux Falls is pretty amazing.”
“It prepared me in all aspects of family medicine. I got to see so many different things that usually now when I am seeing them in practice I am comfortable and familiar with them.”
“Center for Family Medicine prepared me to practice anywhere I want with competence and kindness. I made lifelong friendships with residents, faculty, and staff and feel more than prepared to start my rural practice.”
From the Program Director
"Family medicine treats every generation, from newborns to geriatric patients. No other specialty offers that range, or that flexibility."
The Sioux Falls program is built for that. We're backed by two major health systems, Avera McKennan and Sanford Health, and affiliated with the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine. That dual sponsorship means broader clinical exposure and a stronger professional network before you ever graduate.
Our residents work on real patient safety initiatives and quality improvement projects. Our board pass rate reflects the training, and the time our faculty puts in for every resident, every year.
Our goal is simple: train physicians who will be exceptional in whatever setting they end up practicing. Take a look at what we've built here.
Brad Kamstra, DO
Program Director, Sioux Falls Family Medicine Residency
Ready to explore?
Your next steps, in order
1
Explore the program
Curriculum details, training sites, electives, and the rural track.
Explore the curriculum → 2
Tour the community
What life in Sioux Falls actually looks like. Parks, housing, cost of living.
Life in Sioux Falls → 3
Rotate with us
The best way to evaluate a program is to train in it. Request a 4-week rotation or a shadow day.
Request a rotation → 4
Meet the team
Get to know faculty, current residents, and the people who'll shape your three years.
Meet the team → 5
Apply via ERAS
ERAS deadline: September 30. Interview season runs October through January.
Application checklist →The first step is showing up
Ready to see what training here feels like?
The best way to evaluate a residency is to experience it. Rotate with us for an afternoon, a week, or a full month, and see how the program actually works before you apply.
Rotate With Us Shadow the program Apply via ERAS Interview (Oct–Jan) Match
Questions? Call 605-339-1783 or send us a message.