Sheridan Memorial Hospital is proud to welcome Dr. Erica Rinker, board-certified family medicine physician, to our new Primary Care practice at 61 South Gould Street in the heart of downtown Sheridan.
Originally from rural Montana, Dr. Rinker is happy to return to a small-town environment with her children.
Dr. Rinker was drawn to the medical profession growing up because it was the ideal blend of two passions. “I wanted to be a scientist, and I wanted to serve others. I shadowed people in many different professions, including a school nurse and a veterinarian, trying to decide what the best combination of science and service would be for me.”
She kept returning to medicine, eventually enrolling in WWAMI, a medical education program through universities in Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho committed to sending providers into rural communities. She completed her medical degree in 2011 and fulfilled her Family Medicine Residency in Des Moines, IA, the same year.
Dr. Rinker’s interest in family medicine developed during her work with an internist in Billings. “I watched how a particular physician interacted with not only the patients but with their families as well, and I realized that while I enjoyed every part of medical school, I am most passionate about working with people in a long-term, integrated way,” she says. “I want to develop relationships that grow over the years, and I want to be involved in every aspect of care; if they need a specialist, I want to be the one who connects them with the right person and who follows up with them along the way.” Dr. Rinker is excited to be part of the hospital’s Primary Care practice, where she can begin to develop these relationships with Sheridan residents.
Dr. Rinker and her children settled in Buffalo about a year ago; their favorite family activities are bike rides and movie nights with plenty of popcorn. She has formed close ties with current Buffalo and Sheridan physicians who also went through the WWAMI program and has been providing care to patients in Gillette and Buffalo for the past five years. Dr. Rinker’s dedication to providing compassionate, involved care will be the perfect addition to the downtown Primary Care practice.
To make an appointment with Dr. Rinker, call 307.675.2690, or to learn more about Sheridan Memorial Hospital’s new Primary Care practice, go to SheridanPrimaryCare.org. You can learn more about Dr. Rinker by visiting her provider profile HERE.