Why Billings Clinic?

Taylor EasleyFaculty & Graduate

After spending my entire life in Kansas I decided to pursue a residency outside of my home state. Years ago I spent a summer in Kalispell, I remembered how beautiful it was and how much I loved the open outdoors in Montana. I decided to apply to the internal medicine program in Billings on a whim. When I arrived for my interview I was greeted by beautiful weather and friendly smiles all the way around. People in Montana are some of the friendliest people around. The faculty members were down to earth and easy to talk to. The residents treated me like I was already one of them. Billings was a long way from home, but I knew that I would have a new family of residents close by. When I toured the hospital and clinic I saw a well-run organization with staff that not only cared deeply about the patients, but also prided themselves in the quality of care that was provided. I was still hesitant about a newer residency, so far from home. Now that I’m here I don’t regret it for a second. It’s truly a great place to be.

Amy Consson, MDThird Year Resident

The Billings Clinic Internal Medicine Residency Program has already earned a reputation for excellent administration, knowledgeable and caring staff, and outstanding resident education, particularly in preparation for providing primary care services in a rural setting. The quality of this program is undeniable and it is a true pleasure to join this established consortium as I continue my medical education.

Additionally, as a Montana native, the opportunity to serve the hard-working people of my home state brings me great pleasure. That, in addition to the opportunity to introduce our two children to Montana values and the natural beauty that surrounds us, makes the location a perfect fit for my family.

We are truly fortunate to have such a high caliber medical residency program in our state, and I am incredibly proud to be part of the initiative to train primary care physicians to care for the people of Montana.

Kale Knudson, MDFaculty & Graduate

I spent my first year of internal medicine residency training at the University of Michigan. This was my top choice as I was undecided regarding a future specialty and was impressed by the large academic center setting. I learned a tremendous amount about patient care and worked with some of the finest physicians in the country. Despite the program’s emphasis on specialized medicine, I loved my primary care clinic which solidified my interest in becoming a general internist.

After this discovery, I felt the need to transfer programs as I wanted to learn how to manage patients resembling those in my home state of Montana. When the opportunity presented itself for me to transfer to the Billings Clinic Internal Medicine Residency, I knew it was the perfect chance for me to work with outstanding faculty, residents and healthcare professionals and develop into a strong general internist for my home state. Upon transferring, my expectations met reality – the residency has outstanding general internist and sub-specialty faculty from all parts of the country. More importantly, the residency continues to have a clear and rooted vision of training generalist physicians to serve rural areas.

Fortunately, I have been offered a teaching physician position at the Billings Clinic Internal Medicine Residency starting in 2017. My focus will be primary care, an area of medicine I truly enjoy given ongoing patient relationships and the variety of medicine. In addition, I find navigating complex local and regional medical systems and managing chronic disease for my patients both challenging and rewarding. The demand for strong primary care physicians who can expertly “manage” complex patients continues to rise and I’m excited to be part of this frontline in medicine.

Matthew Niemeyer, DOFaculty & Graduate

I chose to come to Billings Clinic for many reasons. First of all, I grew up in Montana. I love the people of Big Sky country and could not imagine serving a better, more hardworking and deserving population. Montana has always been home to me. I grew up snowboarding across the beautiful mountains, boating on many of the different lakes and fishing as many rivers as I could find.

The opportunity to be a part of a growing and developing patient centered medical home model in the Internal Medicine Residency program was another strong draw. Finally, I chose Billings Clinic for the outstanding people that make up the clinic team. From the support staff to the teaching physicians, the people here make the difference. I could not imagine a more fantastic place to continue my medical training.

Sindy Byington, MDGraduate Internal Medicine Resident

I was born and raised in a rural farming community in Southeast Idaho. I was one of six kids and the first generation to graduate college. I’ve wanted to be a doctor since I was five years old. When I came for the residency interview at Billings Clinic, everything just clicked. I felt like I belonged here.

I am impressed with the reputation of the hospital, the quality of the facilities, and the experience of the faculty. Most importantly, I feel like I am making a tangible difference here. I have wonderful patients who appreciate the care I provide, and some travel hundreds of miles from across the state to see me. We are taught to focus on the person, not the problem and our administration and faculty have a lot of confidence in us.

Billings is also a fantastic community to raise a family with activities, parks, hiking and watersports all around. My kids love their schools and teachers and I feel like they are getting a good education.