In this episode, I speak with Dr. Shawn Vainio up in Girdwood, Alaska. Dr. Vainio currently works for the Yukon Kuskokwin Health Corporation in the Native Alaskan village of Bethel. When Shawn is not working in Bethel he is with his wife, Annjannette, and daughter, Anja, in Girdwood, AK skiing, hiking, biking, or exploring other parts of the world. Shawn has been on over 15 medical expeditions in the Himalayas, spent 7 months at a research station in Antarctica as the only clinician, and focused most of his career in rural medicine. He was the Alaska Family Doctor of the Year in 2022 and he was awarded the Humanitarian of the Year by the American Academy of Family Physicians in 2023. Not a bad reference for my graduate school application!My fortuitous encounter with Shawn was in early 2020 where we created and put on the first and second Annual Alaskan Improving Diagnostic Accuracy in Medicine Virtual Conferences. Shawn treated me as an equal, checked in with me regularly, and helped me to see the importance of the work we were doing. Shawn describes deep connections and holistic relationships being like the deep roots of a tree. He encourages people to "Just Make it Happen" saying if you take advantage of opportunities and establish relationships, things will be offered to you!

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