closely with Dr. Bruce Grover, Family Physician and Medical Director. He “fell in love” with being in the clinic and doing obstetric and nursery care at the hospital. He realized this was “why I went into medicine” and matched at Utah Valley Hospital’s fantastic residency. He practices obstetrics and sees babies in the nursery, taking calls with Smith and Dr. Grover, and they are expanding access to vasectomies at Mountainlands in addition to their outpatient practices. Calquin’s first language is Spanish, and he is committed to serving patients that speak Spanish. His family had care at Midtown Community Health Center in Davis County, so he knows the importance of meeting the needs of this community with excellence. Both Smith and Calquin are National Health Service Corps (NHSC) loan repayment recipients, and both appreciate that award. They plan to be at Mountainlands for a long time and anticipate developing increased teaching opportunities for students and residents. “Quiet Leader” Addie Slack, MD, is the Medical Director at Community Health Centers, Incorporated (CHC, Inc.). Her path to family medicine started early. She was exposed to rural family medicine in her small town of Edwards, CO. Her own family doctor was a model and a mentor; not only did he care for her and her family, but allowed her to participate on international care trips to Honduras as she was a budding premed. Slack was a Spanish-language major in college and then attended Medical School at the University of Illinois at Rockford and residency at the University of Colorado in Denver. The Spanish language was formative in Slack’s ultimate path to working for CHC, Inc. She fell in love with the language and the added connection she was able to experience when she cared for populations that were primarily Spanish-speaking. She was also a National Health Service Corps Scholar, and job decisions had to include her eligibility to serve in a qualified setting. CHC, Inc. was lucky to get her in 2015. Why did she choose family medicine? Slack shared, “I wanted a job where I worked with people and used my brain and science. And I realized I get bored with routine. Family medicine is always allowing me to learn and do something different. That is why I continue to practice obstetrics and nursery care. Continuity with my patients and relations are also key.” Slack began to take on leadership positions in 2017 at her clinic soon after her arrival, becoming an Associate Medical Director in 2017 and Medical Director in 2023. She describes her path to leadership as “by chance.” “I am a quiet leader; I observe the big picture and keep tabs on all the players. Being a leader for your organization is important; it sets a tone, and we need to have people who can make things happen,” said Slack. Slack feels strongly that her health center offers her a fantastic career with options to grow. “FQHCs are places where you have lots of autonomy. Caring for underserved populations requires creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. You are still like an independent practitioner. You get to work with cool, passionate, mission-driven people, and you are allowed to find your niche. There will always be variety, and you can do it for a long time.” CHC, Inc. will start the first Utah Teaching Health Center, a four-slot family residency located at CHC, Inc. and in rural sites in 2025. Addie Slack, MD, CHC, Inc. | 30
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