Joe Wood, MD

About Joe Wood, MD

Joe (he/him) was born originally in Rapid City, SD and began his story in the small town Custer, SD in the Black Hills. He moved to Helena, MT when he was 11 and enjoyed life under the Big Sky where he found joy exploring the wilderness on horseback. He attended Montana State University where he discovered his passions for both medicine and philosophy graduating with a B.A. in Philosophy. Joe focused his undergraduate education on biomedical ethics taking his thoughts to various conferences his senior year. As certified Nursing Assistant for three years at the local hospital’s medical floor, Joe saw firsthand the difference thoughtful providers could make for patients and staff alike.

After working in Maryland as a medical assistant for a year while he applied to medical school; Joe began his medical schooling at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. During this time, he started a biomedical ethics interest group, assisted in revitalizing the geriatric interest group, and was a leader in the rural medicine interest group. He was also a participant in the ROME (Rural Opportunities in Medical Education) program at UND which involved a six month longitudinal clinical rotation in Benson, MN. It was at this time he fell in love with the broad spectrum family medicine he experienced there. He was especially excited to experience the crucial role a rural family medicine physician could play in enabling underserved populations access to care that would otherwise be inaccessible.

He is committed to providing spaces where any and all can seek care and feel safe to do so, regardless of social background or geographical limitation. He believes family medicine excels at enabling doctors to serve underserved communities and meet the various particular needs that each unique community may have. Which is why he is so excited to be at a program that continually pushes harder for an anti-racist and equitable health system.

Joe spends his free time exploring outdoor spaces through backcountry backpacking, skiing, and kayaking. He also explores digital spaces by enjoying exploration focused video games via his self constructed computer. He shares these interests with his wife Kaitlyn and their two cats Atlas and Fluff.