# First Indigenous medical school proposed for Rapid City  
**Published:** 2026-06-02T09:15:25.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/02/repub/proposed-indigenous-medical-school-aims-to-boost-native-physician-numbers/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/first-indigenous-medical-school-proposed-for-rapid-city

A proposed [Indigenous School of Medicine in Rapid City](https://isomhealth.com/donald-warne/) would be the nation's first medical school designed specifically to train Native American physicians, addressing a critical shortage in the field where [only 0.3% of practicing physicians nationwide are Native American](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/02/repub/proposed-indigenous-medical-school-aims-to-boost-native-physician-numbers/).

The school would integrate Indigenous traditions, ceremonies and cultures into its accredited curriculum while prioritizing student wellbeing and competency over rapid completion, according to Dr. Donald Warne, co-director of the Center for Indigenous Health at Johns Hopkins University and a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Rather than requiring students to "check our culture at the door to become a cookie-cutter doctor," Warne said the approach would allow students to maintain their cultural identity while pursuing medical careers.

The initiative has secured $1 million from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for a feasibility study and business plan, plus an additional $100,000 grant from NDN Collective. Warne aims to begin enrolling students in 2030, with the specific location within Rapid City still to be determined.

Tim Ridgway, dean of the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, said the two institutions could complement rather than compete with one another. "How could I not be part of this?" Ridgway said. "It is, in essence, part of the mission of this school." The schools could collaborate on curriculum development, faculty sharing, and specialized residency programs for Indigenous students.

The proposal addresses urgent needs in rural and tribal health facilities. [South Dakota has one of the largest health disparities between Native Americans and white residents in the United States](https://www.kotatv.com/2026/05/08/report-details-wide-disparity-between-native-american-white-health-south-dakota/), with Native Americans dying prematurely from preventable causes at rates five times higher than white residents.

Kenzie Lindemann, an Oglala Sioux tribal member and medical school student at USD, said the proposed school would provide a supportive environment where Indigenous students wouldn't constantly feel pressured to assimilate. During clinical examinations, she removes Native American jewelry or a ribbon skirt to reduce potential bias from non-Native patients. "By slowly but surely increasing the number of Native American physicians, maybe people won't see the stereotypes," she said. "Maybe they'll just see us as physicians in the community."

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/02/repub/proposed-indigenous-medical-school-aims-to-boost-native-physician-numbers/)
- [Indigenous School of Medicine website with information about the initiative](https://isomhealth.com/donald-warne/)
- [Commonwealth Fund report on South Dakota health disparities](https://www.kotatv.com/2026/05/08/report-details-wide-disparity-between-native-american-white-health-south-dakota/)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/02/repub/proposed-indigenous-medical-school-aims-to-boost-native-physician-numbers/.