Sanford Fargo hosting forum on future healthcare profession
April 30, 2026
Contact:
Nathan Aamodt
Sanford Health Media Relations
(701) 200-6080/nathan.aamodt@sanfordhealth.org
FARGO, N.D. – Sanford Health Fargo is hosting a community breakfast on building the next generation of healthcare professionals.
The forum is invite only and takes place on Wednesday, May 6, from 8 to 9 a.m. at the Sanford Amber Valley Campus, 4840 23rd Ave. S., Fargo. The community breakfast will include a brief presentation, followed by a panel discussion and a question-and-answer session with the audience. A tour of Sanford Amber Valley is available following the presentation, from 9-10 a.m. Tiffany Lawrence, Sanford Fargo president and CEO, leads a panel that will include:
• Theresa Larson, MSN, BSN, RN, Sanford Fargo chief nursing officer
• Dr. David Theige, Sanford Fargo medical director of graduate medical education
• Linda Kirchhevel, Sanford Health senior director of talent and leadership development
• Tony Breding, Sanford Fargo senior director of operations
• Sherm Syverson, Sanford Fargo vice president of operations
As Sanford Fargo continues to bring world-class services close to home, the need for a strong, sustainable healthcare workforce has never been greater. To address this, Sanford Fargo is working to build the next generation of healthcare professionals through strategic partnerships and programming, ensuring high-quality, advanced care remains accessible across the region. Some of the partnerships and programming include:
Aspire Program
This career exploration program introduces students from elementary through college to healthcare careers through hands-on learning experiences, career fairs, classroom visits, camps, coaching and more.
Residency and Fellowship Programs
Through Sanford Fargo’s partnership with the University of North Dakota, the organization has been able to make significant progress in expanding physician residency and fellowship opportunities locally. Today, Sanford Fargo offers 13 residency and fellowship programs, welcoming more than 150 residents and fellows annually.
Nursing Education
Sanford works in partnership with 16 colleges and universities across the tri-state area to support nursing education through programming and hands-on clinical training.
Allied Health Education
Through a combination of internal programs, strong educational partnerships and provided clinical training hours, Sanford is helping build and strengthen allied health pipelines that allow students to train locally and step confidently into high-need positions across the region. These programs focus on critical roles such as laboratory, imaging and other clinical support services.
EMS Education
Sanford Health supports training and education for emergency medical responders, emergency medical technicians and paramedics across the region. In partnership with the North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS), Sanford also offers a paid paramedic apprenticeship program that creates a direct pathway int this essential role.
About Sanford Health
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization has 55,000 employees and serves more than 2 million patients and nearly 415,000 health plan members across the upper Midwest including South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Iowa, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The integrated nonprofit health system includes a network of 58 hospitals, 289 clinic locations, 145 senior care communities, 4,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and 1,100 active clinical trials and studies. The organization’s transformational virtual care initiative brings patients closer to care with access to nearly 80 specialties. More than 400 residents and fellows are trained each year through graduate medical education with Sanford Health fully funding and supporting 29 of the 40 available programs. Sanford Health also includes Lewis Drug, a pharmacy and retail chain with 60 locations in three states and nearly 190 pharmacists. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.
