Callaway District Hospital and Medical Clinics have been serving the Seven Valleys area since 1952, though it has not always operated under that name. There were also two years, between 1972 and 1974, when the community did not have a medical facility until Dr. Ronald Sheppard opened a practice here.

Today the hospital and clinic have earned the reputation as one of the best facilities in the area. That high standard and the welcoming folks of the community are what Bethany Collins said attracted her to want to live and work here. The newest healthcare provider at Callaway District Hospital and Medical Clinics is proud to call Callaway her new home.

A native of Grand Island, Collins is a graduate of Grand Island Senior High and then attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha to begin pursuing her medical career. There she received a bachelor’s degree in biology with minors in medical humanities and psychology. In the fall of 2022, she began classes at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in Omaha in a 28-month program called Master of Physician Assistant Studies. She graduated from that program this past December.

Collins is now enrolled in an online Doctorate of Medical Sciences program through UNMC and will finish that in December of 2026.

“I heard about this track when I was doing my undergrad. I always knew I wanted to do something medical but I wasn’t quite sure what type of medicine I wanted to do,” Collins said. “I heard about the PA profession and decided to go that route, and I haven’t regretted it since.'

Cont. PAGE 5: New Provider “It’s an amazing program because we practice medicine independently, but there is also a big emphasis on teamwork and collaboration,” Collins continued. “We have overseeing doctors who are there if we have questions or concerns.”

Though she is still fairly new in the profession, Collins said her favorite part so far has been getting to see the patients. “I know it sounds cliche, but I have just always really enjoyed helping people and the interactions I get with people. Even in a 30-minute appointment, you can get to know a lot about someone,” she said.

Collins said she knew going into PA school that she wanted to do family medicine, she just wasn’t sure what that would look like. She actually did a 3-month rotation in Callaway, two months in the fall and one in the summer. “They just plopped me here. I didn’t even know this was a town as a student. I remember telling my fiance I thought this was going to be awful,” she laughed. “And then I loved it!”

The small-town practice proved to be exactly what Collins was looking for. “You essentially get to see your patients from start to finish. That continuity of care is really special to have.”

She relocated to the community during the first week of February and started her new job on Feb. 10. Her fiance, Andrew Rheiner joined her in early March, and the couple bought a home. He now works at Norder Supply.

Collins is the first in her family to pursue a career in the medical profession, which she admits has been the source of great pride for her family members. “My grandparents just love telling all their friends that their granddaughter is a PA,” she shared with a smile.

One of the benefits of the PA program, Collins shared, is having the flexibility to transition from family medicine to a more specialized field if you choose to. “I plan on being here a long time, but if I ever wanted a change that is pretty easy to do,” she said.

All PAs in the state of Nebraska operate under a supervising/collaborating physician. Together they determine the scope of practice for that PA. There are really no limitations to what she can do as far as treating patients in family medicine. “It’s just what I am comfortable with what I have been trained to do and what my overseeing physician agrees with,” she explained.

She also gets to work in the ER at Callaway, which is something she said she is enjoying. Since she is new, Collins will always have someone else on call with her for a while. She is currently on call one weeknight and every sixth weekend. Dr. Kenneth Loper is her overseeing physician.

Collins said when she first came to this clinic for her rotation she expected it to be quite slow and boring, but was surprised at how busy it is. “I have been amazed at the number of people who travel here for care. It seems like the clinic is always full,” she shared.

Initially relocating to a rural area like Callaway was not in Collins’ plan. “My fiance and I had lots of conversations about what our life would look like after I graduated and we just thought we would probably stay somewhere around Omaha. Had it not been for my rotation in Callaway, that is probably where we would be,” she admitted. “We were both ready to get out of Omaha, we just needed the right opportunity. And when this one presented itself we knew it was the right one.”