Keirsta Ragels joins Rapid City Medical Center as a Certified Nurse Midwife. Her medical interests include Midwifery and Women’s Health, Preconception Counseling, Contraceptive Management, and Menstrual Cycle Irregularities
She is associated with the American College of Nurse Midwives and maintains Monument Health Hospital Privileges.
In her spare time, she enjoys time with her children, husband, and dog, reading, camping, hiking, fishing, and trying new foods.
Dr. Needens was born in Fort Collins, CO. She attended South Dakota Mines for undergrad, where she played basketball! She fell in love with Rapid City, and stayed in South Dakota to attend medical school at University of South Dakota – Sanford School of Medicine. She completed residency training at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia in 2023. Go Herd! She completed a one year fellowship at the University of Colorado in 2024.
She is so excited to be returning to Rapid City for the start of her career as an OBGYN. She did not think that she would end up in this specialty at the start of medical school, but thinks it is amazing to get to be a surgeon, work in clinic, and be there for some of the most exciting times in her patients’ lives. She is interested in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery, and optimizing women’s care in pregnancy and delivery.
She spends her free time with her family on the ranch east of town, and her three fur babies. Her hobbies include sports, hiking, golfing, skiing. She cannot wait to be back and able to explore the beautiful Black Hills!
Dr. Elizabeth Farnsworth relocated to Rapid City two years ago and has been delighted to engage with families in the Black Hills area. Her passion lies in supporting children and their families as they navigate life’s journey, from infancy through adolescence and beyond. Dr. Farnsworth emphasizes the importance of involving families in their children’s care, ensuring that both the patient and the family comprehend and support the treatment and care received. She is dedicated to patient education and maintains a strong interest in the latest scientific developments in pediatrics due to her research background. Her practice covers a wide range of pediatric care, including wellness check-ups, acute care, mental health, asthma, sports physicals, and assisting foster families. Beyond her professional commitments, Dr. Farnsworth cherishes spending quality time with her husband and children, caring for their new puppy, reading, immersing herself in nature, discovering new places, and encouraging her children in their academic and athletic pursuits.
Education
Pediatrics Residency June 1 2016- June 30 2019 The Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Doctor of Medicine September 2012- June 2016 University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX
Postdoctoral Scientific Research Fellow January 2008- November 2011 MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.
Cancer Scientific Research Fellow June 2007- December 2007 National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD
PhD, Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis September 2002-June 2007 – Washington University, St. Louis, MO
Bachelor of Science, Microbiology. 1999-2002 Brigham Young University, Provo, UT. Minors: Chemistry, French
Certified Nurse Practitioner, Paige Donahue, joined RCMC’s Urgent Care in 2024 – helping our clinic continue to see patients in a timely, professional, and compassionate manner.
Colette Gorder is a graduate of South Dakota State University and is AANPCB Certified. She enjoys spending time with family, being outdoors, gardening, and cooking.
Kate Dyer is a Certified Nurse Practitioner with the Urgent Care Department. She was born and raised in South Dakota and attended nursing school through the University of South Dakota. She completed her Masters in Science through Walden University in 2020 and received her ANCC accreditation in Family Practice. She has been in Urgent Care since 2021 and loves the variety and fast paced environment. Kate enjoys spending her free time in the outdoors. She loves to hike, backpack, cycle, kayak, and ski.
Michael completed his Physician Assistant training at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, in Omaha, NE in 1996. He began practicing with Rapid City Medical Center in 2016.
Diane completed her Physician Assistant training at University of North Dakota, in Fargo, ND in 1994, and received her masters from the University of Nebraska, in Lincoln, NE in 2003. She began practicing with Rapid City Medical Center in 2015.
Born and raised in Rapid City, Dr. Sears graduated with a bachelor of science from the University of Notre Dame and then went to the University of South Dakota’s Sanford School of Medicine. She completed residency training at the Rapid City Regional Health Family Medicine Residency program. She has practiced family medicine in Rapid City for over thirteen years.
Dr. Sears has been married for over 16 years and has four children who keep her very busy. She enjoys watching them play and participate in the activities they love. When she’s not following her children’s activities, she likes to spend time at her cabin in the Black Hills.
What she loves about Urgent Care is the fast paced opportunity to care for patients of all ages.
Dr. Sears’s individual practice philosophy is that health is not a number or a statistic that needs to be achieved. It is individual to each patient. The first step to achieving a healthier lifestyle is a commitment to work on all aspects of ourselves. She strives to partner with her patients to help them set new health goals and works with them to achieve them.
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