Gail Bernard, MD

Written by cloakendagger on August 5, 2023. Posted in Mt. Rushmore RD, Physicians.

Gail Bernard, MD

Dr. Bernard is a native South Dakotan who grew up in Wall and Spearfish. In 2000, after completing her ophthalmology residency at the University of Colorado, she joined Dr. Herlihy and the Ophthalmology Department at Rapid City Medical Center.

She treats a broad spectrum of eye problems with special interests in cataract surgery, glaucoma, and a variety of eyelid disorders.

She has four daughters and an extended local family. She and her husband enjoy skiing, camping, mountain biking, and travel.

Heather Moline, MD

Written by cloakendagger on August 5, 2023. Posted in Mt. Rushmore RD, Physicians.

Heather Moline, MD

Dr. Moline was born and raised in Rapid City. After graduating from the University of Minnesota-Duluth, she completed her medical school training at the University of South Dakota-Sanford School of Medicine. Dr. Moline moved back to Rapid City in 2018 after completing her residency training at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska and started at Rapid City Medical in 2019.

Dr. Moline enjoys all aspects of Ob/Gyn including infertility, incontinence, low and high-risk obstetrics, well-woman and adolescent gynecology, as well as minimally invasive gynecologic surgery and transgender care.

She spends her free time with her husband and their two kids enjoying all that the beautiful Black Hills have to offer! Her hobbies include gardening, canning/preserving food, beekeeping, skiing, brewing kombucha, and hunting with their German Wirehaired Pointers, Greta & Piper.

Molly Gilbert, MD

Written by cloakendagger on August 5, 2023. Posted in Mt. Rushmore RD, Physicians.

Molly Gilbert, MD

Dr. Gilbert was born and raised in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. After completion of her
undergraduate degree at Colorado State University, she returned home for medical school at
the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine. She went on to complete her
residency training at the University of Arizona – Phoenix. Prior to joining Rapid City Medical
Center, she practiced in Salt Lake City, Utah. She is excited to serve the community back in her
home state of South Dakota.
Dr. Gilbert is passionate about providing comprehensive women’s healthcare. She particularly
enjoys the lifelong bond formed when caring for women at all stages of life.
In her free time, she enjoys exploring the Black Hills with her husband and two daughters.

Katherine Degen, MD

Written by cloakendagger on August 5, 2023. Posted in Mt. Rushmore RD, Physicians.

Katherine Degen, MD

Dr. Degen grew up in beautiful Spearfish, South Dakota. She completed both college and medical school at The University of South Dakota. After medical school, she ventured away to residency at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Once she completed residency, she was grateful to come home to the Black Hills!

Dr. Degen enjoys a broad spectrum of women’s health. She enjoys caring for women from their first period, through childbearing, and into menopause. She feels that the depth of the relationships she forms with her patients is a huge privilege.

While she practices a full-spectrum of obstetrics and gynecology, she has a special interest in pelvic floor dysfunction; problems such as incontinence, prolapse, and pain. She utilizes minimally invasive methods to help patients live a happier, healthier life.

In her off time, she enjoys all that the Hills have to offer! She loves to hike with her family and their dog, try new restaurants, and simply sit on the back porch with a cup of coffee! She is truly grateful for such a wonderful place to live!

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Shana Bernhard, MD

Written by cloakendagger on August 5, 2023. Posted in Mt. Rushmore RD, Physicians.

Shana Bernhard, MD

After completing medical school and residency at Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha NE, Dr Bernhard and her family came to Rapid City in 2005. She thoroughly enjoyed her full OBGYN practice and was privileged to deliver many babies. After 23 years of practicing obstetrics, she is excited to transition to a GYN only practice in the summer of 2024. She has special interests in preventative care and annual exams, minimally invasive gynecologic surgery to manage heavy bleeding, pelvic pain and prolapse, contraceptive management, infertility and gynecologic care for breast cancer survivors. She is excited to offer a full range of GYN services including PRP and Mona Lisa Touch for menopausal women and women struggling with lichen sclerosus.

In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, reading, and traveling to beautiful places.

Tyler Ptacek, MD

Written by cloakendagger on August 5, 2023. Posted in Physicians, South Clinic.

Tyler Ptacek, MD

Dr. Tyler A. Ptacek, a double Board Certified pain specialist, has been in practice since 2015 and at RCMC in Rapid City since December of 2020.

Dr. Ptacek was raised along with his two brothers and sister in O’Neill, Nebraska – a town of about 3,500 people. It was during this time that he was influenced by his father practicing medicine as a small town family doctor. This experience is a big part of why he enjoys the combining of the art and the science of modern medicine into improving people’s lives.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in chemistry, he attended medical school at the University of Nebraska followed by an internship at the University of Kansas- Wichita. Dr. Ptacek completed his residency in Anesthesiology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, NE, and his Interventional Pain Fellowship at Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, NC. He was in private practice in Cape Girardeau, MO prior to moving to the Black Hills in 2020 to be close to family.

Dr. Ptacek describes his bedside manner as open and relaxed. He recommends common sense treatments with the goals of decreasing pain and increasing function. He likes to start his visits by trying to understand what is important to the patient. He is passionate about quality care and staying up-to-date with the newest treatments and technology. He specializes in long-term treatment of pain, including spinal cord stimulation, pain pumps, kyphoplasty, SI Joint fusions, Basivertebral nerve ablation, and has a special interest in stem cell/regenerative medicine.

Dr. Ptacek served in the United States Air Force Air National Guard as a Flight Surgeon for 14 years. He and his wife Melanie are blessed with two boys and two girls. They enjoy traveling, hiking, snowboarding, and flying small aircraft.

Lance Doeden, MD

Written by cloakendagger on August 5, 2023. Posted in Physicians, South Clinic.

Lance Doeden, MD

Dr. Lance Doeden was born and raised in Fargo, North Dakota and received his undergraduate degree at North Dakota State University. He went to medical school at the University of North Dakota and did his residency and fellowship at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Double board-certified in anesthesiology and interventional pain, Dr. Doeden says his biggest hope for his patients is to improve pain, function and ultimately their quality of life without the use of medication.

He enjoys hiking and exploring the Black Hills with his wife Mikayla and their four kids. Their youngest son has Down Syndrome and his uniqueness and contagious joy has offered the family the opportunity to shout the worth of all individuals. Outside of work, Dr. Doeden enjoys being with his family, playing on the water, reading, watching sporting events and spending time with his church family.

Dr. Doeden was the first person in North Dakota to implant Omnia, the latest technology from Nevro spinal cord stimulation, as well as the first physician in the state to use Wavewriter alpha, the latest technology from Boston Scientific. Prior to moving to Rapid City in 2021, he was an interventional pain physician at Sanford Health in Fargo for four years. Along with his partner, Dr. Tyler Ptacek, he is a founding member of the Dakota Pain Society.

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Kevin Weiland, MD

Written by cloakendagger on July 11, 2023. Posted in Physicians, Tower Road.

Kevin Weiland, MD

Dr. Weiland is board certified in the specialty of internal medicine. He graduated from the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine and completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics in Madison, Wisconsin. He is an associate professor with the Sanford School of Medicine and is actively involved in numerous nonprofit organizations such as the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, and the American Lung Association.

He has been published in the Annals of Pharmacology as well as the State Medical Journal. He was the “Supervising Physician” for the 2008 documentary Good Meat: “How the Lakota Got Fat and Beau LeBeau Saved Himself.”

After years of witnessing the destructive forces of overindulgence, Dr. Weiland authored the book The Dakota Diet: Health Secrets from the Great Plains. (Basic Health Publications, 2008)

Luke J. Hushagen, MD

Written by cloakendagger on July 11, 2023. Posted in Physicians, Tower Road.

Luke J. Hushagen, MD

Dr. Luke Hushagen is originally from Bismarck, North Dakota. He began his undergraduate training at Bismarck State College and graduated from the University of North Dakota where he also attended medical school. His medical training was completed with an internal medicine residency at Penn State University practicing at the renowned Hershey Medical Center.

As an internist, Dr. Hushagen cares for patients in all stages of their adult lives. His primary focus is on patient education with an emphasis on complex medical care. His goal is to empower his patients to become advocates for their own care.

Dr. Hushagen moved to South Dakota to be closer to his roots in the Great Plains. His wife is a pediatrician also practicing at RCMC. Together they have a small family and a productive hobby farm. In his spare time he enjoys being with his family, playing golf, watching hockey, and exploring the Black Hills.

Board Status

American Board of Internal Medicine

Kristin Wempe, MD

Written by cloakendagger on July 11, 2023. Posted in Mt. Rushmore RD, Physicians.

Kristin Wempe, MD

Dr. Wempe was born in Minnesota and grew up in Mitchell, South Dakota. She obtained her undergraduate degree in biology and her medical degree at the University of South Dakota-Sanford School of Medicine. She completed her residency in general surgery at Spectrum Health / Michigan State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Having spent her two clinical rotation years of medical school in the Black Hills, returning to Rapid City and joining Rapid City Medical Center’s surgery department in 2022 felt like coming home.

Dr. Wempe enjoys all aspects of general surgery including breast, endocrine, simple and complex hernia repairs, large bowel, and foregut surgeries such as acid-reducing procedures and hiatal hernia repairs. She is excited to bring her expertise in open, laparoscopic, and robotic surgeries to Rapid City.

Outside of the operating room, she is happy to spend time with her husband, young son, and two Bernedoodles. They enjoy hiking the Hills, having Harry Potter and Star Wars marathons, trying out new restaurants, and relaxing with family.

Gail Bernard, MD

Heather Moline, MD

Molly Gilbert, MD

Katherine Degen, MD

Shana Bernhard, MD

Tyler Ptacek, MD

Lance Doeden, MD

Kevin Weiland, MD

Luke J. Hushagen, MD

Board Status

Kristin Wempe, MD