For Dr. Dane Wilson, returning to Gothenburg as a family medicine physician and obstetrics provider is more than the start of a career. It's a homecoming years in the making.

A Gothenburg High School graduate, Wilson is returning to the community that helped launch his path into medicine. This fall, he will join Gothenburg Health, providing family medicine and obstetrical services to patients throughout the region.

"It's a true honor to come home and serve the people who have given so much to me and my family," Wilson said.

Wilson's journey to medicine began long before he added Dr. to his name. He credits his mother, the late Lisa Wilson, a longtime nurse at Gothenburg Health, as one of his earliest inspirations. He also points to time spent shadowing former Gothenburg physician Dr. Dave Hult as helping shaping his interest in medicine.

"Communities shape us in ways that we don't always recognize at the time," Wilson said. "There are people in this community who cared for me long before I wore that white coat. They helped influence my decision to pursue medicine."

Wilson earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master's degree in anatomy from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He received his doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from Kansas City University in Joplin, Missouri, and completed his residency at Ascension Via Christi Hospitals in Wichita, Kansas. 

Throughout medical school and residency, Wilson developed a passion for obstetrics.

"I really fell in love with the delivery of the newborn early on in medical school," he said. "I loved everything about managing labor and delivering babies."

Wilson said rural communities provide a unique opportunity for family medicine physicians to continue offering comprehensive obstetrical care.

"Over the years, I've noticed the unfortunate health care disparities in rural communities, so opening another avenue for patients to be seen and taken care of is a role I hope to fill," he said.

At Gothenburg Health, Wilson will join Dr. Anna Dalrymple and Dr. Kayla Knauss, expanding access to obstetrical services and giving patients three local providers for pregnancy and delivery care.

While obstetrics is an important part of his practice, Wilson said, "At the heart of me as a physician, I am a clinician. I love the long-term relationships with patients.” He said he looks forward to collaborating with Gothenburg Health's population health team to help patients manage chronic conditions and maintain quality of life.

His return also represents a full-circle moment for Gothenburg Health. Years ago, Wilson received a Gothenburg Health Foundation scholarship awarded to students pursuing careers in health care. Now, he is returning to practice medicine in the same community that invested in his future.

Wilson and his wife, Savannah, who were married June 6, will make their home in Gothenburg. 

"This community has been a second family," he said. "They provided support when my mom was sick and needed transportation to dialysis appointments. To be able to come back and serve here means everything."

Wilson will begin seeing patients in September. To schedule an appointment, call Gothenburg Health at 308-537-4066.