Philanthropy in Action: How Donor Support Elevates Medical Training and Rural Health Care
June 25, 2025Categories: MercyOne North Iowa Foundation
When you give to the MercyOne North Iowa Foundation’s Graduate Medical Education (GME) Fund, you're not just shaping the future of medicine—you’re strengthening the health of entire communities for generations to come.
For Dr. Crystal Danner, a third-year resident and co-chief resident in the Internal Medicine Residency Program at MercyOne North Iowa, donor support has been central to both her training and her career development. A 2025 graduate of the program, Dr. Danner will complete fellowship training in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Creighton University—a path shaped in part by the unique opportunities made possible through philanthropy.
Dr. Danner was awarded a scholarship through the North Iowa GME Fund, supported by the MercyOne North Iowa Foundation, to attend the 2025 American Thoracic Society (ATS) Fellows Conference. This national event brings together early-career physicians pursuing subspecialty training and offers a rare opportunity to engage with national thought leaders, explore emerging research and build professional networks within the field.
Beyond conferences, her residency experience has included participation in a flight physiology research project conducted at the Mason City Municipal Airport in collaboration with local pilots and Mayo Clinic—an initiative also supported by the Foundation. This deepened her interest in the intersection of critical care and complex physiologic environments. “These experiences didn’t just enhance my resume—they enriched my perspective and helped shape the kind of physician I aspire to be,” she said.
Dr. Danner was drawn to MercyOne North Iowa by the program’s collaborative culture and commitment to hands-on learning. “I knew right away after visiting that this is where I wanted to complete my training,” she shared. “The attendings encourage autonomy, the critical care experience is truly immersive and the residents are down to earth. The small resident-to-attending ratio means we get personalized teaching, and the environment is supportive while still pushing us to grow.”
That kind of growth is precisely what donor support makes possible. “Conferences, research and advanced procedural training—all of that is made accessible because of philanthropy,” she explained. “In a rural setting like North Iowa, where access to specialists can be limited, having well-prepared physicians who are comfortable managing complex care is essential.”
Such training benefits not only the residents but the patients and families they serve. “It’s not just about what we learn—it’s about how we apply it to care for people right here in our communities,” Dr. Danner said. “Philanthropy enhances every layer of our education, and ultimately, it leads to better outcomes for patients.”
To those considering a gift to the Graduate Medical Education Fund, Dr. Danner has a heartfelt message: “Thank you. Your support is an investment in our growth, our future patients and the long-term health of our region. It reminds us that this community believes in us—and that belief inspires us every day.”
