Amanda Achterman named a 2026 OSU Changemaker
By Becky Barrett
It might have seemed like unfortunate timing to earn a master’s in public health only to have the Great Recession wipe away jobs and programs two years later. But for Amanda Achterman, DO, MPH, ’06, it was the nudge she needed to apply to medical school.
“When the crash happened, funding for all of the really innovative new ways to reach out to communities dried up,” she recalls. “So, I redirected myself.”
It turns out the career-focused training and experience she gained through her master’s program overseeing a community health program in Mexico prepared her to take on an even greater role. As a rural family physician and obstetrician, she’s helping people overcome unique health challenges and barriers.
Dr. Achterman’s commitment to providing essential care in an underserved community is one of the reasons she was selected as a 2026 OSU Changemaker. The program, a part of the OSU Days of Service, celebrates Beavers who meaningfully transform their communities or fields of interest through their careers or volunteer work. By blazing a path toward strong communities, health and prosperity, Dr. Achterman underscores the profound impact that our everyday efforts can have.
She joined Summit Pacific Medical Center in Elma, Washington — population 3,500 — in Grays Harbor County, between Olympia and Aberdeen, where the air medical transport helicopter lands in a church parking lot and the town’s only two elevators are in the medical center where she works.
The setting may be small; Dr. Achterman's impact is anything but. In 2025, she was recognized as Rural Health Practitioner of the Year by the National Rural Health Association.
Looking back, her decision to attend Oregon State seems destined. Her father, an uncle, her grandmother and great-grandmother all attended Oregon State and an aunt taught here.
Plus, Oregon State’s accredited Master of Public Health program is one of the best in the country, offering seven specializations and providing strong, practical and career-focused training, like Dr. Achterman’s experience working in Mexico during her second year in the program.
Even though she grew up in Portland, Dr. Achterman always wanted to be community-based instead of working in a big city. Working alongside midwives in Mexico sparked her interest in prenatal care. So, she chose to specialize in family medicine, which includes obstetrics.
Providing culturally appropriate care is more than speaking the same language. About 10% of the population she serves speaks Spanish, but her patient panel is closer to 30% Hispanic. Because of her Spanish-immersion experience and broader cultural view, she finds commonality and breaches differences with respect while earning trust.
“I have a lot of people in my life who have demonstrated how you can have a positive impact,” she says.
As a fourth-generation Beaver, Dr. Achterman is carrying forward a strong legacy for service. Recognition as an OSU Changemaker makes her think of family.