Dr. Kayla Luhrs began working full time at Petersburg Medical Center as its fifth doctor in August.

Luhrs had been working with PMC since 2018 as a locum physician, traveling back and forth between Juneau and Petersburg to fill in as needed. Then in March of this year, she came back to PMC, but decided to stay as the COVID-19 pandemic began to affect Alaska.

"With the whole pandemic thing, we thought it would be easier if I just stayed instead of traveling," said Luhrs.

She then signed a one-year contract and began working full time with PMC in August.

The decision to stay in Petersburg...