Madison Alumnus Dr. Jonathan Temte Takes New Role at UWSMPH
Madison alumnus Jonathan Temte, MD, PhD, MS, has a new role as UWSMPH dean for public health and community engagement.
Jonathan Temte, MD, PhD, MS (SMPH ’87, Madison ’93), continues advancement of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health’s pioneering vision in new role as dean for public health and community engagement. “This is a crucial time to build a better bridge between the historically separated visions of public health and individual health,” Temte said, adding that he sees significant needs and opportunity for today’s medical students to gain hands-on knowledge of public health practice. “In creating these opportunities, we are uniquely situated to create a new generation of physicians that is highly in tune with the needs of our community.”
Creating Connections
Dr. Temte has dedicated his career to creating connections between primary care medicine and public health practice. A professor at DFMCH and a family medicine physician at Access Community Health Centers, Dr. Temte has served as a clinician, teacher, and researcher for over 25 years. With PhD training in zoology, evolutionary physiology and marine mammal biology, Dr. Temte brings a unique perspective to public health. His extensive body of research includes investigation of the relationships between communities, primary care and respiratory viruses.
National Expert
An expert in vaccines and immunization policy, Dr. Temte has served on the US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), also acting as chair of its Evidence-Based Recommendations Work Group. Dr. Temte was the first family physician to chair ACIP from 2015-2019. Dr. Temte is currently chair of the Wisconsin Council on Immunization Practices and serves as Medical Director for Public Health Madison and Dane County. On the National level, Dr. Temte is currently serving an appointment to the Center’s for Disease Control and Prevention Board of Scientific Counselors.
A Community Focus
In addition to helping craft national vaccine recommendations, Dr. Temte has also led extensive public health research and policy at the community level in Wisconsin. Dr. Temte and his team have earned multiple CDC grants for an ongoing study tracking absenteeism in the Oregon, Wisconsin, school district as a warning system for influenza outbreaks in the broader community.
In addition to leading efforts to integrate public health into all of the school’s portfolios, Dr. Temte will oversee the Office of Rural Health and the Area Health Education Center, as well as the Center for Urban Population Health, which is a partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Aurora Health Care, and the University of Wisconsin -Madison
Published: January 2020