David Rakel, MD
Chair, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Dear Friends,
I am incredibly proud of the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health (DFMCH) as we look back on the accomplishments of the past year. Our remarkable faculty and staff have been the cornerstone of our ongoing success.
In FY24, DFMCH provided care for 374,588 patient visits across our 17 statewide clinics. Dedication to patient well-being is central to our mission, and we are committed to consistently enhancing the quality of care we provide.
UW DFMCH FY24 Annual Report (PDF – 3.1 MB)
Our educational endeavors remain a top priority, notably:
Primary Care Providers: Of the 50 residents who graduated from our sponsored and academic partner programs in 2024, 62% chose to practice or pursue fellowships right here in Wisconsin.
Teaching Future Physicians: We had the privilege of educating 324 students from the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. These exceptional individuals will lead the way in our state’s healthcare.
Our research efforts also continue to grow through the collaboration of our administrative and research teams to advance medical knowledge. Our researchers have secured over $9.7 million in grant awards, supporting critical work in areas such as pain management, opioid misuse prevention, alcohol use treatment, HIV suppression, and respiratory disease surveillance. These projects align with the principles of Salutogenic Science, exploring how complex systems achieve health and resilience.
In addition, DFMCH ranks twenty-ninth in the nation for the 2023 Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research (BRIMR) rankings of NIH funding for family medicine departments. DFMCH’s NIH awards totaled $900,566 for the federal fiscal year ending September 30, 2023.
To our dedicated faculty and staff: Your expertise and steadfast dedication are the engines of our success. We acknowledge that our achievements are built on your efforts, and we deeply appreciate your contributions.
Looking forward, DFMCH remains committed to its mission. We will fortify educational partnerships, elevate patient care, broaden our research endeavors, and persist in serving our community. Because health lives here, in Wisconsin.
David Rakel, MD
Chair, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Year in Review
July: 69 residents enter our statewide sponsored and academic partner programs.
DFMCH welcomes the SSM Health Monroe Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program under its sponsorship.
August: UW School of Medicine and Public Health Family Medicine Interest Group receives the AAFP Program of Excellence Award for Excellence in Mentorship.
October: Patricia Tellez-Giron, MD, receives Ohtli Award from the Mexican government for community leadership outside of Mexico.
Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar, MD, MPH, and Matthew Swedlund, MD, MPA, selected for UW Health Physician Leadership Development Program.
December: The Osher Center for Integrative Health at UW hires Administrative Director Donna Cole.
March: Randy Brown, MD, PhD, elected president of the American College of Academic Addiction Medicine.
Yohualli Anaya, MD, MPH, is named a 2024 National Academy of Medicine Fellow to Advance State Health Policy.
April: The Osher Center for Integrative Health at UW receives a 2024 Weil Foundation grant.
June: Chief Administrative Officer Jerome Garrett, Jr. is appointed to the search committee to identify and select candidates to be the next dean of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and vice chancellor for medical affairs.