Aurora Lakeland Rural Training Track Graduates its First Class of Residents
The first residents to graduate from the Aurora Lakeland Rural Training Track. Front row from left: Munish Kaushik, MD, Shivani Bhatnagar, MD, Eftu Boru, MD, Jace Varkey, MD. They are joined in the back row from left by: Program Director Jeffrey Tiemstra, MD, Associate Program Director Lauren Walsh, MD, and Program Coordinator Stephanie Dunaway.
Aurora Lakeland Rural Training Track (RTT)
The Aurora Lakeland RTT program thanks all residents for their commitment and resilience when faced with the challenges of a global pandemic. The program continues to grow its OB and Suboxone programs and successfully graduated its first class of residents.
Other Highlights
Baraboo Rural Training Track (RTT)
In the midst of a global pandemic, the Baraboo residency completely overhauled their inpatient service and implemented a standardized clinic scheduling system that further supports practice management skills. In addition, the standardized clinic template allows for increased patient access, which not only helps meet community need, but accrediting body requirements as well.
Eau Claire Residency Program
David Helland, MD, was voted Teacher of the Year by residents in the Eau Claire Residency Program. Dr. Helland was recognized for his kind, gentle and patient role in the family medicine residency clinic at a graduation event in June 2020.
La Crosse Residency Program
Five outstanding residents graduated in 2020. Kara Kamps-Schmitt, MD, Karissa Sanchez Traun, MD, and Lisa Hayes, MD, are heading into rural areas to serve in the Midwest. Laura Jacobson, MD, is pursuing a fellowship and career in sports medicine. Sarah Brown, MD, is pursuing her passion of caring for the marginalized and homeless population by developing a mobile medicine (or street medicine) program in the La Crosse community.
Madison Residency Program
During the past year, Madison residents formed the Anti-Racism Education and Advocacy (AREA) group to support each other in working to become actively anti-racist. This group initially met outside of curricular time but has now been incorporated into residency learning time.
Milwaukee Residency Program
Aurora welcomed Joseph Vogelgesang, DO, as a new osteopathic faculty member last fall. He served as a chief resident for the program prior to attending the Good Samaritan NMM fellowship in Oregon.
Wausau Residency Program
New faculty member, Michaela Tong, MD, brings rural medicine experience to the Wausau Program. Pediatrician, Jane Frankson, MD, transitioned her practice to the residency and will be instrumental in developing robust pediatrics training. The Wausau residency’s NRMP Innovative Curriculum (IC) was a success with one Medical College of Wisconsin-Central Wisconsin (MCW-CW) graduate joining the residency in 2021 outside the match, and two additional MCW-CW students starting their IC in July 2021.
Waukesha Residency Program
Maureen Longeway, MD (Waukesha ’12), is a member of the Waukesha program faculty. She is a full-spectrum family physician with interests in obstetrics, medication-assisted treatment, innovative resident didactics, medical ethics, and medical student engagement.
Statewide Osteopathic Collaborative
Magnolia Larson, DO, has taken on the role of associate director of Osteopathic Education. Elizabeth Abbas, DO, from Gundersen Health La Crosse has taken on the role of director of Curriculum and Instruction. Sarah James, DO, the director of Osteopathic Education and program director for DFMCH-sponsored programs, is now on the Osteopathic Milestones 2.0 Revision Committee for ACGME.
Fellowships
Jane Evered, PhD, RN; Tana Chongsuwat, MD; and Julie Kirsch, PhD; were welcomed to the Primary Care Research Fellowship. Kellia (K.J.) Hansmann, MD, MPH; Kathryn Schmit, MD; and Maria Mora Pinzon, MD, MS; will complete their second year as Primary Care Research Fellows in the summer of 2021. Dr. Schmit will then transition to a pediatric infectious disease fellowship, and Drs. Hansmann and Mora Pinzon will continue for a third year on the T32 research training grant funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration.
Published: May 2021