Dr. Baumgardner completed his medical training at the University of Illinois and the Rockford (Ill.) Family Practice Residency Program. He originally joined the St. Luke's faculty in 1986 as Assistant Director, then later assumed additional duties as Obstetrics Coordinator and Research Director.

He subsequently served as Residency Director for seven years, then as Associate Chair and Campus Director for the University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine, Milwaukee Clinical Campus. He is currently Director of Campus Research for Aurora UW Medical Group and the Center for Urban Population Health; and Professor of Family Medicine.

Dr. Baumgardner, who has received the Teacher of the Year Award from St. Luke's residents five times, focuses his instruction time on staffing residents and teaching research methodology, obstetrics, and his personal research time on blastomycosis. He received the Wisconsin Academy of Family Practice 1993 Educator of the Year Award; the Pickles Research Award from the Wisconsin Research Network in 2001; and the William Scheckler Research Prize and the Faculty Excellence Award for Leadership from the Statewide Department, both in 2004. Although research is not required in the residency curriculum, many residents have been inspired by Dr. Baumgardner to become involved in research projects.