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Wausau Curriculum

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Obstetrics

Wausau's strong obstetrics curriculum includes four months at the hospital in combined obstetrics/gynecology rotations. About 30 percent of Aspirus Wausau Hospital's births are performed by family medicine physicians.

Residents gain exposure to normal and complicated births. Faculty physicians practice and teach obstetrics, and lead didactic sessions three days per week for the inpatient service.

The program's association with the federally funded Bridge Community Clinic increases residents' exposure to prenatal care. Our weekly half-day obstetrics clinic emphasizes continuity, allowing residents to follow obstetrics patients throughout pregnancy and delivery.

The program also offers high-risk obstetrics rotations in nearby Marshfield and Green Bay.

Pediatrics

The pediatrics curriculum includes four months of inpatient and outpatient experiences in Wausau and Marshfield, as follows:

  • First-year residents: two months on the pediatrics teaching service in Wausau
  • Second-year residents: one month in the Marshfield neonatal intensive care unit
  • Third-year residents: one month on the pediatrics teaching service in Wausau

The Wausau rotations combine inpatient care at Aspirus Wausau Hospital, outpatient care at local ambulatory clinics, and newborn nursery experience. Residents are taught by pediatricians, family physicians, and subspecialists.

Emergency Medicine

During the first and third years, residents spend four weeks at a time at the Aspirus Wausau Hospital emergency room and regional trauma center. The highly trained emergency room physicians and staff are enthusiastic teachers and are available to residents 24 hours a day.

Behavioral Science

Behavioral science is taught longitudinally, using the following strategies:

  • Conferences. Monthly behavioral science conferences cover the psychosocial aspects of care using a lifespan-development format.
  • Resident-patient interviews. Interviews are videotaped monthly and are reviewed by the resident, clinical psychologist, and faculty physician. Questionnaires completed by patients offer additional feedback. The clinical psychologist helps residents better understand patients' psychosocial issues.
  • Family systems rotation. The second year includes a four-week required rotation in family systems, which helps residents integrate basic family systems concepts into their practices.

Practice Management

The Wausau Family Medicine Center has a comprehensive, longitudinal practice management curriculum that fulfills the 100 hours required by the American Council of Graduate Medical Education.

A one- to two-week elective also offers hands-on experience in establishing a practice, managing patient flow, selecting and utilizing medical records and billing systems, managing personnel, and applying theories and strategies of cost-efficient patient care.

Flexible Electives

The program offers 18 weeks of elective time. Residents may choose from electives already developed or design electives to meet their interests. Elective offerings include five rural Wisconsin settings and a research rotation.

Research

Faculty and residents participate in several research and quality improvement projects at the Family Medicine Center. A committee chaired by a faculty research director coordinates these initiatives.

Teaching Service

Residents spend 12 weeks each year on the medicine teaching service at Aspirus Wausau Hospital managing a wide range of medical problems.

One senior and three junior residents cover the service, working as a team to provide care to patients. Each week, a resident presents a family medicine conference exploring interesting cases. Faculty and residents conduct daily teaching rounds.

Family physicians, internists, and other subspecialty physicians provide for teaching and consultation support.