This summer, the UW Department of Family Medicine and Community Health (DFMCH) said goodbye to 33 graduating residents. Of them, 22 (67 percent) entered practice in cities and towns across Wisconsin. The remaining 11 (33 percent) entered practice in eight states—from New York to Minnesota to Alaska.

Find out below where they’re practicing and what they’re excited about in their new careers!

2017 Residency Grads Map

Of the 33 DFMCH residents who graduated in 2017, 22 entered practice in Wisconsin. The remaining 11 are in eight states across the U.S.

Baraboo Rural Training Track (RTT)

Both Baraboo graduates have entered rural practice in Wisconsin. Abigail Puglisi, DO, is at ThedaCare Medical Center in Berlin, and Neil Cox, MD, is at Ho-Chunk Health Care Center in Black River Falls.

2017 Family Medicine Graduates
“I’m looking forward to having a panel of patients to care for and educate. Clinic work is very rewarding to me and the Baraboo program gave me plenty of training in managing all the different aspects of that. I’m particularly excited to be working with the Ho-Chunk Nation.”

—Neil Cox, MD

Eau Claire Residency

 Three of the five Eau Claire graduates have entered practice in northern Wisconsin. Gretchen Adams, DO, is at Essentia in Superior; Michael Braunsky, DO, is at Prevea Health in Chippewa Falls; and Lauren Sauter, MD, MPH, is at OakLeaf Clinics–Eau Claire Medical Center in Eau Claire.

The remaining two graduates are close by in the Upper Midwest. Andrew Poulos, MD, is at Bellin Heath in Iron Mountain, Michigan, and Sakina Sachak, MD, MBA, is at Allina Health in Faribault, Minnesota.

2017 Family Medicine Graduates
“I decided to stay in Eau Claire because I love the community and have the opportunity to learn and grow. I do outpatient and inpatient medicine with a mixed specialty group and one other family doctor. I look forward to promoting healthy diet and exercise, incorporating my degree in public health, and being involved in the community.”

—Lauren Sauter, MD, MPH

Madison Residency

Ten of the 14 Madison graduates are staying in Wisconsin. Of these, six are entering direct practice, as follows:

  • Two at UW Health (Emily Ramharter Peterson, MD, at the Beaver Dam Clinic, and Eric Phillippi, MD, at the Odana Atrium Clinic);
  • Two at Sixteenth Street Community Health Center in Waukesha (Jody Epstein, MD, and Bret Valentine, MD);
  • One at SSM Health Dean Medical Group in Dodgeville (Emily Jewell, DO); and
  • One at Access Community Health Centers William T. Evjue Clinic in Madison (Julia Weiser, MD).

Four are entering DFMCH fellowships:

  • Primary Care Sports Medicine (Todd Domeyer, MD);
  • Integrative Health Fellowship (Jared Dubey, DO, and Parker Hoerz, MD); and
  • Academic Fellowship (Emily Torell, MD).

Of the four residents leaving Wisconsin, two are entering direct practice (Catherine Nelson, DO, at Gundersen Decorah Clinic in Decorah, Iowa, and Jennifer Perkins, MD, at Southcentral Foundation in Anchorage, Alaska); and two are entering fellowships (Bonnie Garvens Brown, MD, at the Swedish First Hill Advanced Obstetrics Fellowship in Seattle, Washington; and Erin Peck, MD, at the University of Rochester Faculty Development Fellowship in Rochester, New York).

2017 Family Medicine Graduates
“I’m looking forward to partnering with patients and community members to increase health and healthcare access for uninsured and underinsured populations. I have a particular passion for family planning, addiction medicine and transgender health and hope to grow these parts of my practice.”

—Jody Epstein, MD

Milwaukee Residency

Six of the 10 Milwaukee graduates are staying in Wisconsin, most in or around Milwaukee, as follows:

  • Four at Aurora Health Care (Garima Chawla, DO, at the Aurora Edgerton Clinic in Milwaukee; Michelle Crane, DO, at the Aurora Wiselives Clinic in Milwaukee; Stephanie McDearmon, MD, at the Lakeshore Medical Clinic—Aurora West Allis Medical Center in West Allis; and Brandon Phelps, DO, at Aurora Health Care in Sheboygan);
  • One at Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare (Breana Cummens, MD, in Greenfield); and
  • One at ThedaCare Physicians (Jasmine Wiley, MD, in Shawano).

Of the four who are leaving Wisconsin, two are in Minnesota (Sara Karalus, DO, at Allina Health in Inver Grove Heights, and Anne Lovell, DO, at Rice Street Clinic in St. Paul); one is in Oregon (May-Lynn Chu, DO, at Adventist Medical Center in Portland) and one is in North Carolina (Alyssa Krueger, DO, at Duke Primary Care in Durham).

2017 Family Medicine Graduates
“I’m looking forward to developing my own panel of patients who live and work in a community my husband and I have become very involved in. I’m excited to get to know the people of the area even better and to serve them to the best of my ability.”

—Stephanie McDearmon, MD

Wausau Residency

 One Wausau graduate is remaining in Wisconsin: Tricia Gilling, DO, is at ThedaCare Clinic in Appleton. Her classmate, Alexandra Oleinik, DO, is staying in the region, at Park Nicollet Clinic in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.

2017 Family Medicine Graduates
“I’m looking forward to using my knowledge and skills to help others and promote health in the community, first and foremost. I also look forward to building a full-scope practice, ranging from neonates to geriatric patients, and continuing to increase my knowledge with experience.”

—Tricia Gilling, DO

Congratulations to all the graduates!

Published: October 2017