The University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine and Community Health had a lot to celebrate in 2025: the continued strength of medical students entering family medicine, recognition at the state and national level, and excellence in our research and education programs. The year did start on a bittersweet note with the loss of our founder Dr. Marc Hansen, but his legacy continues to inspire the department in transforming health care for all. Here are the stories published this year that most resonated with our community.
Marc Hansen, MD
Remembering Dr. Marc Hansen: A Pioneer in Family Medicine
Marc Hansen, MD, founder of the University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, passed away on February 5, 2025, at the age of 94. He tirelessly advocated for the incorporation of the family medicine specialty into hospital training programs, and his pioneering efforts established one of the first 15 family medicine training programs in the country.
ORCHARDS team members
A Decade of Discovery: ORCHARDS Concludes After Ten Years of Groundbreaking Research
After more than a decade of groundbreaking work, the Oregon Child Absenteeism Due to Respiratory Disease Study (ORCHARDS) has concluded. Launched in 2014, ORCHARDS became one of the most comprehensive and long-running community-based studies of respiratory illness in school-aged children in the United States. Its legacy is one of scientific innovation, community partnership, and real-world impact.
DFMCH Physician Assistant Karen Wendler Nears Goal of Running a Marathon in All 50 States
Karen Wendler, a physician assistant with an impressive 34-year career with the UW Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, has not only dedicated her life to caring for patients but also to her passion for running. As she gets closer to her goal of running a marathon in all 50 states, Wendler reflects on the adventures she’s had along the way.
Ten DFMCH faculty received promotions this academic year. Faculty in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health are employed within six distinct career tracks including clinical health sciences and clinician teacher.
Dejun Su, PhD
Dr. Dejun Su Joins DFMCH as Vice Chair for Community Health
Dejun Su, PhD, a medical sociologist with a longstanding commitment to advancing health equity, joined the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health as vice chair for community health on August 1, 2025. His new role marks a welcome return to a campus that left a lasting impression on him years ago.
How Curiosity and Compassion Led Resident of the Year Briana Krewson to Family Medicine
Dr. Briana Krewson found family medicine when she was looking for everything else. A self-proclaimed “lover of everything” during medical school, she found herself drawn to each specialty she encountered. But it was a mentor’s insight that helped her connect the dots: “If you like everything, you should think about family medicine.”
Briana Krewson, DO, MPH
Briana Krewson, DO, MPH Named Outstanding Resident of the Year
Briana Krewson, DO, MPH was named the 2025 American Osteopathic Foundation/American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians Outstanding Resident of the Year in Family Medicine. Established in 1997, the award recognizes residents whose altruism, leadership, and commitment to osteopathic-centered patient care sets them apart from their peers.
James Bigham, MD (foreground) works with experts at Bear Arms in Mequon to teach a firearm injury prevention course to health care professionals.
Firearm Injury Prevention: Dr. James Bigham Leads Program for Health Care Providers
Dr. James Bigham commemorated the two-year milestone of his firearm injury prevention course at Max Creek Outdoors in Oregon, Wisconsin. This course, launched to mitigate firearm injuries, is part of a visionary initiative he started in 2023 to foster cultural competency and empower health care professionals in firearm injury prevention discussions.
Honoring Community Service at the McGovern-Tracy and Student Scholars Reception
The University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine Community Health’s annual McGovern-Tracy and Student Scholars reception is more than a celebration of achievements. It honors the legacies of Michele Tracy, Isabel McGovern Kerr, and others whose lives have profoundly impacted the people of Wisconsin and beyond.
Katharine Greenfield, MD
A Unique Path to Family Medicine
For Katharine Greenfield, MD ’16, her journey to becoming a family medicine physician was anything but conventional. Growing up in an Alaskan fishing town with parents deeply connected to the outdoors, Greenfield’s earliest memories are of the sea and the forest. At two years of age, she was having adventures as a deckhand, setting the stage for a life intertwined with nature.
Published: December 2025