Resident Class of 2020 Begins Practice; 66% Remain in Wisconsin

The UW Department of Family Medicine and Community Health graduated 50 new family physicians from its sponsored and academic partner residency programs in 2020.

Of them, 33 (66 percent) chose to stay in Wisconsin for direct practice or fellowships.

Sixteen (32 percent) entered practice or fellowships in 11 states from California to New York.  One (2 percent) was undecided at the time of publication.

DFMCH 2020 Grad map

The UW Department of Family Medicine and Community Health graduated 50 new family physicians from its sponsored and academic partner residency programs in 2020.

DFMCH-Sponsored Residency Programs

Baraboo Rural Training Track (RTT)

Zachary Droeszler, MD, is practicing at Southwest Health Center in Platteville, WI, and Molly Olson, DO, is at Regional Medical Center/Regional Family Health in Manchester, IA.

Eau Claire Residency*

Five of the six Eau Claire graduates are staying in Wisconsin: Aleksandra Babiarz, MD, is at Prevea Health Center in East DePere; Danielle Helmick, MD, and Charles Steinmetz, DO, are at Prevea Health in Altoona; William Monge, MD, is at OakLeaf Clinic in Chippewa Falls; and Thomas Steigerwald, MD, is at Ascension Medical Group in Sussex. Shavith Samson, MD, is at Honor Health Medical Group in Anthem, AZ.

Madison Residency

Nine of the 15 Madison graduates are staying in Wisconsin. Of these, six entered practice as follows:

  • Two at SSM Health Dean Medical Group in Madison (Sadie Mitten, MD, and Kristi Smith, DO)
  • One at Access Community Health Centers in Madison (Evan Nolander, DO)
  • One at Mayo Clinic Tomah Family Medicine in Tomah (Karyn Cecele, MD)
  • One at ThedaCare Medical Center in Waupaca (Ezra Lyon, MD)
  • One at Monroe Clinic in Brodhead (Kelsey Schmidt, MD)

Three entered DFMCH Academic Fellowships:

Alyssa Bruehlman, MD; Kelli Heinrich, MD; and Lashika Yogendran, MD

Three of the residents leaving Wisconsin entered practice in Missouri (Jeffrey Berry, MD, Meritas Health Gashland in Kansas City), New York (Nina Piazza, MD, Highland Family Medicine in Rochester), Minnesota (Chelsea Thibodeau, DO, UMN Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Program in Minneapolis); and three entered fellowships in Iowa (Rachel Erickson, DO, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City), Pennsylvania (Mehwish Moinuddin, DO, Penn State Health Sports Medicine in State College), and Illinois (Katrina Weimer, MD, West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park).

Wausau Residency

All five Wausau residents remained in Wisconsin:

  • One at Aspirus Family Physicians in Wausau (Erik Gustafson, DO);
  • One at Ascension Medical Group in in Woodruff (Jeffrey Jast, MD);
  • One at Aspirus Kronenwetter Clinic in Mosinee (Kao Feng Moua, MD);
  • One at Froedtert Urgent Care in Milwaukee (Aroba Sadaf, DO); and
  • One at Aspirus Weston Clinic in Weston (Alexander Trecartin, MD)

Academic Partner Residency Programs

La Crosse Residency

Two of five La Crosse grads stayed in Wisconsin:

  • One at Gunderson Health System in La Crosse (Sarah Brown, MD); and
  • One at Gunderson Health System in Tomah (Kara Kamps-Schmitt, MD)

Two of the residents leaving Wisconsin entered practice in Minnesota (Lisa Hayes, MD, Mayo Health System in Owatonna) and Iowa (Karissa Sanchez Traun, MD, Crescent Community Health Center in Dubuque). One entered a fellowship in North Carolina (Laura Jacobson, MD, MAHEC Sports Medicine Fellowship in Asheville).

Milwaukee Residency

Eight of 12 Milwaukee residents remained in Wisconsin:

  • One at Aurora Franklin Urgent Care in Franklin (Carl Bellinger, DO);
  • One at Aurora 6 Points Clinic in West Allis (Thomas Harrington, DO);
  • One at Aurora Southpointe in Greenfield (Priti Rana, DO);
  • One at Ascension Racine in Racine (Vy Dinh, MD);
  • One at Aurora Northwest Clinic in Milwaukee (Yelena Goschin, MD);
  • One at Ascension Family Medicine Clinic in Mequon (Melissa Grube, MD);
  • One at River Center Clinic in Milwaukee (Dane Olsen, MD);
  • One at Aspirus Doctor’s Clinic in Wisconsin Rapids (Levi Stodola, MD); and
  • One started a fellowship at Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee (Itamar Gnatt, MD)

One was undecided at the time of publication (Leslie Rabaut, DO). Of the two who left Wisconsin, one is in Florida for a fellowship (Alice Shallcross, DO, at Florida State University Lee Memorial Family Medicine Residency in Fort Myers), and one is practicing in California (Kyna Shnayderman,MD, at AltaMed Medical Group in Orange).

Waukesha Residency

Three of five Waukesha residents remained in Wisconsin:

  • One at Sunnyslope Health Center in Brookfield (Anjali Best, DO);
  • One at SSM Health in Baraboo (Jessica Miller, MD, MPH); and
  • One at Advocate Aurora in Menomonee Falls (Stephanie Thurman, MD)

Of the two who left Wisconsin, one is in Illinois (Kelsey Bierdeman, MD, at Valley Clinic in Rockford), and one is in Arkansas (Jaclyn Hastings, MD, at TruHealth Family Care in Fayetteville).

*On June 15, 2020, the DFMCH ended its institutional sponsorship of the Eau Claire Residency Program. DFMCH continues as an academic partner of the program, which is now part of the Wisconsin Northern and Central GME Collaborative (WiNC) that is supported by UW SMPH and MCW. The final DFMCH resident class graduated from the program on June 26, 2020.

Published: May 2021