Medical College of Wisconsin Addresses State-wide Shortage of Primary Physicians Head-On, Earns Initial Accreditation for Family Residency Program in Southeastern Wisconsin

MILWAUKEE, Jan. 4, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) has received initial accreditation for a new family medicine residency program in southeastern Wisconsin, with a planned start date of July 1, 2017. The residency program will train six family medicine residents per year during a three-year period with a total of 18 by 2019. MCW will begin recruiting residents for the program immediately. 

This new program will have a significant impact on MCW's current medical students, who must receive training from residents, per the Liaison Committee for Medical Education. In addition, the citizens of Southeastern Wisconsin will benefit, as studies show that where residencies are completed usually determines where physicians will eventually live and practice. Thus, these new residents are likely to remain in the state to provide family medicine health services.

Plus, due to the current and projected shortfall of family medicine physicians, the new residency program is a step to shorten the gap. Current data from Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) indicated there is a current deficit of 187 primary care physicians in Wisconsin. According to the Wisconsin Hospital Associations' 2013 report "100 New Physicians per Year" and the Wisconsin Council on Medical Education & Workforce's update of the report in 2016, the estimated deficit of physicians in Wisconsin by 2035 will be between 883 and 3,756, vastly within primary care and psychiatry.

"This residency program further demonstrates MCW's commitment to addressing needs for greater access to family medicine physicians across the state," said Joseph E. Kerschner, MD, executive vice president of MCW and dean of the school of medicine. "In 2016, MCW received the DeWitt C Baldwin, Jr. Award, recognizing our excellence in fostering a respectful, supportive environment for medical education. This family residency program showcases and prepares the next generation of healthcare providers to serve our state with great distinction." 

Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals, Inc. (MCWAH) is the sponsoring organization and will employ the primary family medicine residents. The key training site for the residents is Community Memorial Hospital in Menomonee Falls, Wis. The program will offer specialty and inpatient rotations at the hospital, while also featuring an outpatient clinic across the street on the fourth floor of Town Hall Health Center in Menomonee Falls.

"This initial accreditation of a family medicine residency program is a win for the citizens of Southeastern Wisconsin," said Kenneth B. Simons, MD, executive director and designated institutional individual, MCWAH, Inc., senior associate dean for Graduate Medical Education and Accreditation, professor of ophthalmology and pathology at MCW. "Physicians who complete residency in Wisconsin have a better than 70 percent chance of remaining in the region to practice medicine. We are committed to eliminating the family medicine physician deficit in Wisconsin and this residency will make a significant impact toward that goal."

The residency program will be under the leadership of Jason Domagalski, MD, filling the role of program director. Having served as a faculty member and instructor at a variety of military and public hospitals throughout his career, Dr. Domagalski is board certified in family medicine. A native of this area, Dr. Domagalski graduated from medical school at MCW. In his recent past, Dr. Domagalski assisted in the development of a new family medicine residency in California. In addition, Dr. Domagalski brings several years of service as a physician in the United States Army. 

About the Medical College of Wisconsin
The Medical College of Wisconsin is the state's only private medical school and health sciences graduate school. Founded in 1893, it is dedicated to leadership and excellence in education, patient care, research and community engagement. More than 1,200 students are enrolled in MCW's medical school and graduate school programs in Milwaukee, 56 medical students enrolled at MCW-Green Bay, and 26 students matriculated to MCW-Central Wisconsin in 2016. MCW's School of Pharmacy will open in 2017 or 2018 with an initial class size of 60 students. A major national research center, MCW is the largest research institution in the Milwaukee metro area and second largest in Wisconsin. In FY 2014-15, faculty received approximately $158 million in external support for research, teaching, training and related purposes, of which approximately $139 million is for research. This total includes highly competitive research and training awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Annually, MCW faculty direct or collaborate on more than 3,200 research studies, including clinical trials. Additionally, more than 1,500 physicians provide care in virtually every specialty of medicine for more than 525,000 patients annually.

SOURCE Medical College of Wisconsin

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