The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has announced the award of the next round of matching grants, totaling more than $3.1 million, to help rural hospitals, health systems and educational entities train more physicians, advanced practice clinicians and allied health professionals.
Originally crafted by WHA, the DHS Health Care Workforce Initiative is a collaborative partnership with WHA, Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative, Wisconsin Collaborative for Rural GME, University of Wisconsin, Medical College of Wisconsin and others.
“In 2019, WHA asked the state to include additional in-demand specialties beyond the original primary care specialties in the physician residency grants and that change was made in the FY 2019-21 Wisconsin State Budget,” noted WHA Senior Vice President, Workforce and Clinical Practice Ann Zenk. “This year’s grant awards validate the need for that change with a wide range of specialties creating new residency opportunities for physicians.”
Grants to support Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs were awarded to:
- The NEW Dermatology Group, Green Bay – Micrographic Surgery/Dermatologic Oncology Fellowship
- Marshfield Clinic Health System, Marshfield – Anesthesiology Residency Feasibility Study
- Mayo Clinic Health System, Northwest Wisconsin Region, Eau Claire – Rural Psychiatry Training Track
- The Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee – Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship
- Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center – Family Medicine Resident Training Program
- University of Wisconsin and UW Health – Obstetrics and Gynecology Rural Track Residency Program
There is also a sustained and growing interest in the Allied Health and Advanced Practice Clinicians training grants first implemented in 2017.
Advanced Practice Clinician training grants were awarded to:
- Aspirus - Central Wisconsin
- Aurora UW Medical Group – Northeast Wisconsin
- Cumberland Healthcare – Cumberland, Wisconsin
- Upland Hills Health – Dodgeville, Wisconsin
Allied Health Profession training grants were awarded to:
- Gundersen Lutheran Memorial Hospital – La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Marshfield Clinic Health System - Marshfield, Wisconsin
- Marshfield Medical Center Beaver Dam – Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
- Prairie Ridge Health – Columbus, Wisconsin
- Stoughton Health – Stoughton, Wisconsin
Matching grants create public-private partnerships based on what is called WHA’s
86% equation and are aimed at growing Wisconsin’s health care workforce. “Providing clinical education and training opportunities to individuals with ties to Wisconsin increases the likelihood of that new clinician staying in Wisconsin to practice.” Zenk noted. “It grows our Wisconsin health care workforce.”