Medical College of Wisconsin Commends Committee’s Action
Milwaukee – On May 9, the Wisconsin State Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance voted to approve enhanced funding for the Medical College of Wisconsin’s (MCW) Family Medicine Residency programs. The committee allocated an additional $1 million annually to the program.
MCW applauds the Joint Committee on Finance’s unanimous, 14-0 vote to expand the program, as originally proposed under Governor Evers’ 2019-2021 biennial budget proposal. MCW looks forward to continuing to work with the legislature to advance access to world-class healthcare across the state.
“Expanding annual appropriation will ensure the continuing viability of robust family medicine residency programs covering critical areas of Wisconsin,” said Alan David, MD, chair and professor of medicine of MCW’s Department of Family and Community Medicine. “Expanding family medicine residencies in the northeast and central regions will increase access to first-rate care, as the majority of physicians finishing these programs remain in-state to serve their patients.”
Wisconsin has among the fewest family medicine residency training positions, per capita, of all midwestern states, even considering the state’s generous and recent support for expanding family medicine programs statewide.
MCW’s Department of Family and Community Medicine has affiliations with family medicine residency programs across the state, providing financial and other support. MCW’s current role is to provide the expertise to hire qualified academic faculty, staff and appropriately chosen residents to assure the programs exceed the accreditation and certification standards of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.
“Prevea Health deeply appreciates the Joint Finance Committee investing in the Eau Claire and Appleton family medicine residency programs,” said Ashok Rai, MD, President and CEO of Prevea Health. “These programs are critical to maintaining the physician pipeline in the northern half of Wisconsin, including medically underserved areas. In addition, we are very excited to launch a program in the Green Bay area.”
The state appropriation assists a number of critical family medicine residency programs throughout Southeast Wisconsin, now Appleton and Eau Claire, as well as a program in Green Bay that will be launching in the near future in partnership with Prevea and HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital.
While the committee’s approval of the funds is a significant step in securing the additional funding, the provision must gain approval from the full legislature and be signed into law by the Governor as part of the overall 2019-2021 biennial state budget.
