About the Medical College of Wisconsin Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program

Residents
Number of Residents: 6 per year

Categoricals:

• 24 per year pediatrics | Pediatric Residency Program
• 27 per year internal medicine | Internal Medicine Residency Program

Other programs:

• 1-2 per year Internal Medicine/Neurology
• 2 per year Medicine-Geriatrics
• 8 per year IM preliminary
• 1 per year Pediatric preliminary
• 1 per year Internal Medicine Research Pathway
• 2 per year Internal Medicine Primary Care Pathway
• 1 per year Peds/Anesthesia
• 2 per year Peds/Neuro

Rotations
Guiding Principles: Maximum Flexibility; Maximum Exposure; Minimum Transition

The Basics:

• 4-month blocks
• Switch between peds and medicine twice in an academic year (in addition to July 1)
• Provides seasonal variation on each side throughout residency

Internship: 16 months
Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Rotation Schedule (PDF)
Because we rotate between Medicine and Pediatrics every 4 months, it’s easiest to think of residency as 3, 16-month “blocks”, which roughly correlate with the 3 years of the categorical programs.

Med-Peds Links

National Med-Peds Residents Association
NMPRA is a resident-driven organization dedicated to providing information, opportunities, and programs to current and future Med-Peds residents.

American Board of Pediatrics
The mission of the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) is to promote high quality health care during infancy, childhood, adolescence, and the transition into adulthood through assuring that the general pediatrician or pediatric subspecialist has successfully completed accredited training and fulfills the continuous evaluation requirements that encompass the six core competencies: patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, and systems-based practice. A special agreement exists with the ABP and the ABIM where an applicant may fulfill the training requirements of both the ABP and the ABIM by completing 2 years of accredited training in general comprehensive pediatrics and 2 years of accredited training in general comprehensive internal medicine in an integrated program. An applicant may not take the certifying examination of the ABP until all 4 years of training have been successfully completed.

American Board of Internal Medicine
The mission of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) is to enhance the quality of health care by certifying internists and subspecialists who demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for excellent patient care. The ABIM and the ABP offer dual Certification in internal medicine and pediatrics. A candidate for dual Certification must receive training in a program approved by both Boards and must be an ACGME accredited combined Internal Medicine/Pediatrics program.

American Academy of Pediatrics
The mission of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is to attain optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents and young adults. To accomplish this, AAP supports the professional needs of its members. The Section on Internal Medicine & Pediatrics (Med-Peds) advocates for Med-Peds Physicians and helps ensure a united voice on activities, research, advocacy and education that is important to med peds physicians.

Society of General Internal Medicine
The Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) was founded in 1978 by a national group of academic general internists committed to promoting research and education aimed at improving healthcare for the whole patient. Today, SGIM is a diverse community of physician and other health professional educators, researchers and clinicians, and students and trainees, all of whom are committed to lead excellence, change, and innovation in clinical care, education, and research in general internal medicine.

Med-Peds Program Directors Association
The Association was formed to advance medical education in combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics (Med-Peds) Residency Programs, which are approved by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Pediatrics. MPPDA will work in conjunction with the Association of Pediatric Program Directors (APPD) and the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine (APDIM) to improve medical education, promote the growth of combined Internal Medicine Pediatrics residencies, educate medical students as to the existence and curriculum of Medicine Pediatrics residencies, and promote the growth of the field of Med-Peds.

Medical College of Wisconsin Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program Aims:

1. To provide an exemplary, compassionate, broad-based experience with complimentary didactic and bedside education that exposes residents to primary care, hospitalist and sub-specialty careers
2. To provide medical care with integrity and respect to diverse patient populations while upholding accountability to patients, society, and the profession
3. To demonstrate a commitment to professionalism, adherence to ethical principles, responsiveness to patient needs that superseded self-interest, and life-long learning which includes the development of teaching skills as physician educator to other residents, students, non-physician colleagues, patients and communities
4. To support interest in basic science and research including quality improvement by pursuing new knowledge and ensuring that all patients receive scientifically appropriate and up to date care while utilizing medical resources wisely
5. To foster personal and professional well-being that includes resources and programs dedicated to encourage optimal resident and faculty member wellness
6. To provide and maintain an environment that facilitates development of competencies as described by the ACGME and specialty specific for each trainee to acquire the cognitive knowledge, technical skills and professionalism to succeed in independent practice and certification through successful completion of the American Board of Internal Medicine and American Board of Pediatric examinations.

Intern on Pediatric Wards
Jason Zheng, MD

5:10 a.m. Is usually when I wake up to my alarm. I’ll make myself some breakfast which usually is some oatmeal. If I feel lazy, then I’ll just grab a couple granola bars and protein shakes.

5:40 a.m. Is when I head out of my apartment. I literally live five minutes away from the hospital and can see my apartment complex from the hospital windows. It’s super nice that we get to park in the garage and when you get to the hospital this early, you can find some pretty good parking spots. Because we have the parking garage, we don’t necessarily have to be exposed to the external elements. I like to keep that exposure to a minimum in the winter months. To be honest, I could probably leave my apartment even later if I wanted to, but I like to get to the work room just a little ahead of time so that I have time to print my list and kind of glance over the overnight admits.

6 a.m. Is when the overnight resident officially signs out to us. They will go over any big updates on previously admitted patients and then also discuss with us the to do for new admissions overnight. One of the interns will take the admission pager for the day so that we know when patients arrive to the floor. For the next two hours, I will pre-chart on my patients. I will look at their vitals and ins and outs and start to think about my plans for the day. Then I will go pre-round on my patients. The number usually ranges from 4-6 per intern.

8 a.m. This is when intern morning report starts. The interns and medical students will all get together with an attending in a conference room and discuss a case. We will collectively ask questions about the history and then collectively discuss work up that we want and deliberate on differential diagnoses. The sessions usually lasts like 30 minutes.

8:45 a.m. This is when we start rounding on our patients with our attending, senior resident, and sometimes fellow. At MCW we do family centered rounds which entails actively involving patients and family in our discussions. We will do our presentations in the patient rooms or invite patient and family to come join us in the hall. As they listen through our discussions, they can ask questions and provide their input in our treatment plans. Usually the attending and fellow play more of a background role. This gives the senior resident some more practice and autonomy in running the team. On Thursdays, the team actually rounds without the attending or fellow. This gives the senior even more practice.

11 a.m. Rounds usually and hopefully finish around this time. We will go back to the work room and "RTL." This means we will run the list and go over the plans that we discussed. We will put in consult orders so that our consult services have enough time in advance to go see our patients. We will double check our orders and update our handoffs. Take a deep breath and acknowledge that we have made it halfway through the day.

12 p.m. Best part of being on peds is that the program provides free lunches every day. Usually, it’s either salad or a sandwich but sometimes they provide pizza. We will have noon conferences that discuss various topics. On Thursdays, we have this very cool conference called Professor Rounds. A third year peds resident or a fourth year MedPeds resident will present an interesting case that they encountered during residency. This takes place in the auditorium in front of fellow residents and also attendings from various specialties. The idea is that the attendings from various specialties will work through the case by asking questions and sharing some of their thought processes. A lot of times they are right but sometimes we are surprised.

1 p.m. In the second half of the day, we will be working on new admissions, following up consult recs, and writing notes. We will RTL again later in the afternoon and make sure that we update our handoffs for our night team with contingency plans and tasks to follow up on.

5 p.m. Time to sign out to the night team. Sometimes we may have to stay a little later if we get a new admission around this time. Once again, I’ll take five minutes to drive home.

6 p.m. At this time I will prep dinner and then eat. All of this collectively will take around an hour-ish because I am a slow eater. The next couple hours are my free time. I’ll probably watch some Netflix, read, or FaceTime my family or a friend. This is the time to relax and decompress. If I feel ambitious, then I might do 10 UWorld questions.

9 p.m. I am crawling in bed and hopefully getting around eight hours of sleep. I work best around seven or eight hours but could always appreciate more!

Intern on Medicine Wards
Elaine Dandan, DO

6 a.m. My alarm goes off and wakes me from the dream of me riding a motorbike through a green field. I groan knowing it’s way too early for me to function. My mind is blank as I brush my teeth and put on my scrubs. I start the espresso machine as I pack a lunch for the day, likely dinner leftovers from the night before. I walk to my car in the parking lot in the dark and head to work! 

6:45 a.m. I usually get to the team room five minutes before sign-out so I can print the list, and then I head to get sign-out from the overnight team. My co-intern and I usually switch off who comes in early for sign-out and who gets a few precious extra minutes of sleep.

7 a.m. Morning jam session begins, I try to ask the room what they want to listen to, but nobody wants to show their true colors with their music selection so I pick the music. I start pre-rounding and focus on vitals, updates from consults, and any important overnight events from nursing.

7:45 – 8:30 a.m. This is when I typically go see patients! Some are awake and have already ordered breakfast, others prefer to keep sleeping. I try to get a good idea of how their night went and any concerns or questions they may have regarding their care.

8:30 – 10:30 a.m. Music pause. This is typically the time we start rounding. The attendings have a variety of rounding styles, some prefer to do table rounds while others will do walking rounds. Some attendings will have us see only the sickest patients so it really depends. I prefer table rounds, and I have been lucky so far to work with attendings who have a similar rounding style as me. We discuss consults, plans for the day and disposition planning for each of our patients.

10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. Music back on. I try to prioritize known discharges first, including doing their medication reconciliation and making sure they have all the appropriate follow up they may need. Then I typically page consults since they can take a while to get back to you.  Next, I try to put in orders, typically imaging first as this can also take some time to get done, then medications. I like to keep track of this stuff by writing it down on my list and crossing it off when I’m done. I usually do notes last but am typically able to get a couple done before noon conference.

12 – 1 p.m. Noon conference time, this is where we typically eat lunch and listen to a presentation. My personal favorite that we had was when we played dermatology jeopardy. Unfortunately, there are typically no prizes, and yes, I did indeed lose, but it was fun and educational nonetheless.

1 – 4 p.m. This is typically when I finish the rest of the work for the day. Consults typically call back in the afternoon. I update the orders, update patients on any changes to the plan, and work on completing hand-offs and notes. On medicine wards teams don’t admit every day, but if you are on an admitting day this is also the time where admissions typically come in. When we get a new admit I try to pre-chart to the best of my ability and then typically walk down to the see the patient while they are still in the emergency department. It’s nice to tuck them in for the night as much as you can before signing out.  If there is a sicker patient, I try to see them one more time before signing out.

4 p.m. The day is considered over-ish. Depending on if it is an admitting day or not you will either sign out to the overnight intern or the overnight senior. I wish them the best overnight and head home. If you are on call for the night then two other teams will sign out to you as the overnight intern. Typically, you cover the two teams on a “nothing day,” meaning they weren’t admitting and were just working on the patients they already have. The overnight senior resident cross-covers the other three teams that were admitting that day. In total you typically cover three teams, your team and two other teams.

4:15 – 5 p.m. I’m a big decompressor after work. I like to rot on the couch for at least an hour, sometimes it’s extended to two, but I typically scroll, watch TV, or read a book during this time.

5 – 9 p.m. The nights are typically so variable. I try to do active things at least a couple of times a week, usually that includes either a run, yoga class, or a dance class. I just started taking piano classes so now we have that once a week! This also the time where cooking dinner is vital. I’m thankful my partner does most of the cooking and I try to help as much as possible, but he is just good at it. I try to head to bed at 9:30 – 10 p.m. and will read a chapter from my book. I double check my alarm is on for the next morning and fall asleep the second my head hits the pillow.

Senior on Pediatric Wards
Keegan Sammons, MD

4:15 – 6 a.m. First alarm rings! Realistically getting up after a few snoozes. Shower, drink some coffee, and grab a quick bite to eat before heading out for the day. I live in the downtown area, so it’s about a 12-15 minute commute at this time of day.

6 – 7:30 a.m. Get sign out from the night senior. It’s pretty typical to have at least 3-5 new admits overnight, so I prioritize looking into these cases in more detail before rounds. Check in with my interns and students on their initial thoughts/plans for their patients and answer any urgent questions. After ensuring vitals and labs for the rest of the team are stable, you can catch me running around floor to floor seeing as many patients as I can before rounds.

7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Head to senior rounds (commonly known as Bob rounds). This is a unique opportunity where senior residents from all the ward teams meet up and discuss any interesting cases we’re currently caring for. In the presence of generally a few faculty members (led by Bob Kliegman, a valuable resource to our residency program) this is a great time to reinforce typical vs. atypical presentations of illnesses and also bounce ideas off others to then bring to the team for rounds.

8:30 – 11 a.m. Rounding time. The peds side focuses on family centered rounds, so we walk! We generally round with a case manager, pharmacist, and oftentimes a dietitian. As the senior my main focus is that rounds are as efficient as possible -with small teaching points along the way that are applicable to our patients. This generally involves choosing the rounding order, coordinating times with consult/subspecialty services to round with, and keeping the team on track.

11 a.m. – 1 p.m. RTL (Run the List)! Finish up tasks not completed on rounds, help the interns out with said tasks if needed, and then get some lunch. Noon conference is a protected hour, so ensuring the team gets to some formal education on time is ideal.

1 – 5 p.m. Follow up on labs, images, and consultant recommendations. We technically can take admits all day, so there’s usually 1-2 new ones to see and staff throughout the afternoon. Tidy up patient care stuff, update handoffs, and then sign out to the night team at 5.

5 – 6:30 p.m. Usually some sort of exercise! My apartment has a small gym with a Peloton that I’m extremely thankful for, otherwise I like to explore different workout studios in the area. When it’s nice outside I’ll go for a run/walk on the lakefront.

6:30 – 8 p.m. Favorite part of the day, dinner time! Majority of nights I’ll cook at home, but there’s also so many great restaurants in Milwaukee that I still need to try, and the list keeps growing.

8 – 10 p.m. Lounging around. Sometimes do a little academic reading if my brain can handle it at this point in the day, otherwise I’m usually watching TV, or catching up with family. Generally checking out for the night by 9:30. Set my alarms, and repeat it all in the AM!

Senior on Medicine Wards
Sarah Barrett, MD

4:30 a.m. My alarm goes off and I try to wake up, sleepy after a busy call day the day before. I will usually grab something quick for breakfast. I count on the attending to bring in post-call bagels or donuts for the team to get me through till lunch.

5:15 a.m. I start my drive to the VA. It’s usually a 20-minute door to team room trip from my house in Tosa, but I’m able to get there more quickly so early in the morning.

5:30 a.m. I greet the sleepy team and receive sign out from the senior who covered my team overnight. At the VA we’re on call every four days. As seniors, half of the call days are 28-hour shifts and half have night shift coverage. For interns, the majority of the call days have night coverage. We start rounding at 7 a.m. on post-call days to help the night intern leave early, so we have to get there pretty early to start pre-rounding. I spend the next hour and a half chart reviewing, seeing patients, reviewing plans with the interns and medical students.

7 a.m. The attending arrives promptly at 7 and we start rounds. The overnight intern will present any patients they admitted. They are then free to go home to sleep. Then we’ll staff any new patients we admitted the afternoon prior, and finally we’ll discuss the remainder of our patients.

8:30 a.m. After discussing the patients in the team room, we will go seen any new or sick patients in person as a whole team. This is a great opportunity to review physical exam findings. Depending on the attending and senior preference, we will often use POCUS to assess our patients as well.

9 a.m. This is often the busiest time of the day when we place orders, call consults, and discharge patients. It is nice to no longer be admitting, so we can take the time to do deeper chart reviews on our patients and have more in-depth conversations with families. This is also a great time to touch base with our amazing team pharmacist who will help us with any complicated med recs.

12 p.m. We break for noon conference. Typically, a resident will present an interesting patient case centered around a main teaching point. It’s a good chance to take a break from patient care to say hi to friends who are also at the VA. Faculty come to these conferences so there is usually an interesting discussion.

1 p.m. We spend the rest of the afternoon tying up tasks from the morning. The attending will return at some point in the afternoon to run the list. The attending or senior residents also use this time for chalk talks depending on how busy the team is. If all the work is done, one of the interns will head home before sign out.

6 p.m. The remaining intern will sign out to the night intern and then we will head home for the night. In the winter months I will often hang out at home and do some crafts or pick up something good for dinner. In the warmer sunnier months, I like to spend time outside, running by the lake with my co-residents or reading in my hammock.

8:30 p.m. Time to start getting ready for bed. I get a lot of sleep in residency and like to go to bed early whenever I can!

Medical College of Wisconsin Med-Peds Residents have the benefit of working in a very diverse environment. Residents spend the majority of their inpatient time rotating through one of the four main teaching hospitals: Children's Wisconsin, Froedtert Hospital, the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center, and Ascension Columbia St. Mary's Hospital. Each hospital provides a unique experience which enhances the overall educational aspects of each clinical rotation.

Children's Wisconsin
Located on the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center Grounds, Children's Wisconsin is one of the leading centers for pediatric health care in the United States. The hospital provides inpatient care, including transport of critically ill or injured children and intensive care services, and more than 70 specialty outpatient clinics that care for the full range of pediatric health care needs.

• 306 beds, 72 ICU beds, 70 NICU beds
• Level 1 trauma center
• Over 26,000 annual admissions and more than 71,400 annual ER visits.
• Named a Level 1 Children’s Surgery Center by the American College of Surgeons

Froedtert Hospital
Froedtert Hospital, which is next to Children's Wisconsin, is the primary adult teaching affiliate for the Medical College of Wisconsin; a 735-bed academic medical center that delivers advanced medical care. Froedtert Hospital is nationally recognized for exceptional physicians and nurses, research leadership, specialty expertise and state-of-the-art treatments and technology. It serves as an eastern Wisconsin referral center for advanced medical practice care in over 35 specialties and is a major training facility with more than 1,000 medical, nursing and health technical students in training.

In partnership with MCW, it is also a respected research facility with more than 2,000 research studies, including clinical trials, conducted every year. Froedtert Hospital operates the region’s only adult Level I Trauma Center. Froedtert Hospital is located on the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center campus. Campus partners are the Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin, Children’s Wisconsin, Curative Care Network, the Medical College of Wisconsin, and the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division.

• In U.S. News & World Report, Froedtert Hospital ranks nationally
• Froedtert Hospital received the prestigious Magnet designation for nursing excellence by demonstrating superior quality in nursing care
• Over 300 Froedtert and MCW physicians were selected for the Best Doctors in America list.
• The Human Rights Campaign Foundation recognized Froedtert Hospital as a "Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality"

Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center
The Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center is located on 125 acres on the western edge of Milwaukee, 6 miles southeast of the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center Grounds. The Medical Center delivers primary, secondary, and tertiary medical care in 113 acute care beds, in addition to domiciliary beds and nursing home care unit beds and provides over 500,000 visits annually through an extensive outpatient program.

• Regional tertiary care center for VA system
• Staffed exclusively by Medical College of Wisconsin physicians
• Nursing home care unit of 113 beds offers geriatric programming
• 356 domiciliary beds for substance abuse rehabilitation, psychiatric rehabilitation and post-traumatic stress disorder care
• Newly remodeled/updated primary care clinics and wards
• National VA electronic medical record/online order system

Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital
Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital is a community hospital site located on Milwaukee’s East Side.

• Tertiary care hospital with multispecialty care
• Level IV trauma center
• Regional burn center
• Comprehensive stroke center

Training a well-rounded Med-Peds physician requires in-depth patient exposure in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. Our continuity clinic experience pairs a resident with a clinical preceptor from the first month of training with the goal of a four-year longitudinal mentorship that culminates in the graduation of a medically knowledgeable, evidence-based and compassionate generalist physician regardless of their post-residency plans for primary care practice, hospitalist medicine or fellowship training. Continuity clinic residents will care for a diverse patient population in a variety of clinical contexts: well child care, adult preventative care, and diagnosis/treatment/long-term management of diagnosis of common and complex medical problems. Our continuity clinic preceptors supplement evidence-based practice with over 200 years of clinical teaching experience. Our preceptors also practice with specific patient care emphases such as Special Needs, LGBTQIA+ health, Women’s Health as well as office procedures (joint injections, skin biopsies, etc).

The flexible scheduling model allows for residents to choose a traditional clinic scheduling option that has the resident in clinic for a half-day per week on all rotations or I/O scheduling with two half-days per week on elective months alternating with fully dedicated time for ward and intensive care unit months. Program leadership also work with individual residents to offer additional opportunities to spend time in the continuity clinic (2 dedicated month-long Outpatient Med-Peds rotations, two weekly clinics for residents planning careers in primary care, etc.).

The resident-run Continuity Clinic Curriculum Committee (affectionately known as “the Quad C”) enhances the continuity clinic experience by overseeing the educational curriculum and utilizing resident feedback in real time to make improvements to our outpatient experience. Duties of the Committee include scheduling and facilitating the Friday Med-Peds Primary Care Conference, which includes a weekly rotation of resident-led/preceptor-mentored interactive primary care lectures as well as sponsoring guest experts who come in from outside the program to teach our residents about specific aspects of primary care.

Combined Med-Peds Continuity Clinics

Aurora Advanced Healthcare Edgerton Clinic
The Edgerton Clinic is staffed by the Internal Medicine-Pediatrics physicians, Drs. Dominski, Brueggeman, Girolami, and Hang. This suburban practice represents an excellent opportunity for resident continuity clinic and student teaching. This clinic also houses award winning teachers and boasts some of the highest ratings for quality of education in resident training. This clinic site typically precepts 2-3 continuity clinic residents and most residents will rotate here at least once on their Outpatient Med-Peds rotation.

Ascension Clinics
This clinic site typically precepts 2 continuity clinic residents and most residents will rotate here at least once on their Outpatient Med-Peds rotation.

Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Clinics
Calhoun Health Center
Located west of Milwaukee, the Calhoun Health Center has primary care services as well as specialty care in Radiology & Imaging, Women’s Health and Diagnostic Services. Med-Peds residents staff with Internal Medicine-Pediatric physician and program graduates Dr. Carla Meister and Dr. Luke Schroeder.

McKinley Health Center
McKinley Health Center is located in the heart of Downtown Milwaukee. In addition to primary care, the Sports Science Center (a partnership with the Milwaukee Bucks) is housed here. Med-Peds residents staff the program with program graduate Dr. Adam King. This clinic site typically precepts 2 continuity clinic residents and most residents will rotate here at least once on their Outpatient Med-Peds rotation.

Moorland Reserve Health Center
Moorland Reserve Health Center serves most of the suburbs southwest of Milwaukee and all of Waukesha County. Moorland Reserve Health Center not only houses primary care services, but also a wide-variety of specialty and diagnostic services. Med-Peds residents staff with Internal Medicine-Pediatric Physician and program graduate, Dr. Sobczak. This clinic site typically precepts 2 continuity clinic residents and most residents will rotate here at least once on their Outpatient Med-Peds rotation.

North Hills Health Center
Located near northwest Milwaukee, North Hills Health Center houses not only primary care, but subspecialty clinics including OB and Endocrinology. Anchored with primary care including Med-Peds and Internal Medicine, NHHC serves a diverse patient population and is staffed by the Internal Medicine-Pediatric Physicians, Drs. Barkimer, and our own graduate Dr. Ana Caban Cardona. This clinic site typically precepts 4 continuity clinic residents and most residents will rotate here at least once on their Outpatient Med-Peds rotation.

Springdale Health Center
Located west of Milwaukee, Springdale Health Center has Med-Peds, Ob-Gyn, and Internal Medicine physicians. Med-Peds residents staff with Internal Medicine-Pediatric Physicians, Drs. Cada, Obermyer, and Fitzgerald. This clinic site typically precepts 2-3 continuity clinic residents and most residents will rotate here at least once on their Outpatient Med-Peds rotation.

Tosa Health Center
Tosa Health Center Built in 1998, the Plank Road Clinic at Tosa Health Center is a multidisciplinary academic primary care site approximately 1 mile west of the Medical College of Wisconsin campus. Many of our health system’s most medically complex patients identify Tosa as their medical home. Med-Peds and Family Medicine both practice at this site. Allied health staff available to help care for our patients at Plank include an on-site primary care-based psychologist and a medical home pharmacist. Preceptors at Tosa Health Center include Drs. Gehl, Lodes, Malcom, McAsey, Padden, and Zeglin. This clinic site typically precepts 7-8 continuity clinic residents and most residents will rotate here at least once on their Outpatient Med-Peds rotation.

Westbrook Health Center
Westbrook Health Center is located in Waukesha. In addition to Med-Peds providers, Westbrook has rheumatology and sports medicine specialists, along with in-house imaging and laboratory services. Med-Peds residents staff with Internal Medicine-Pediatrics physician and program graduate Dr. Ewing Haas and Dr. Lenz. This clinic site typically precepts 2 continuity clinic residents and most residents will rotate here at least once on their Outpatient Med-Peds rotation.

The Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program at the Medical College of Wisconsin encourages residents to pursue clinical research opportunities. Scholarship provides residents many potential benefits including: exploration of an academic career, development of credentials to bolster their fellowship application, and nurturing intellectual curiosity.

All residents are encouraged and given financial support to present their scholarly projects at a variety of regional and national meetings. In addition, the Medical College of Wisconsin's Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) supports, through pilot funding, new and promising clinical and translational projects for young investigators.

View the Faculty Collaboration Database to find a faculty member conducting research in your area of interest.

Medical Students, Residents, and Faculty are encouraged to attend the Annual Meeting of the National Med-Peds Residents' Association. The meeting includes poster presentations, case presentations, panel discussions and a keynote speaker. If you’re a student, it’s a great time to learn more about Med-Peds as a career choice, not to mention meet up with residents and program directors. If you are a resident it is a great place to meet up with other residents from around the country, make new friends, reconnect with those who you met along the interview trail, and learn some new skills.

Milwaukee is a richly diverse city, and we are proud to serve a truly global community. Our Med-Peds program is committed to training future physicians to deliver culturally competent, equitable care to all patients – regardless of background. As our city continues to welcome immigrants, international adoptees, and others navigating healthcare disparities, we also see a growing need for travel-related medical counseling and culturally responsive care. With the easing of the pandemic, even more opportunities for global health engagement have emerged.

Med-Peds Global Health Engagement

Integrated Leadership: Med-Peds faculty are actively involved in global health initiatives across both the Internal Medicine and Pediatrics departments.

Pediatrics Global Health Track

• Structured educational curriculum
• Individualized mentorship for career development
• Support for immersive global health experiences

Department of Medicine Global Health Program
Offers diverse opportunities in education, research, clinical care, and community engagement

Our Commitment
We support residents in pursuing global health with a uniquely balanced Med-Peds lens, preparing them to lead and serve locally and internationally.

Testimonials

“I had the wonderful opportunity to spend February 2020 in Punta Gorda, Belize with Hillside Healthcare International. It was a welcome change of pace from typical rotations that challenged me to think in new ways about patients, available resources, and other social determinants of health. My med-peds training was valuable in treating both adults and children in clinics both on-site and at mobile sites. We primarily managed chronic diseases, but in a new light using our available treatments and limited testing. I worked beside US medical students and attendings, but also with Belizean pharmacists, nurses, and medical assistants. It was also an awesome opportunity for self-reflection and the chance to fully immerse myself in a culture and community with the added bonus of weekend travel adventures and new friendships!”
Krista Tuomela, MD

“During my 3rd year of residency I had the opportunity to participate in a global health rotation in Nepal. I have always had a passion for global and undeserved care and this seemed like a perfect opportunity to further investigate that passion. My healthcare experience took place at an academic hospital in Patan, near the capital city of Kathmandu. The medical exposure that I received was incredible. Cases ranged from primary tuberculosis arthritis to salmonella meningitis; two things that I certainly have never seen in the US. While the cases were interesting the way that the Nepali physicians cared for their patients was also a great learning experiences. They demonstrated the value of a good physical exam, the importance of a thorough history and the skill of working in a resource limited environment. They were kind to their patients and educated families. While the medicine exposure was certainly valuable the culture exposure was also eye-opening and formative for me. The people of Nepal are incredibly generous, warm and welcoming. They are quick to invite you to lunch and learn about who you are as a person. Despite a large portion of the population living on very little you always sensed cooperation, and a desire to care for one another. Overall my rotation in Nepal provided me with an opportunity to learn about medicine, learn about people and culture and learn about myself. I feel very fortunate that I was able to participate in such an experience and I know that I will be a better physician because of it.”
Andrew C. Rose, MD (2020 Med-Peds Grad)

View the MCW Office of Global Health website

In addition to the Global and Community Health track (see above), our program offers each resident the option of participating in any of the following educational tracks: Primary Care, Hospitalist, Research and Hybrid (a combination of two distinct tracks). Each of these tracks permits residents to use elective rotations to complete requirements that are designed to prepare them for specific careers. Residents who complete the requirements will earn a certificate of completion at the end of their residency training, confirming their participation in an enriched residency curriculum. Each track includes a few required experiences, a required scholarly project, suggested activities for educational and administrative development, and faculty mentorship.

It is our intent that these tracks be completely flexible, permitting each resident to individualize their training in the way that is best for them. Participation in the tracks is optional. Residents may choose to participate completely in a track; they may experience only the elements of the track that are of interest to them; or they may choose to not participate in a track at all. Our program is fully committed to supporting the individual interests and goals of each resident, while making sure that all residents complete the training requirements.

The Medical College of Wisconsin's Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program was founded in 1992, with our first class of graduates finishing in 1996. Graduates from our program have gone on to a variety of careers in primary care, fellowship training, hospital medicine, and academic medicine. During the past five years, roughly one-third of our residents practice primary care Med Peds, another one-third go into hospital medicine and the last one-third of our graduates pursue further subspecialty training. The training you receive in our program is well-balanced and will prepare you for endless career options.

2025
Gabriel Aguero, DO: Med-Peds Chief Resident
Heather Burton, MD: Sports Medicine Fellowship, Ohio
Jayaram Kumaraswamy, DO: Allergy/Immunology Fellowship, Colorado
Jared Squires, MD: Adult Hospitalist, MCW
Ilakkiya Thanigaivelan, MD: Allergy/Immunology Fellowship, MCW
Alice Zhang, MD: Adult Cardiology Fellowship, Illinois

2024
Kate Alta, DO: Adult Cardiology Fellowship, Utah
Anna Johnson, DO: Med-Peds Hospitalist, Minnesota
Andrew McAsey, MD: Med-Peds Primary Care, Milwaukee
Rebecca Rings Millers, MD: Med-Peds Chief Resident & Med-Peds Primary Care, Milwaukee
Christopher Wagner, MD: Adult ID Fellowship, MCW
Timothy Yung, MD: Combined Nephrology Fellowship, MCW

2023
Adam Kidwell, MD: Adult Hem/Onc Fellowship, MCW
Joseph Menigo, MD: Med-Peds Hospitalist, Minnesota
Luke Schroeder, MD: Med-Peds Primary Care, Milwaukee
Braden Sciarra, MD: Adult ID Fellowship, Colorado
Zac Telfer, MD: Combined ID Fellowship, MCW
Elizabeth Williams, MD: Med-Peds Chief Resident & Med-Peds Primary Care, Minnesota

2022
Leah Cotter, DO: Med-Peds Hospitalist, MCW
Courtney Gaberino, MD: Allergy/Immunology Fellowship, UW-Madison
Lauren McIntosh, MD: Med-Peds Chief Resident & Hospitalist Fellowship, Colorado
Haley Mertens, MD: Chief Resident for Patient Safety and Quality Improvement & Adult GI Fellowship, Michigan
Daniel Otterson, MD: Primary Care, California
Angelica Willis, MD: Med-Peds Hospitalist, Minnesota

2021
Stefanie DiGiandomenico, MD: Peds Hem/Onc Fellowship, Emory
Kaitlin Kirkpatrick, MD: Peds Rheum Fellowship, Medical College of Wisconsin
Melissa Miller, MD: Chief Resident for Patient Safety and Quality Improvement & Adult Cardiology Fellowship, Kentucky
Helen Padden, MD: Med-Peds Primary Care, Milwaukee
Victor Redmon, MD: Med-Peds Chief Resident & Adult Cardiology Fellowship, MCW
Krista Tuomela, MD: Med-Peds Primary Care, Minnesota

One of the most important aspects of our program is the camaraderie that exists between the residents. There is no shortage of fun in the Med-Peds Program. We work hard, but we always make time for relaxation and fun. Below is a sample of the social opportunities our Med-Peds Residents get to experience throughout their residency. Also, our residents are invited to the social events and activities of both categorical programs. 

Med-Peds Monthly Residency Dinners
The Med-Peds monthly residency dinner is hosted at rotating Med-Peds resident and faculty homes and includes residents' families. In the winter, we use one of our get-togethers to go sledding or ice skating.

Med-Peds Biennial Residency Retreat
A time for residents, staff and their families to get away for some bonding time. Held off-site, this 2-day retreat at a local water park gives residents the time to reflect on their residency while bonding with their colleagues.

Med-Peds Annual Brewer’s Tailgate and Game or Boat Ride on Lake Michigan
As part of our orientation for our incoming interns, we meet and get to know one another at our annual Brewer’s Tailgate and game. When the Brewers do not play at home during orientation, we instead take a boat ride on Lake Michigan to meet our newest class.

Graduation Celebrations
Dinners and more dinners during the month of June. A great time to celebrate the achievement of our graduating seniors.

Yes, Milwaukee!
Milwaukee is a wonderful community that has the advantage of an urban, metropolitan city without the stress or cost. Milwaukee offers a variety of career opportunities, excellent universities, low commute times, diverse neighborhoods, affordable housing and abundant recreational choices. Milwaukee also boasts professional sports teams, museums and activities, outstanding restaurants and performing arts comparable to cities more than twice its size. The Milwaukee Region’s size, accessibility and friendliness are among its greatest attributes. It’s easy to meet people and maintain acquaintances. Not to mention, Milwaukee is less than 80 miles away from Chicago – a good perk if you are looking for a quick weekend getaway.

There is no shortage of recreational activities in Wisconsin. In Milwaukee County alone, there are more than 15,000 acres of parks, the greatest acreage per person in the country. In 2009, the Milwaukee County Parks System was awarded the National Gold Medal for Excellence by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration and the National Recreation and Park Association. We have an abundance of biking trails, golf courses and a strong running community.

Whether you are here for a day, a weekend or your residency, you can have a variety of experiences, making it a perfect place to explore. Find your perfect itinerary at Visit Milwaukee!

The Big City of Little Neighborhoods
Milwaukee is not so much a city as a large collection of neighborhoods situated on the shores of Lake Michigan, often referred to as the Big City of Little Neighborhoods. With eleven distinct neighborhoods, Milwaukee has a huge variety of affordable housing options not to mention the beautiful suburbs just to the south, west and north of the Medical Complex. Current and past MCW residents have lived everywhere from revitalized warehouse buildings overlooking Lake Michigan in the Historic Third Ward neighborhood to farmhouses with lots of extra land and everywhere in-between, all within a short commute to the Milwaukee Regional Medical Complex.

As a starting point, please feel free to visit the following sites for a look into what neighborhood or suburb might be right for you:

Visit Milwaukee

Real Estate Search

The RSA is an organization for spouses, significant others, and families of MCWAH residents and fellows. From moving to a new city to adapting to a constantly shifting schedule, we know that medical training poses unique opportunities and challenges for both residents and their loved ones. The RSA is a community that provides support for members and their families through regular activities and social events.

Learn more about the RSA

The MCWAH Underrepresented in Medicine (URiM) Committee is dedicated to promoting diversity at MCWAH and making sure all MCWAH residents and fellows feel welcome. The URiM committee meets monthly, seeking to support the well-being and career development of members through networking opportunities, community involvement and social activities.

Learn more about MCWAH's underrepresented in medicine

1. A Complete ERAs Application Form
2. Curriculum Vitae
3. Personal Statement
4. Photograph
5. Dean's Letter
6. A minimum of 2 Letters of Recommendation
7. Transcript
8. USMLE or COMLEX National Board Examination results

If you have been in another residency training program, please include a letter from your previous program director. Applications will be accepted through ERAS.

Yes, residents are given progressive responsibility with close faculty supervision as defined by the ACGME.

Yes. Established in 2007, the Medical College of Wisconsin Department of Pediatrics Global Health Program is an integral part of the Med-Peds Residency Program. Currently, numerous Med-Peds residents are enrolled in the Global Health Track which includes local and virtual health events. Residents also have the opportunity to participate in away, international rotations working on scholarly project. Additionally, the Office of Global health at the Medical College of Wisconsin offers additional support, didactics, and training for global health leaders and seeks to address inequities on a local and global scale.

Yes, one dedicated Med-Peds Noon Conference is offered each week. In addition, there is a monthly dedicated Med-Peds dinner, a yearly Med-Peds graduation, Med-Peds intern welcome activities, a 2nd year Med-Peds luncheon, and a Med-Peds biennial retreat. We also provide an additional opportunity to serve on our own continuity clinic committee.

Absolutely. One of the benefits of the Medical College of Wisconsin is the depth of rich patient care experiences, including both common and complex disease processes and also wellness and preventative care.

Yes, please visit the Visiting Senior Medical Student page for more information.

Yes, this is highly encouraged, but not required to graduate other than completing a Quality Improvement/Scholarly Project per ACGME requirements. There are multiple opportunities to start and engage in scholarly activity across campus. Residents have been part of the full spectrum of bench research, clinical trials, large database research, and medical education. Research projects are published each week in the resident newsletters and the Longitudinal Curriculum for Accelerated Scholarship (LOCAS) is offered to all med peds residents through the Internal Medicine residency. Search MCW's Faculty Collaboration Database for current research being done by our faculty.

Yes, all med peds residents participate in the formal Resident Advisor Program each year. As interns, we work with your current career goals to match you with a faculty mentor from the start of residency. This formal mentorship as well as additional informal mentors are based on your needs as you continue through training.

Yes, there is a travel fund up to $1500 to attend a conference during residency. Additional funds may be available for residents who are presenting research at meetings.

The majority of our rotations are on a night float system. When on Pediatrics, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is on a call-based system and while on Internal Medicine the General Inpatient Ward teams operate on a call-base system.

There is a formal orientation process that includes hospital systems orientation, computer systems orientation, PALS and NRP training, policies and procedures review, rotation overviews, library resources, medical track overviews, general competencies and case-based discussions, etc. ACLS is done prior to orientation.

PGY-1 residents are given extensive orientation prior to beginning internship and are encouraged to attend the weekly Med-Peds noon conferences and monthly Med-Peds Dinners, including the PGY 1 welcome activities. In addition to the Med-Peds Program Director, Associate Program Director, and Coordinator, there is a dedicated Med-Peds Chief Resident that is also available 24/7 for questions and support of the PGY-1 residents. We also offer an Advisor Program and a Resident Mentor Program.

Residents are evaluated on each rotation via a standardized evaluation form by the faculty based on the ACGME Milestones. Residents are also evaluated by peers, patients/families, support staff, and self-evaluations.

Medical students are a part of the team on most rotations and residents are integral to their experience and learning. Residents work with medical students on their clinical skills as well as clinical reasoning and medical knowledge. Residents are also given the opportunity to teach medical students at other times including medical interviewing courses, physical exam workshops, bioethics small group discussions and career networking. Residents are key to the learning of their co residents as they prepare and lead various noon conferences and didactics with the support of chief residents throughout their training.

Six months for med-peds residents, compared to 12 months for categorical residents. Since we switch between internal medicine and pediatrics every 4 months, this extended intern year gives each resident the opportunity to serve as an intern for a total of 8 months on each side before filling the role of senior resident. The last 4 months of internship (also known as the first 4 months of PGY-2 year) are lovingly known in our program as “supertern months.”

There are over 40 Med-Peds trained physicians affiliated with the Medical College of Wisconsin. Med Peds faculty can be found in combined primary care clinics, combined hospitalist roles, and many subspecialties across campus.

Approximately half of the inpatient training occurs at Children's Wisconsin and Froedtert Hospital, although other sites include the VA Medical Center and a community-based hospital site, Ascension Columbia St. Mary's Hospital.

While on pediatrics residents follow and “X+Y+Z” schedule, and while on internal medicine residents follow and “X+X’,” also known as an “I/O” or “inpatient/outpatient” schedule. The goal for both of these scheduling systems is to balance time spent on more time-intensive inpatient rotations with outpatient rotations and electives, making sure vacation-eligible rotations are evenly spaced throughout the academic year.

Primary care and ambulatory training are essential to Med-Peds training. In addition to continuity clinics and ambulatory rotations, there is a dedicated Outpatient Med-Peds Continuity Clinic Curriculum and Outpatient Med-Peds rotation months. On the pediatrics side, residents spend 8 weeks throughout residency at our downtown pediatrics clinic where they work with mostly underserved populations.

While on Pediatric rotations, residents attend continuity clinic at least one half day per week. On Internal Medicine rotations, you may elect to continue this half day of clinic every week regardless of the rotation or choose an “I and O” schedule where you do not attend clinic during your inpatient rotations ("I" months) and instead attend a full day of clinic each week during non ward months (''O" months). As a PGY2-4, you may elect to increase your continuity clinic time each week to pursue more primary care experience.

Residents switch between internal medicine and pediatrics every 4 months. This allows for the ability to see seasonal variability in illnesses, but still provides adequate time in each specialty.

Both internal medicine and pediatric in-training examinations are offered and paid for by the program yearly.

Yes, there are board review courses for both internal medicine and pediatrics. Each residency has structured board preparation throughout scheduled didactics PGY1-PGY4 years. In additional, there is a three day long Internal Medicine review course that occurs in May and June of each PGY4 year and a virtual Pediatrics course in late August available for all graduated residents.

MCW provides a strong foundation of primary care and specialty training for physicians in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics and support compassionate, altruistic, evidence-based, high quality health care. The MCW Med-Peds Program provides a collaborative culture and a commitment to the principles of life-long learning and healthcare equity to serve the needs of our patients and communities both locally and abroad.

We are seeking well balanced house officer candidates with excellent communication and a commitment to provide the highest standard of patient care.

The Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals (MCWAH) is committed to the recruitment, training and graduation of talented residents from diverse backgrounds.

There is a balance of primary care, hospitalists and fellowship applications from former residents. We have multiple residents who have even pursued combined fellowships.

Our residents care for a diverse patient population at MCW. Milwaukee is 39% Black, 36% White,18% Latinx, 4.6% Asian, 0.5% Native. This is representative of the patients we see in the hospital and in clinics. Our patients are from the spectrum of socioeconomic backgrounds, and many different cultures. Milwaukee is also home to a large refugee population and our residents care for these patients on both Pediatrics and Internal Medicine. We see a mix of private insurance, Medicare/Medicaid, and uninsured patients.