Attracting Physicians to Wisconsin

Madison, Wisconsin — With a serious shortage of physicians looming on the horizon, Wisconsin has launched an aggressive recruitment campaign aimed at attracting doctors to the Badger State.

At the forefront of the effort is a new Web site, http://www.wisconsinphysiciancareers.org, which gives physicians a single source for exploring career opportunities at Wisconsin hospitals, clinics and academic medical centers. More than 600 physician positions have already been posted to the Web site.

The Wisconsin Council on Medical Education and Workforce (WCMEW), which the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH) helped found, developed the tool as a resource for all physicians, but especially those living outside the state who have had previous exposure to Wisconsin.
Wisconsin retains an average of about 38 percent of the physicians who graduate from one of the state's two medical schools-the SMPH and the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), according to Carl Getto, MD, SMPH senior associate dean for hospital affairs. But that's not enough to stay ahead of the growing demand, he says.

"Every state in the nation is competing for a limited pool of physicians," says Getto, WCMEW chair and a physician workforce expert. "We know Wisconsin is a great place to live, so we're counting on the fact that once you've been here, you're probably looking for a good reason to stay or move back."

Rob Fishman, MD, a second-year resident in the Wausau-based UW Family Medicine Residency Program, is still not sure where he will locate his medical practice when he completes his training in 2009. But the California native is impressed with the Wisconsin physician career Web site.

"It's a well-organized site with a high degree of transparency and honesty. From the list of the sponsoring organizations on the front page, to the way the hospitals and clinics describe the positions, it is very genuine and accessible," Fishman says. "You can search for openings statewide on your own time, send an email to find out more about a position directly to the hospital or clinic that has the opening, and have much more control over who contacts you and when."

So far, positions across 61 specialties have been posted. Family and internal medicine top the list with the most postings, mirroring a national trend.Hospitalists and psychiatrists are also in demand.

Charles Shabino, MD, Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) senior medical advisor and WCMEW board member, says Wisconsin's favorable medical liability environment, coupled with the state's reputation for high- quality healthcare and excellent quality of life help attract physicians.

"But we could face a crisis of monumental proportions in Wisconsin if we are not able to attract and keep an adequate number of physicians," Shabino warns.

WCMEW is comprised of several healthcare organizations, including SMPH, MCW, WHA, Wisconsin Medical Society, Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative and Wisconsin Academy of Physician Assistants.