Wisconsin Budget Calls for $3 Million for Rural and Urban Medical Programs

The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health will receive $3 million in state funding to expand training programs for students who intend to practice in rural and inner-city locations, Gov. Scott Walker announced.

In addition to expanding the Wisconsin Academy for Rural Medicine (WARM) and Training in Urban and Medicine and Public Health (TRIUMPH), the proposed funds will also be used to establish special scholarships for students based on financial need, and upgrade technology to allow for increased distance learning opportunities.

"We are very pleased at the wise and strategic investments Gov. Walker is proposing to address the future health needs of our state," said Dr. Robert N. Golden, dean of the School of Medicine and Public Health.

"The Wisconsin Academy of Rural Medicine (WARM) and Training in Urban Medicine and Public Health (TRIUMPH) programs are two of the jewels in the crown of our School of Medicine and Public Health. Support for these programs, along with a substantial commitment to helping create more residencies in our state, takes Wisconsin forward in a crucial area of need. We are absolutely delighted that these programs will continue to flourish and bring health-care expertise where it is most needed."

The Wisconsin Academy for Rural Medicine, established in 2005, is a rural education program within the MD Program curriculum aimed at increasing the number of physicians practicing in rural Wisconsin communities.

Training in Urban Medicine and Public Health, which began in 2008, is a focus within the MD Program that seeks medical students who are committed to providing health care for urban populations and to reducing health disparities.

Both programs are addressing the projected physician shortage in underserved areas of the state. According to 2011 report, “100 New Physicians a Year: An Imperative for Wisconsin,” the Wisconsin Hospital Association predicts a shortage of as many as 2,000 doctors - mostly primary care physicians - by 2030.

WARM Students Attend Budget Address

Four Wisconsin Academy for Rural Medicine students, along with Dean Golden, were invited to attend Governor Walker's state budget address on February 20.