Spencer, Silva, McDowell serve on CREOG rural training panel

On September 23, 2020, members of the UW Ob-Gyn residency team led the panel discussion “Increasing the Rural OB/GYN Pipeline: a Pathway for Rural Track Training”, presented by the Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology!
Residency program director Ryan Spencer, MD, program manager Jody Silva, M.Ed, and resident Laura McDowell, MD, PGY-4 presented to over 40 residency program directors and department chairs from across the country. They were also joined by Denny Hartung, MD, a training partner from Western Wisconsin Health.
As the first residency program in the nation with a rural training track, our residency team presented data with perspectives from key stakeholders on how to develop and maintain rural ob-gyn training programs. This talk was especially important in light of increasing disparities in rural women’s health care.
Rural Residency earns DHS rural health care grant
The DHS grants are intended to “increase access and enhance quality care in rural Wisconsin” by supporting education and training to help rural health care organizations fill important positions. This award is critical for ensuring the financial sustainability of the UW Ob-Gyn Rural Residency track for years to come.
Launched in 2017, the UW Ob-Gyn Rural Residency track is the first rural training program for ob-gyn residents in the country. Many thanks to former residency program director Ellen Hartenbach, MD, for starting the program, and residency program manager Jody Silva for working to secure this grant for the UW Ob-Gyn Rural Residency.