Residency - Rural Residency Track

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (UW Ob-Gyn) is proud to offer a rural residency training track - the first in the nation to offer specific training for rural women's health. The state of Wisconsin and the nation as a whole face an increasing shortage of physicians, especially in rural areas.

In response, UW Ob-Gyn has developed strategic partnerships with rural Wisconsin hospitals where rural-track residents will train to provide excellent specialty care to rural women. In line with the Wisconsin Idea - the principle that the university should benefit people far beyond the borders of our campus - UW Ob-Gyn is committed to improving the quality of life for women across Wisconsin and beyond.

Who should apply?

If you are inspired to practice medicine in rural areas in Wisconsin, you are encouraged to apply. Ideal applicants will have had meaningful experiences with rural communities and an enduring commitment to providing health care to women in rural Wisconsin. Applicants should have a solid record of community involvement and a strong interest in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The Rural Residency Track will be a separate MATCH from the parent program. You may apply for both programs if interested.

Rural Track Curriculum

Over the four training years, the rural track resident will complete approximately 20% of their training at three rural sites. Each rural rotation will be three weeks long, and you will be able to stay within that community.

The training sites include Baldwin, Monroe and Marshfield:

In Baldwin, residents train at Western Wisconsin Health. While in Monroe, residents train at SSM Health Monroe Hospital. During the Marshfield rotation, residents train at Marshfield Medical Center. Residents also rotate to Reedsburg, where they train at the Reedsburg Area Medical Center. 

Rural Residency in the News

Thigpen, Hanks publish study in Frontiers in Reproductive Health

UW Department of Ob-Gyn resident Kitty Thigpen, MD, PGY-1, and Laura Hanks, MD, assistant professor in the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn, recently co-authored an article published in Frontiers in Reproductive Health. Co-authors include Natalia Gontarczyk Uczkowksi, MPH; Amy Godecker, PhD, MS; Madison Seifer; and ... more

Knickerbocker, Kaljo, Hanks co-author study in Wisconsin Medical Journal

Members of the UW Department have recently authored an article published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal. Authors include PGY-3 Resident Abbey Knickerbocker, MD; Nathan R. Jones, PhD, Senior Project Director at the UW Survey Center; Kristina Kaljo, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Ob-Gyn; and Laura Hanks, MD, as... more

URPS Division brings research, leadership to 2026 SGS Annual Meeting

The Society of Gynecologic Surgeons hosted the 52nd Annual Scientific Meeting in Phoenix, AZ from March 22-25, 2026. UW Department of Ob-Gyn faculty and trainees brought posters, films, and presentations to the meeting. Just some of their exciting accomplishments: Oral Session: Vulvar Fractionated CO2-Laser Therapy with and W... more

Grand Rounds: Bajpai presents Carcinogens in the workplace: Increased cancer risk for healthcare workers

On February 26, 2026, UW Department of Ob-Gyn resident Rusha Bajpai, MD, PGY-4, presented the Grand Rounds lecture “Carcinogens in the workplace: Increased cancer risk for healthcare workers”. In the lecture, Bajpai examined how carcinogens affect our bodies on a molecular and cellular level; outlined which cancers are more a... more

UW Department of Ob-Gyn at ACOG Congressional Leadership Conference 2026

Faculty and residents from the UW Department of Ob-Gyn attended the Congressional Leadership Conference, hosted by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in Washington, D.C., March 8-10, 2026. The theme of this year’s event was Ob-Gyns in Action: Transforming Expertise into Influence, highlighting the ways ob... more
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