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

UW Department of Ob-Gyn stands out at 2025 APGO Faculty Development Seminar

Trainees and faculty in the UW Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology brought an impressive array of presentations to the 2025 Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (APGO) Faculty Development Seminar, held in Honolulu January 12-14, 2025. The APGO Faculty Development Seminar provides practical and timely ide... more

Grand Rounds: Sibbald presents The Test of Endurance: Exploring Global Perspectives of Pregnancy and Childbirth

On December 19, 2024, UW Department of Ob-Gyn resident Carrie Sibbald, MD, presented the Grand Rounds lecture “The Test of Endurance: Exploring Global Perspectives of Pregnancy and Childbirth.”In the lecture, Sibbald outlined different cultural influences for pregnancy, examined global childbirth practices, explained how birt... more

Department of Ob-Gyn faculty and residents at ACOG District VI annual meeting

Members of the UW Department of Ob-Gyn attended the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Districts I, V, and VI Annual District Meeting in Boston September 27-29, 2024. Read on for just a few of their wonderful accomplishments at the meeting! Ob-Gyn resident Ben Pickus, MD, PGY-4, and Laura Hanks, MD, as... more

Cutler adds perspective to WSJ article about ob-gyn career paths post-Dobbs

An October 2024 article in the Wall Street Journal profiled an Indiana ob-gyn resident deciding where to start their career after training, in light of many states’ abortion restrictions. In the article, Abigail Cutler, MD, MPH, assistant professor in the Division of Academic Specialists in Ob-Gyn and associate program direct... more

Presentations abound at 2024 HAGO annual meeting

Congratulations to the UW Department of Ob-Gyn faculty, fellows, and residents who shared research at the 2024 Heartland Association of Gynecologic Oncology Annual Meeting! The meeting was held September 27-28, 2024 in Milwaukee. Several people shared their research during Paper Sessions throughout the event: Ob-Gyn Residen... more
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