Prairie du Chien Rural Training Track
Core Program: LaCrosse-Mayo Family Medicine Residency

Community
Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin's second oldest city, is rich in history, culture and recreational activity. It is located at the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers with a population of 5,500. The community features panoramic vistas of the surrounding landscape with its rolling hillsides majestic bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. The economy is driven by industrial and government employment, a strong tourist trade and a growing retail center. The "laid back" ease of life on the river is evident in Prairie du Chien, and the city strives to provide the highest quality of life for its residents while maintaining its traditional pioneering heritage. The city has more historic landmarks than any other Wisconsin city and ranks as one of the Midwest's most popular sites for history buffs and educators. The most popular attraction is the Villa Louis Historic Site, a beautiful 25-acre Victorian country estate that hosts tours and several nationally known re-enactments of the 1800's lifestyle. The community also hosts music festivals, a national rodeo, performing arts events, and other festivals. Several fabulous riverboats cruising the Mississippi dock at Prairie du Chein, adding to the endless opportunities for outdoor enjoyment of the area.

Hospital
Prairie du Chien Memorial Hospital is a 40 bed facility that has been a model for rural hospitals around the country and has been recognized with numerous national and state awards. The hospital is busy with about 1800 admissions and 6600 emergency room visits per year. Approximately 200 babies are delivered by family physicians.

Clinic
Gunderson Lutheran-Prairie du Chien Clinic, founded in the 1940's provides approximately 40,000 annual patient visits. Current clinic staffing includes seven family physicians, one general surgeon, one orthopedic surgeon, three nurse practitioners and one physician assistant. The family phyisicians have extensive experience in rural medicine and hold a deep commitment to medical education. A recent clinic expansion added more space to the clinic with a designated area for the residency program and space for visiting specialty consultants from the LaCrosse area. The clinic is one hour from the LaCrosse program.

Curriculum Overview
RTT residents spend most of the first year on traditional inpatient rotations like obstetrics, surgery, pediatrics and internal medicine in LaCrosse with the other core program residents. They begin their continuity outpatient practice in Prairie du Chien two half-days per week. Residents may choose to live in LaCrosse for the first year and commute to Prairie du Chien or live in Prairie du Chien all three years. For the last two years, the resident becomes an active member of the Gunderson Lutheran-Prairie du Chien family practice group learning in an apprenticeship model. Curricular requirements are divided into block and longitudinal rotations planned parallel with the continuity outpatient practice. The resident rounds at the hospital before office hours, scrubs in on patient surgeries, deliveries, handles urgent care and learns practice management on-site. A few specialty rotations may be in LaCrosse during the last two years.

Contacts:
Apply through the LaCrosse-Mayo Family Practice Residency Program in ERAS, Prairie du Chien has a separate match number
Program Director: Tom Grau, MD, LaCrosse-Mayo Family Practice Residency Program
Program Coordinator: David Rushlow, MD, LaCrosse-Mayo Family Practice Residency Program
Program Site Director: Mark Grunwald, MD, Gunderson Lutheran-Prairie du Chien
Recruitment Coordinator: Kim Turner, LaCrosse-Mayo Residency
Phone: (608) 791-9775