Future Physician’s Day Creates Pathway to Medical School
A quick search of healthcare jobs locally shows that communities across North Central Wisconsin are facing a healthcare workforce shortage. This shortage impacts healthcare access, especially in rural communities like Colfax where Megan Schleusner grew up. Megan remembers making the drive to Eau Claire as a child for medical appointments. One day, while at the hospital for an appointment, a Code Blue was called over the loudspeaker. Megan’s mom explained that it was a call for staff to initiate lifesaving procedures. Megan told her mom, “I can picture nothing better than running down this hall to save someone’s life.” Megan’s mom thought other careers would be less stressful, but Megan continued to insist medicine was the right career path for her. “Everyone wants to be a doctor when they grow up,” Megan says. “I just kept saying that and doing that, and now I’m a third year Med student.”
Despite her big dreams, incredible drive, and family support, Megan did not have any idea how to actually realize her goals. “No one in my family is a physician,” explains Megan, “I didn’t know where to go being from rural Wisconsin and how to navigate the education system and the road to medicine.” Out of her graduating class of less than 50, Megan was one of only a handful to go onto a four-year institution. Megan, a UW-Eau Claire graduate says, “my parents are supportive, but they don’t understand the rigors of medicine. AHEC prepared me for that through Future Physician’s Day.”
Future Physician’s Day, a partnership between North Central Area Health Education Center (AHEC) and the Medical College of Wisconsin-Central Wisconsin (MCW-Central) in Wausau, is a free oneday event that offers students a glimpse into medical school and a career in medicine. The program has three tracks, and Megan attended all three over the course of three years. Not only did she learn what it takes to prepare for medical school, she also made valuable connections with peers who shared her dream of a career in medicine. “Some of those peers, I still talk to today,” says Megan. She says she especially appreciated the hands-on activities that fueled her love of medicine. Megan also connected with MCW-Central faculty and staff and fell in love with their mission, so much so that it was the only medical school she applied to. After residency, Megan wants to return to the area. “This is my home and my dream is to come back and serve the community.”
Local students like Megan will soon have the opportunity to learn about the path to medical school. Future Physician’s Day will take place on Friday, October 25th at the Medical College of Wisconsin-Central Wisconsin Campus in Wausau. High school and college students interested in learning more about a career in medicine are invited to apply. Space is limited, and the event is free to attend. Priority applications are open until October 3. “Attending Future Physician’s Day,” Megan says, “was one of the best decisions I’ve made.”
To learn more visit https://ahec.wisc.edu/ future-physicians-day/ or contact Tyler Schmidt, Pathways Program Coordinator, at tschmidt@nahec-wi.org.
