Madeline Oestreich, MD grew up in rural Wisconsin and she’s working to provide a crucial service to her community.
She’s currently a resident physician at Aspirus Wausau Hospital (AWH) gaining valuable experience that will help her reach her life’s goal.
“I 100 percent wanted to be a physician growing up,” says Dr. Oestreich. “My mother is a nurse practitioner. She was my biggest inspiration to go into the medical field and pushed me to go all-in on my education.”
Residents in the Wausau Family Medicine Residency Program such as Dr. Oestreich spend long hours working in intensive and diverse environments to finish up their medical training.
In 2018, the Gold Humanism Honor Society launched its first official “Thank a Resident Day” with the goal of "honoring those in residency for their dedication to their institution and the medical field." Since then, the Gold Foundation has chosen a day in February each year to recognize residents.
“Thank a Resident Day” falls on February 25 in 2022.
“It can be a grind at times, but the Aspirus Residency Program provides us with a good work balance,” says Dr. Oestreich. “We’re pushed to be independent so we are prepared to eventually go out on our own.”
Residency is a key component of graduate medical training, offering in-depth exposure to medical practice.
Physicians in training serve as an integral part of health care teams in hospital and clinics, often serving as indispensable resources.
“It can be confusing to some patients when they hear they’re seeing a resident physician,” says Dr. Oestreich. “However, we’re no longer students. We’re doctors in training.”
Those doctors in training are the future of health care in our communities and will eventually train the next generation of physicians through their residency.
“It might be ‘Thank a Resident Day’, but we’d also like to thank those who let us treat them and become more independent providers,” says Dr. Oestreich.
One can learn more about the Aspirus Wausau Family Medicine Residency by visiting their website.