MONROE — Monroe Clinic welcomed University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank, Wisconsin State Senator Howard Marklein, Wisconsin State Representative Todd Novak, and members of the UW School of Nursing staff for a visit Nov. 21. The trip to Monroe Clinic’s main campus was an opportunity to celebrate Monroe Clinic’s collaboration with UW-Madison on the Rural Placement Program for nurse practitioner students and doctor of nursing practice students.

Monroe Clinic and UW-Madison began this partnership with the goal of introducing nursing students into rural clinical rotations. When students express an interest in rural medicine, they are matched with a Monroe Clinic provider for a semester-long field placement. In these placements, students get to experience types of medicine that may not be seen in an urban hospital. 

In return, Monroe Clinic has seen a steady growth in recruitment of students joining the medical staff. A total of 17 former students have been hired to fill both physician and advanced practice provider (APP) vacancies in the last three years. This includes four physician assistants, eight physicians and five nurse practitioners. The number of former Rural Placement Program students working at Monroe Clinic accounts for 25% of Monroe Clinic’s total APP workforce. 

For more information on education opportunities with Monroe Clinic, visit monroeclinic.org/medicaleducation.