Donation will help secure access to quality healthcare for families in central Wisconsin.
STEVENS POINT, Wis. (Dec. 9, 2019) – The Sentry Insurance Foundation has pledged $2 million to the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) to establish the Sentry Deanship at the MCW-Central Wisconsin campus. It’s the largest charitable commitment to the campus to date and will provide the resources needed to expand training programs for medical students at the college’s campus in Wausau.
“We are humbled by the leadership and generosity driving this commitment from Sentry,” said John R. Raymond, Sr., M.D., president and chief executive officer of MCW. “This support of our vision to ensure that people have access to the highest quality physicians in every part of Wisconsin is a demonstration of Sentry’s commitment to innovation, partnership, and the health of our community.”
Sentry’s endowment supports MCW-Central Wisconsin’s dedication to training best-in-class physicians so it can better treat patients in nearby communities that face a shortage of providers. Studies show physicians who attend medical school and perform their residency in the same area are up to 87 percent more likely to stay in the community, taking care of people they know and understand. This support is vital to improving the quality of care for communities in central Wisconsin.
“We’re making this gift to build healthier communities and to secure access to quality healthcare for families in central Wisconsin,” said Pete McPartland, chairman of the board, president, and CEO of Sentry, which is headquartered in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. “The innovative programs provided by the Medical College of Wisconsin enrich us all and we’re honored to stand with them in committing to improving the health of people here and across our state.”
The gift from Sentry will support MCW’s Hope to Health comprehensive fundraising campaign, a philanthropic initiative aimed at building healthy and thriving communities. Priorities of the campaign include: accelerating research and advancing patient care, driving health and vitality with our community, transforming healthcare education, and leading the way in cancer research and care.
The founding Dean of the MCW-Central Wisconsin campus is Dr. Lisa Dodson, M.D. The Sentry Deanship at the campus is now bestowed upon Dodson as the highest honor a faculty member can receive for exemplary leadership in their field. This Deanship is also the first Deanship received by a faculty member of MCW.
The MCW-Central Wisconsin campus has clinical and educational partnerships across the region. The campus was established along with MCW-Green Bay to address the looming shortage and maldistribution of physicians and other healthcare professionals across the state.
About the Sentry Insurance Foundation:
The Sentry Insurance Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Sentry. Funding priorities include education support, workforce development, United Way, and local organizations that work to improve and enhance the quality of life in the communities where we work, live, and play.
About the Medical College of Wisconsin:
With a history dating back to 1893, the Medical College of Wisconsin is dedicated to leadership and excellence in education, patient care, research, and community engagement. More than 1,400 students are enrolled in MCW’s medical school and graduate school programs in Milwaukee, Green Bay, and central Wisconsin. MCW’s School of Pharmacy opened in 2017. A major national research center, MCW is the largest research institution in the Milwaukee metro area and second largest in Wisconsin. In the past 10 years, faculty received more than $1.5 billion in external support for research, teaching, training, and related purposes. This total includes highly competitive research and training awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Annually, MCW faculty direct or collaborate on more than 3,100 research studies, including clinical trials. Additionally, more than 1,600 physicians provide care in virtually every specialty of medicine for more than 2.8 million patients annually.
About MCW-Central Wisconsin
MCW-Central Wisconsin is a regional campus that develops community-focused physicians who meet the healthcare needs of central Wisconsin and surrounding regions.
In July 2016, MCW-Central Wisconsin matriculated its first class of medical students. MCW-Central Wisconsin offers an innovative and research-backed three-year curriculum that allows for graduation one year earlier than traditional programs, enabling students to graduate sooner and with less student debt. This curriculum model is achieved by reducing the number of electives and the length of the traditional medical school breaks.
One of the hallmarks of an MCW education is participating in a Scholarly Pathway, allowing a student to individualize his or her medical education. The Physician in the Community Pathway links medical education with the resources and needs of the central Wisconsin area communities and its partners to promote health in the region.
MCW-Central Wisconsin provides an innovative clerkship model and focused program to train primary care physicians, surgeons, and psychiatrists who will live and work in the region when they complete their medical education.
For more information, please contact:
Carolyn Schamberger
Office: 715-346-7104
Cell: 715-315-9929
carolyn.schamberger@sentry.com
Rick LaFrombois
Office: 715-346-8239
Cell: 715-581-9396
rick.lafrombois@sentry.com
