University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

05/29/2026

Seeing or feeling a tick crawling on you can be unsettling. What if you knew when they were most active so you could be on the lookout?
UW researchers are a part of statewide efforts to predict tick patterns in Wisconsin, a hotspot for tick-borne diseases. More on their work, their partners and why it matters. https://www.med.wisc.edu/news/tick-risk-forecasting-research/

05/12/2026

Marked by both formal recognition ceremonies and lighthearted moments of celebration, the Class of 2026 came together to take it all in.
These moments tell the story of our graduates — shaped by years of learning and grounded in people and community. It’s the mix of hard work and joy, reflection and momentum they carry with them into what’s next.
Relive some of those moments and meet the Class of 2026 as they step forward.
Big milestones. Real joy. Lifelong Badgers.
https://www.med.wisc.edu/news/2026-graduation-reflection-new-beginnings/

05/09/2026

“As I stood on stage, soaking in the smiling faces of our graduates and their families, it dawned on me: I really am a Badger now.”
Dean Nita Ahuja, MD, MBA, shares reflections and celebrates the Class of 2026 as she marks her first spring graduation at the helm of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health.
“Throughout my first year as dean, I have seen our newest graduates fully embody what makes Badgers great: humility, empathy, confidence in their abilities, and a commitment to purpose.
It is the word ‘purpose’ that I chose to focus on this year in my advice to graduates. There is a Japanese concept I love called ‘ikigai,’ which roughly translates to ‘a reason for being.’ This is our purpose — something we reach for and grow into all of our lives. For us at the School of Medicine and Public Health, our ikigai is focused on medicine and public health, science and discovery, and caring for others.
We train our students to be lifelong learners, whether they are pursuing a career as a physician, physical therapist, public health expert, physician assistant, genetic counselor, or innovative scientific researcher. And some even train in more than one area, completing degrees in public health and health sciences or medicine and basic sciences, leading to a ‘kaleidoscope’ of expertise and vibrant perspective to address the world’s pressing needs. As I attended the graduate recognition ceremonies for our programs, I saw this spirit of lifelong learning everywhere I turned.
This year, we have nearly 400 graduates across our nationally recognized programs. All leave us ready to meet the health care needs of Wisconsin and beyond, and make discoveries that will transform health for all.
To our graduates: As you embark on the next step in your career, I want you to never forget where your journey started: at the nation’s first integrated school of medicine and public health. You carry forward our vision of healthy people and healthy communities, bringing it into focus and letting it guide the work you do, wherever your path leads.
Thank you for your curiosity and drive to innovate and never forget that learning is a lifelong adventure.”
Congratulations to the class of 2026!

05/09/2026

Tonisha Atkins’s path began at the intersection of people and possibility. With a background in education and social work and a deep love for science, she was drawn to work that combined technical knowledge with human connection. She found meaning in walking alongside people during difficult moments and pursued a path that allowed her to balance both.
That led her to the UW School of Medicine and Public Health and the master’s program in genetic counseling. With the option to pursue a dual degree by also completing the Master of Public Health program, Tonisha saw an opportunity to deepen her understanding of the structural factors, public health systems and community‑level influences that shape access to care.
When reflecting on the dual degree, Tonisha highlights the intersection of the individual and the community, not only in how systems influence access, but in how genetic information can affect extended families across generations. To her, the school’s vision of Healthy People, Healthy Communities means ensuring patients and communities have the information and resources they need to navigate complex and often difficult decisions.
“Through my genetic counseling training, I worked closely with patients during moments of uncertainty, learning how to communicate complex information clearly while honoring the perspectives families bring to their care,” she said. She also completed a leadership program focused on improving services and supports for children with, or at risk for, neurodevelopmental disabilities and contributed to public health efforts connected to Wisconsin’s newborn screening program, including research on family experiences as new screening practices were adopted. “Working alongside trainees from multiple disciplines reinforced that the most effective solutions emerge when we center lived experience and collaborate,” Atkins said.
Tonisha is the first student to complete the combined Master of Genetic Counselor Studies and Master of Public Health, joining other dual‑degree graduates across the school. She plans to continue working directly with patients as a clinical genetic counselor, while remaining engaged in research and mentorship.
Congratulations to the 8 graduates of the Master of Genetic Counselor Studies program.

05/08/2026

Obie Oniah's approach to medicine and health care has its roots in community‑based care. She completed her undergraduate studies at UW–Madison, pairing coursework with research and volunteer work aimed at reducing health care disparities, then stayed in Madison to work as a certified professional doula, specializing in support for Black mothers through pregnancy and childbirth. When medical school became her next step, UW was her top choice.
Through her medical education at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, Obie describes how the integration of public health into the curriculum, along with her lived experiences, broadened her understanding of the factors that influence health. Reflecting on the school’s vision of Healthy People, Healthy Communities, she notes that “a person’s health is not simply captured in an exam room, but within the community they come from. This awareness of public health concerns, health equity and other influencing factors allows me to care for patients more holistically,” she said. Obie believes taking care of communities is a critical part of caring for patients.
By remaining in Madison throughout her educational path, Obie has sustained the research, volunteer and community‑based efforts she began as an undergraduate. The next phase of her career will take her to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she will pursue her residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at Mass General Brigham, a main teaching hospital of Harvard. She plans to remain engaged in community‑based research and work focused on improving maternal and infant health outcomes, carrying forward a perspective shaped in Madison through years of connection to community, public health and equity‑centered care.
Congratulations to the 165 members of the Doctor of Medicine Class of 2026.

05/08/2026

We invite you to join the Class of 2026 MD Graduate Recognition Ceremony. The livestream begins this morning at 10 a.m. CDT, and a recording will be available shortly afterward. .

UW School of Medicine and Public Health 2026 MD Graduate Recognition Ceremony

05/07/2026

Jack Shireman has long been driven to better understand brain tumors and how they can be treated more effectively. That interest shaped his undergraduate studies in neurobiology at UW–Madison, his years in research labs at Northwestern and ultimately his decision to return to UW to pursue a doctorate in neuroscience.
When Jack talks about the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, he points to how closely science, medicine and community are linked. “When I think about the mission of UW, I think about how UW has taught me not only about the basic science behind health but also how the health of a whole person and community is intertwined,” he said.
That connection became personal long before graduate school. As a teenager, Jack received treatment for a brain tumor from pediatric oncology faculty who cared for him at American Family Children’s Hospital. Experiencing care at UW where he now trains helped shape his commitment to brain tumor research and his goal of becoming a physician‑scientist.
In his research at UW, Jack studied brain tumor immunotherapy, using translational models and patient data to analyze treatment resistance and improve future therapies. He points to the UW environment, where clinicians and researchers collaborate closely from the lab to the patient bedside. That experience was reinforced by his own mentor, Dr. Mahua Dey, who treats patients with brain tumors while leading a lab focused on those same diseases. Beyond the lab, Jack is active in sharing science with broader audiences—from presenting research at the Wisconsin State Capitol to tutoring UW students and participating in community outreach that makes complex research more accessible.
This fall, Jack will start medical school at the Medical College of Wisconsin, continuing his training as a physician-scientist. For him, advancing brain tumor research is not just about discovery, but about contributing to healthier people and healthier communities.
We congratulate all graduate students who successfully completed their studies across the school’s 13 graduate programs and seven affiliated graduate programs.

05/06/2026

From an early age, Kameron Gottlieb was driven by curiosity. Asking “why” came naturally, and science and research first fueled her desire to understand the world. As her education progressed, coursework in anatomy and physiology, along with the opportunity to study and live abroad, where she gained insight into systemic barriers facing families seeking asylum, expanded her worldview and clarified the path she wanted to pursue.
Kameron came to see medicine as the intersection of those interests and her desire to partner with patients and their families. She chose the physician assistant program at UW as a way to bring those values together, equipping her to address health care gaps through holistic, relationship‑based care, particularly in primary care settings serving underserved communities.
At the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, one place those values took shape was MEDiC, a student‑led organization that operates free health clinics across Madison. Through sustained leadership and service at the clinic, Kameron saw how the work reflected the school’s vision of Healthy People, Healthy Communities. “Through MEDiC, I learned that true patient-centered care extends beyond symptoms and diagnoses, encompassing the broader social contexts surrounding patients,” she said. She also helped start a Medical Spanish Interest Group, extending her commitment to improving communication and access for patients. These experiences reinforced that patient‑centered care extends beyond symptoms and diagnoses to listening with humility and compassion and meeting patients where they are in their lives.
Kameron will soon begin her work as a physician assistant at Access Community Health Centers’ Wingra Family Medical Center, a federally qualified health center that operates in partnership with the UW - Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. She is grateful for the opportunity to walk alongside patients on their health journeys while continuing to serve the community.
Congratulations to all 67 graduates of the Master of Physician Assistant Sciences program across our Madison, Platteville and Wausau campuses, including distance education.

05/05/2026

The values that shape how Ide Ikhumhen approaches health—education, service, and community—were formed early while growing up in Nigeria and carried forward after immigrating to the United States with family. Rooted in service to others, those values continue to guide Ide’s understanding of health and care.
Reflecting on the UW School of Medicine and Public Health’s vision of Healthy People, Healthy Communities, Ide describes it as an intersectional approach to health—one that recognizes the close connection between individual health and community conditions. Through pursuit of dual degrees in physical therapy and public health, that idea became tangible in practice. Ide was able to draw from UW’s strength in combining clinical experience and public health training to bridge individual care and population‑level thinking.
“As a dual‑degree Doctor of Physical Therapy and Master of Public Health student, I engaged deeply with musculoskeletal science and rehabilitation principles while learning to think systemically about health,” Ide said.
Clinical training was also inspiring. “Equally meaningful were my clinical rotations and volunteer experiences, where I learned directly from patients and community members. Working with patients taught me how to navigate difficult conversations while still making rehabilitation approachable and empowering.”
“I see my role extending beyond individual treatment to advocating for inclusive spaces, community resources, and culturally responsive care. Healthy people and healthy communities are not separate goals. Together, they shape the conditions that allow people to heal, move, and thrive.”
Ide joins 38 Doctor of Physical Therapy graduates this year. Congratulations to the Class of 2026.

05/04/2026

For Ashley Benitez, health does not begin in a clinic or hospital, but is shaped long before that by the realities of people’s everyday lives. She approaches the school's vision of Healthy People, Healthy Communities as the foundation of public health, recognizing that you cannot have healthy people without healthy communities.
In the Master of Public Health program, Ashley consistently connects classroom learning to what is happening in the world. She thinks about health not simply as an outcome, but as something built or limited by systems. Impact, in her view, is not measured by findings alone, but by whether those findings change circumstances for the communities they are meant to serve.
Ashley describes public health as everything around us. “It’s the information people can access, the language it is delivered in, whether people trust the system, and whether care is within reach at all. These conditions shape who gets sick in the first place, who receives care, and who is left behind,” she said.
Ashley grounds her work in connection, trust, and whether people feel seen and understood within the systems meant to support their health. As a Latina, she has seen firsthand how linguistic and cultural knowledge can make public health measures more effective.
Beyond coursework, Ashley strengthens the MPH community through her leadership in the MPH Student Organization and by mentoring prospective students as they explore the program. Working alongside faculty and students addressing real‑world public health challenges at UW has also pushed her to think bigger about what research can do and who it should serve.
This fall, Ashley will continue her training at UW and will pursue a PhD in Population Health Sciences. She chose this path because she wants to help design systems that work for the people they are meant to serve and to be part of meaningful change.
Congratulations to all 39 graduates in the Master of Public Health Class of 2026, including 17 dual-degree graduates.