Doctor Day 2026: Building the Foundation for the Next Biennium

Every year, Doctor Day brings together physicians and medical students from across the state to elevate the voice of Wisconsin medicine. As we approach monumental elections this November, physicians’ collective impact has never been more vital – even while the state Legislature is out of session.

The upcoming elections provide physicians with a unique, high-stakes window of opportunity. The information learned at Doctor Day can lay the groundwork for how health care policy is shaped in the next legislative biennium. This year’s special programming is designed to give you the insider knowledge, political context, and relationship-building tools needed to influence candidates before they cast a single vote in Madison.

Here are the three marquee sessions designed to prep you for this crucial election cycle:

The Landscape Ahead: Legislative Leadership Panel

Before we can effectively influence the next legislative biennium, we need to understand the current dynamics at the top. We are thrilled to host a powerhouse panel featuring key legislative leaders who sit at the very center of Capitol decision-making:

• Representative Clint Moses (R-Menomonie): A crucial voice on health policy who chairs the influential Assembly Committee on Health, Aging, and Long-Term Care.
• Representative Lisa Subeck (D-Madison): As the Assembly Democratic Caucus Chair and ranking member of the Assembly Health Committee, Representative Subeck is a central voice for her caucus on statewide health care policy.
• Senator Dan Feyen (R-Fond du Lac): Serving as the Senate Assistant Majority Leader, Senator Feyen helps drive the legislative agenda and caucus strategy under the dome.
• Senator Dora Drake (D-Milwaukee): A rising leader in the Senate who sits on the Senate Health Committee and brings distinct leadership experience from her time heading the Legislative Black Caucus.

Wisconsin Health News Founding Editor Tim Stumm will moderate this impressive panel.

Rep. Clint Moses (R-Menomonie) – Chair, Assembly Health Committee

Rep. Lisa Subeck (D-Madison) – Ranking Member, Assembly Health Committee

Sen. Dan Feyen (R-Fond du Lac) – Assistant Majority Leader
 

Sen. Dora Drake (D-Milwaukee) – Senate Health Committee Member

Tim Stumm – Moderator and Founding Editor of Wisconsin Health News

Even without formal Capitol visits this year, hearing directly from these key lawmakers gives us invaluable insight into where health care ranks on leadership's priority lists and what roadblocks or opportunities lie ahead for the upcoming state budget. We will also hear their advice on how physicians can best connect with legislative candidates in their home districts.

Reading the Political Winds: Polling Insights with Professor Charles Franklin

Professor Charles Franklin

Wisconsin remains one of the most intensely watched political battlegrounds in the country, and navigating it requires the best data available. We are thrilled to welcome Professor Charles Franklin, Director of the Marquette Law School Poll.

Professor Franklin will break down his most recent polling data, offering an expert look at new national poll results including fall turnout expectations, the Congressional vote, approval ratings for President Donald Trump, and voters’ trust. Understanding the political environment is crucial for grassroots strategy. The Marquette Law School Poll is highly regarded as one of the best in the country; there is simply no better guide to the Wisconsin electorate than Professor Franklin to help us see where our state may be heading.

Maximum Impact: Cultivating Candidate Relationships on the Campaign Trail

Because lawmakers aren't tied up in standard legislative sessions right now, they are back in their home districts, actively listening to constituents. This makes the election season the absolute perfect time to build meaningful, lasting relationships with candidates.

This interactive session pairs experienced physician-advocates with State Capitol political experts to discuss how to leverage this unique timeline. You will learn how to connect with candidates on the campaign trail, position yourself as a trusted health care resource in your community, and effectively educate future lawmakers on key medical policy priorities. By engaging now, we ensure that whoever wins in November enters the next biennium understanding the clinical realities of Wisconsin medicine.

The Long Game of Advocacy

Effective advocacy isn't just about a single day of Capitol visits – it’s about the relationships built locally. Candidates are shaping their platforms right now, and perspectives of physician constituents carry immense weight.

Registration is open. Add your voice in shaping next session’s health care policy! Register here for Doctor Day 2026 and view more information about our keynote speaker and breakout programming on the Doctor Day Schedule page.

Contact WisMed’s Mark Grapentine, JD for more information.

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O Aung named 2026 Future Superhero of Medicine

The Future Superhero of Medicine Award was established by Jasmine Zapata, MD, MPH, a 2020 Superhero of Medicine recipient recognized for her tireless work encouraging, supporting, and mentoring underrepresented girls and women to follow in her footsteps and forge their own paths. As part of her legacy as a Foundation Superhero, she established the Future Superhero of Medicine Fund to be used for efforts that support and encourage students who are underrepresented in health and medicine.

O Aung, a medical student at the Medical College of Wisconsin, demonstrates a strong commitment to health equity through his resilience, leadership, and dedication to serving underserved communities. Aung is a first-generation college and medical student whose journey into medicine has been shaped by personal experiences with limited access to health care. These early challenges inspired his dedication to ensuring that underserved communities receive compassionate, culturally responsive care.

Currently pursuing a career in psychiatry, Aung is particularly focused on addiction medicine and improving mental health care for underrepresented populations. His work highlights the importance of addressing stigma and cultural barriers, especially within Asian American communities, where access to mental health services can be limited.

Aung demonstrates exceptional achievement across research, leadership, and service. He has contributed to ten peer-reviewed publications spanning clinical, translational, and health equity research, and is a co-inventor on a patent for novel pharmacotherapy addressing opioid-related respiratory depression. His academic interests align with a broader goal of integrating research, innovation, and patient care to improve health outcomes.

Leadership has been a defining component of Aung’s medical journey. As President of the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA), he organized a regional conference bringing together trainees and community leaders to address critical issues, such as mental health stigma in Asian American communities. He also serves as President of Student Health Initiative for Pipeline Program (SHIPP), mentoring and supporting students from underrepresented backgrounds pursuing careers in medicine. His efforts to foster inclusion and amplify underrepresented voices earned him the Medical College of Wisconsin President’s Inclusivity and Excellence Award. Beyond academic medicine, Aung fosters cats and volunteers with ACEing Autism, helping children develop confidence and social skills through sports.

Upon receiving the award, Aung shared his gratitude, “I am deeply honored to receive the Future Superhero of Medicine Scholarship. This recognition reinforces my commitment to pursuing a career in medicine dedicated to service, equity, and advocacy. As a first-generation student from a refugee background, this support allows me to continue focusing on caring for underserved communities and working toward a more inclusive health care system.”

The Wisconsin Medical Society Foundation’s scholarship program exists to uplift the next generation of health care leaders who are committed to serving communities across the state. You can support this initiative by donating to the Foundation’s scholarship program. To learn more about establishing a legacy fund or contributing to this important work, please contact the Foundation for more information.

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Post-shift Check-in Tool for Health Care Professionals

After a difficult shift, it's common for the day to stay with you. You may replay a patient interaction, feel wired long after you leave, feel strangely flat, or carry a heaviness you cannot quite name.

Our partners at Marvin Behavioral Health created a post-shift check-in to give those moments somewhere to go. The tool is mobile-friendly and nothing is recorded or stored. You choose the experience that feels closest to where you are and get practical context, small next steps, and a signal for when it may be worth talking with a counselor.

You can read more here. 

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Wisconsin Substance Use Summit

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services and UW-Milwaukee’s Center for Innovative Transition, Education & Employment are organizing the Wisconsin Substance Use Summit to be the premier state convening where prevention specialists, treatment professionals, recovery advocates, medical professionals, public health leaders, educators, first responders, policymakers, and community leaders come together to share insights on Wisconsin’s substance use crisis and proven solutions for better health and wellness for all state residents. The event will be held August 5-6, 2026, with preconference activities on August 3-4 and will be held in Green Bay and available virtually. 

This event will:

• Create and provide spaces and opportunities for people to connect with best practice approaches and methodology, resource access points, and experts in the substance use field.
• Provide educational opportunities, practical demonstrations, and real-life examples of collaborative efforts to address substance use issues.
• Create a community of relationships for attendees to learn from and support each other, brainstorm solutions to barriers, and provide peer support.

Your registration fee gives you access to invaluable networking opportunities, engaging keynote presentations from Nic Sheff and Yngvild Olson, MD, MPH, DFASAM, and 48 interactive workshops.

Continuing education hours are available for people who attend the live event either in person or virtually. The summit is $300 for in-person attendance at the Oneida Hotel in Green Bay or $250 for virtual attendance from any location.

Click here to learn more about the Substance Use Summit and click here to register.

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Strategies That Stick: Improving Immunization Uptake – Virtual Conference June 11

Join Immunize Wisconsin for "Strategies That Stick: Improving Immunization Uptake," a virtual half-day conference focused on practical approaches to increasing vaccine confidence and immunization rates. The event will be held on June 11, 2026 8:30 a.m. 

Through interactive sessions, real-world case studies, and expert-led discussions, attendees will explore communication strategies, lessons learned from the field, and effective community engagement techniques.

Click here to learn more and register.

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Upcoming: Walk With a Doc at McKee Farms Park on Saturday, June 6

Join Sheila Knerr, MD, for a Walk With a Doc on Saturday, June 6 at 9 a.m. at McKee Farms Park in Fitchburg to learn about health and meet new people. This month’s health talk will be about staying hydrated.

Feel free to bring a friend, your children, or your pets — everyone is welcome! Participants are encouraged to ask questions and walk at their own pace. It’s been great having participants of all ages.

You're invited to join us for Walk With a Doc the first Saturday of each month at 9 a.m. at McKee Farms Park, location made possible by sponsorship from YMCA Dane County, Wisconsin Medical Society Foundation (Foundation), Wisconsin Medical Society, and our wonderful physician leaders and clinics. You can pre-register here.

If you're interested in starting a Walk With a Doc program in your own community, or if you would like to participate as a physician speaker, please contact Yoshie Wingate at [email protected] for more information.

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Wisconsin Association for Perinatal Care Seeking Physician for OB Hemorrhage Sprint this Summer

The Wisconsin Association for Perinatal Care (WisPQC) is seeking perinatal care providers to help shape their 2026 OB Hemorrhage Sprint initiative as faculty and subject-matter experts. Hemorrhage was identified as the most common severe maternal morbidity occurrence across all racial and ethnic groups in Wisconsin in the Wisconsin Data Report: Severe Maternal Morbidity, 2016–2023, making this an important focus area for statewide improvement efforts.

WisPQC is looking for passionate providers who are interested in sharing their expertise, helping identify priority areas, and contributing to meaningful work aimed at improving maternal outcomes across Wisconsin.

Interested in getting involved? Complete the interest form here. 

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Free On-demand CME and MOC Part II Credit Opportunity

Improving Identification and Management of Elder Abuse and Neglect is now available on demand and provides learners the opportunity to claim CME and/or MOC Part II credit. This course was designed to bring awareness to elder abuse and neglect for advanced practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, physicians, social workers and other interested health care professionals. The course is presented by Tony Rosen, MD, MPH and Alyssa Elman, LCSW, Weill Cornell Medicine. Click here to view full details.

This opportunity is made possible thanks to grant funding support from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services in collaboration with partners from Wisconsin Hospital Association, Wisconsin Department of Justice and Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources.

Click here to check out our other available courses, including opioid prescribing education. Please email [email protected] with any questions.

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