Enhancing the Experience for Medical School Graduates 

To enhance its mission of empowering each person to live their unique, best life, Froedtert ThedaCare is pleased to advance ThedaCare’s Graduate Medical Education (GME) program with a development of townhouses for medical residents.

The on-campus housing will be located on property adjacent to ThedaCare Medical Center-Neenah at the corner of 1st Street and E. Forest Ave. on Doty Island. Local businessman John Bergstrom and other community members helped facilitate the transaction of the sale of the former Roosevelt Elementary School in October 2022. ThedaCare and the ThedaCare Family of Foundations later purchased the site. Mr. Bergstrom also provided a donation to have the school demolished and convert the property to green space to prepare for future use.

Approximately 56 townhouses would be built in two phases. The first phase would consist of two buildings and 28 units on the west half of the property. Construction began in October 2025, and is expected to be complete in summer 2026. The second phase would consist of two buildings and 28 units on the east half of the property, with construction beginning in fall 2026. Plans call for 32 one-bedroom and 24 two-bedroom townhouses. Each unit would have an attached one- or two-car garage.

Housing to Support New Residency Program

Preparing physicians to serve across ThedaCare sites, the GME program is housed at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah. It was created as part of the $100M modernization project, which was complete in January 2024. ThedaCare is one of the first health systems in northeast and central Wisconsin to offer an accredited GME program.

Froedtert ThedaCare is working in concert with the Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals for the GME program to advance knowledge and train future medical professionals. The effort strategically supports the health system’s mission of advancing the health of the communities through excellence and discovery. 

This investment represents a major milestone to extend medical education and improve patient care access through workforce development. The growth includes on-campus housing for residents and fellows, which can allow residents to focus more on training, while caring for patients and families.

“The development plans reinforce ThedaCare’s commitment to training the next generation of physicians and addressing the region’s growing health care needs,” said Lynn Detterman, president of the North Region of Froedtert ThedaCare. “It can also help them adjust quickly in the community by embedding them in a familiar and supportive environment.”

Detterman also noted that by creating on-campus housing, residents can benefit from:

• Reduced commute time
• Better work-life balance
• Peer networking
• Shared experiences
• On-call opportunities

 Addressing the Increasing Need for Physicians

The goal of the GME program is to prepare physicians to care for tomorrow’s health needs and challenges by creating advanced training opportunities for individuals who have completed medical school, including residencies, fellowships, internships and other specialty programs.

Data from the Wisconsin Hospital Association shows Wisconsin needs between 2,000 and 4,000 additional physicians by 2035. Studies show nearly 55% of individuals who complete residency training remain in the community in which they train to practice medicine. Further, 70% of physicians stay in the state when they complete both their GME and residency in the same state. 

Implementing a GME program at ThedaCare directly aligns with the organization’s commitment to enhancing access to care for the people in our region by recruiting and retaining highly trained physicians, from primary care to specialty care. 

“We are deeply committed to fostering an environment where future physicians can learn, grow and serve,” said Detterman. “By expanding our GME infrastructure, we are investing in the health care providers of tomorrow while also ensuring our communities have access to high-quality care today and for years to come.” 

The GME program received accreditation in September 2025 and has been actively recruiting interested candidates with the goal of officially securing medical students for the first cohort on Match Day in March 2026. ThedaCare is expecting to welcome the first internal medicine residents on July 1, 2026. 

About ThedaCare

For more than 115 years, ThedaCare® has been improving the health and well-being of the communities it serves in northeast and central Wisconsin. The organization delivers care to more than 650,000 residents in 17 counties, and employs approximately 7,000 providers and team members at 180 points of care, including nine hospitals. As an organization committed to being a leader in Population Health, team members are dedicated to empowering people to live their unique, best lives. ThedaCare is a not-for-profit health system with a level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs, as well as primary care. ThedaCare also partners with communities to understand needs, find solutions together, and encourage health awareness and action. ThedaCare is part of Froedtert ThedaCare, Wisconsin’s most comprehensive health care system.

About Froedtert ThedaCare

Froedtert ThedaCare is an integrated health care system serving nearly half of Wisconsin’s population. The team of 28,000+ team members, physicians and clinicians is transforming communities through prediction, prevention and partnerships with excellence in primary and specialty care in 19 hospitals and more than 360 outpatient locations. Through the meaningful partnership with the Medical College of Wisconsin, Froedtert ThedaCare is the only academic medical center in eastern Wisconsin providing the foundation to discover tomorrow’s breakthroughs. The system is uniquely positioned to be the trusted partner in advancing the health our communities.