The Wisconsin Science Festival—a statewide celebration of science—offers a great opportunity for physicians to engage with their community. County medical societies and health systems can get involved by hosting activities to be advertised as part of the festival.
The Wisconsin Science Festival is a project of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation and Morgridge Institute for Research. Festival activities may be held in any community across the state. More than 50 cities and 36,000 people participated last year, so there may already be other activities in your area. This year’s festival is scheduled for Oct. 17-20 and activities may be held on just one or all four of those dates.
For many years, the Wisconsin Medical Society Foundation has co-hosted a booth with the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health’s Doctors Ought to Care student group at the festival’s Madison location. The booth is staffed by student and physician volunteers and offers visitors an opportunity to see and touch human organs such as the heart, lungs, stomach, intestines and more. Volunteers enjoy the chance to inspire youth and are always eager to volunteer the next year.
Since 2017, the Tri-County Medical Society (Eau Claire-Dunn-Pepin counties) has organized and sponsored several fun and successful science and health-related activities in the Eau Claire area including “The Science of Gross-ology” for kids and “The Science of BBQ” held at a local brewery for adults.
Last year, La Crosse also got in on the fun. A group of medical students and resident/attending physicians from Gundersen Health System in La Crosse coordinated a “Science of Medicine” expo at a local elementary school aimed at introducing students to the field of medicine.
Now is the time to start planning your activities and apply to have them advertised as part of the Festival. If your county medical society or health system would like more information about organizing local activities as part of the festival, contact Foundation Director Eileen Wilson at 608.442.3722.