A new initiative is equipping first responders in rural Wisconsin with the skills and confidence to care for critically ill and injured children.
Led by the BerbeeWalsh Department of Emergency Medicine in partnership with Berlin EMS and Southern Green Lake County Ambulance, and supported by a pilot grant from the Orion Initiative at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, the Wisconsin STARS (Simulation Training to Advance Rural Services) for Children Program is providing advanced, hands-on training to Emergency Medical Services providers in rural communities.
The new program aims to close a critical gap in rural pediatric emergency care. EMS personnel are often the first — and sometimes only — health care professionals available to treat children in medical emergencies across the state’s rural communities. Yet with limited pediatric-specific training and long transport times to specialized care, these clinicians face major challenges in delivering timely, high-quality medical care.
Bringing Training to Rural Communities
Unlike traditional simulation programs that require EMS personnel to travel to urban centers, Wisconsin STARS is a mobile training initiative that brings education directly to rural communities. This allows EMS personnel to train alongside UW–Madison faculty experts in pediatric emergency medicine and EMS systems, while practicing real-world scenarios to prepare for the moments that matter most.
Over the next two years, the program will provide the two Green Lake County EMS agencies with structured pediatric EMS curriculum through monthly, on-site training sessions. These sessions will include:
- Focused educational lessons
- Realistic, extended-duration simulation scenarios
- Structured debriefing and performance feedback
- A “report-back” summary to reinforce learning and improvement
The curriculum addresses both common pediatric conditions, such as asthma attacks and broken bones, as well as high-acuity emergencies like cardiac arrest and anaphylaxis. Immersing EMS providers in lifelike training scenarios, from respiratory distress to neonatal resuscitation, ensures they are better prepared to navigate complex emergency situations.
This is vital for the most critical patients, especially young children and newborns, according to Dr. Kyle Schoppel, assistant professor of emergency medicine and pediatrics, and lead investigator for the new program.
A Collaborative Approach to Improving Care
Recognizing that the Wisconsin Idea is best achieved when we work together with community partners, the Wisconsin STARS Program is rooted in collaboration.
“We are tremendously excited to collaborate with our field partners to design a training program tailored to the specific needs of local communities,” Schoppel said, adding that this community-centered approach to providing education and training for EMS personnel will help reassure and support rural families.
The initiative also prioritizes sustainability. By training local simulation champions and establishing long-term infrastructure, Wisconsin STARS intends to create a lasting impact beyond Green Lake County. The ultimate goal is to expand the model across rural Wisconsin, ensuring that EMS clinicians statewide have access to the training and resources needed to deliver exceptional pediatric emergency care.
Looking Ahead
The Wisconsin STARS Program represents an important step toward strengthening emergency medical response for children in the state’s rural areas. By providing cutting-edge, hands-on training to first responders where they serve, the Department of Emergency Medicine and its partners are working to ensure that every child in Wisconsin receives the best possible medical care before they reach the hospital.
Community members and organizations interested in learning more about the program can contact the BerbeeWalsh Department of Emergency Medicine at uwprehospital@medicine.wisc.edu.
The Wisconsin STARS (Simulation Training to Advance Rural Services) for Children Program is co-led by Manish N. Shah, MD, MPH, and Kyle Schoppel, MD, BerbeeWalsh Department of Emergency Medicine; Evan Vandenlangenberg, EMT-P, NRP, Berlin EMS; and Joel Strahota, A-EMT, Southern Green Lake County Ambulance. Co-investigators from the Department of Emergency Medicine include Nicholas Genthe, MD, Michelle Hughes, MD, Michael Kim, MD, Michael Spigner, MD, NRP, and Craig Tschautscher, MD, MS, DRTM.