Living in Madison

Clinical Training Education Simulation Resident Research Salary & Benefits Living in Madison Residency Application

Madison, the capital city of Wisconsin, offers a quality of life second to none. Home to more than 250,000 people, Madison has been the perennial recipient of countless awards and accolades. In just the past few years Madison has been recognized as one of the top ten healthiest, most bike-friendly, and most secure cities, as well as one of the top ten places to buy a home and to raise a family. The economy is strong and diversified. While the Wisconsin state government and University of Wisconsin remain the main employers, Madison has emerged as one of the leading biotechnology areas in the country, and the continuing expansion of EMR developer EPIC (headquartered just outside Madison) provides an influx of young professionals who contribute to a dynamic downtown food, music, and bar scene. Madison ranked second on the Forbes list of the best school systems in America, while the University of Wisconsin, recently called ‘America's Hottest Big State School,” consistently ranks in the top five institutions in the nation in research funding. Madison is uniquely situated on an isthmus between two of the areas four glacial lakes, offering not only beautiful views but a broad range of outdoor recreational activities. There are four distinct seasons with clear water, sparkling snow, blue skies, and golden leaves. Madisonians enjoy over two hundred parks, extensive cross-country ski trails, numerous bike trails, and a nationally ranked trout stream. It is not hard to see why Outside magazine once dubbed Madison one the “Dream Cities in the United States” for outdoor enthusiasts. Cultural activities abound as well, ranging from the many offerings of the University to the Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra, Isthmus Jazz Festival, Wisconsin Film Festival, Great Taste of the Midwest craft beer festival and Dane County Farmer's Market, the largest producer-run market in the country. The annual Art Fair on the Square, sponsored by the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, showcases the work of over five hundred artists from around the country. For those seeking a taste of “big-city” life Milwaukee, Chicago, and Minneapolis are within a few hours' drive. Madison's unique blend of features, from academic excellence to a vibrant university community to beautiful surroundings, make it a premier place to live and train.