Dr. Shannon Schmidt, MD, came to ThedaCare Cancer Care earlier this year expecting a lot. After all, she was pregnant with her third son and starting a new position as a medical oncologist. Her family made the decision to move from Milwaukee to Appleton because ThedaCare Cancer Care offered the care model that she had come to respect and appreciate: a combination of radiologists, surgeons, oncologists, pharmacists, dieticians, social workers, geneticists, patient navigators, and therapists working side-by-side to care for people with cancer. “In the past, the only place you could find this model of care was in big city academic centers. We have multiple weekly tumor boards where we come together to discuss patient cases and collaborate on the best approach to treatment. Together as a team, we deliver better care. Our cancer center was developed from the start with this philosophy.”
Shannon is unambiguous about her desire to make a difference in the lives of her patients and their families. “My dad always told me to find a career that felt rewarding each and every day. His advice made an impression on me, and I know I’ve found that in oncology.”
Dr. Schmidt’s favorite part of her job is that there are so many parts to it. “Communication, honesty, hope, and education are all part of what I do. I love spending time with my patients, learning about them, and doing my best to help them in one of the most difficult times of their lives. Patients and their families are incredibly grateful. Every day I get to work with such good, kind people.”
The team approach at ThedaCare Cancer Care gives Dr. Schmidt the time to embrace her career and her increasingly busy family life. Her husband is an IT professional who also helps coordinate family hiking, snowshoe, and downhill skiing adventures. Dr. Schmidt and her husband even hiked and camped with their first son, who was just six months old at the time, through the Banff Canadian Rockies. Now with two boys, four and two, Dr. Schmidt sees a procedural change on the horizon, especially with the new baby arriving in March. “We hope to keep traveling—with the help of a very supportive family,” she said, many of whom live in Milwaukee, her hometown.
Dr. Schmidt earned her undergraduate degree from UW-Madison and then graduated from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee where she completed her residency in internal medicine. A fellowship in medical oncology at Froedtert and her deep roots in Wisconsin mean she plans to stick around. “We are Midwest lifers. This is home.”
