So what brings a football-playing, outdoors-loving Vikings fan to North Central Wisconsin anyway?
The outdoors, of course! But also the chance to practice sports medicine.
In a nutshell, that’s the journey that’s brought Dr. Jeff Rossow to OAW.
The journey started in St. Peter, Minn., a town that’s much like a smaller version of Wausau, located in southwestern Minnesota just north of Mankato.
Dr. Rossow grew up there and played the big three high-school sports someone in a town of 12,000 plays – baseball, basketball and football, with football his favorite. (There was some town baseball in there as well — again, not unusual for a three-sport athlete in a smallish town.)
Somewhere along the line Dr. Rossow sustained a shoulder injury. While it didn’t seem that way at the time, the injury was fortuitous, in the sense that it kindled his interest in medicine.
“The exposure to the world of sports medicine and orthopedics was intriguing,” Dr. Rossow says, without a hint of irony or regret as to how that exposure came about.
When it was time to choose a college, Dr. Rossow stayed home and attended Gustavus Adolphus, one of the oldest and most prestigious of the small private colleges that dot southern Minnesota and Iowa.
More football was played, but mostly Dr. Rossow’s time at Gustavus was spent studying and prepping for medical school at – you guessed it – the University of Minnesota.
Once again Dr. Rossow’s athletic background influenced his career choice.
“As I went into medicine, I found orthopedics a rewarding field to help people regain function and quality of life,” he says, “whether it’s an athlete getting back on the field after a knee injury or simply addressing someone’s chronic knee pain.”
After residency in Syracuse, N.Y., it was back to the Midwest and a fellowship at the renowned University of Iowa medical school, where, he says, “I cared for Big Ten athletes while working with world leaders in the field of orthopaedic sports medicine.”
With many years spent in the Corn Belt, when it came time to choose a place to practice, Dr. Rossow chose … North Central Wisconsin? What was behind that, when he could have cheered for his Vikings and Twins anywhere from Bemidji to Okoboji?
“My wife, Breah, is from Oconomowoc, which opened the door to exploring Wisconsin,” he explains. “We both like the small-town feel with city accommodations – and we can access the beautiful outdoors without needing to travel.”
These days Dr. Rossow’s athletic endeavors are more geared toward hiking, fishing and golf (and, of course, cheering on those Minnesota sports teams). Having a two-year-old son also keeps him active. And as for other passions and pursuits, Dr. Rossow is always up for comparing notes on cooking the perfect medium-rare steak.
Despite his Minnesota roots, Dr. Rossow is the perfect addition to OAW’s team of skilled orthopaedists. He’s an expert surgeon with a passion for getting people back up and active again.
For Dr. Rossow’s part, he’s excited to be a part of the OAW team.
“As a prior injured athlete, I relate to motivated patients and families,” he says. “I know the frustrations and challenges it takes to recover as an athlete. My passion is to provide timely and high-quality care and to promote safe yet rapid recovery. It’s an honor to provide that care here in Wausau and the surrounding communities.”
Welcome to the team, Dr. Rossow!