Husband and wife. Both doctors. Both practicing family medicine in Duluth. But when it comes to their careers, Drs. Jake and Rachel Wilcox are technically competitors!
Jake practices at Essentia Health’s West Duluth clinic, while Rachel works for Aspirus. But there’s one thing they wholeheartedly agree on: Duluth is where they want to build their careers, raise a family, and put down roots.
“We jointly matched in residency here in Duluth,” Dr. Wilcox explained. “That worked out great, because my family has always loved Duluth and the North Shore. I grew up going to the BWCA with my dad and the Boy Scouts, and skiing at Lutsen and Spirit Mountain.
“And, my older sister, Sarah Klein, attended the College of St. Scholastica, where she studied physical therapy,” he added. “When she was a student, I visited her in Duluth. I took a tour at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD), and discovered that I really loved the UMD campus.”
Today, Jake and Rachel have found rewarding careers, a shared love of Life Up North, and a community they are proud to call home.
Their medical careers may have taken them to different healthcare systems, but their hearts led them to the same destination. Duluth.
Childhood
Jake grew up in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, with his older sister, Sarah. Their father, Andrew, worked as a product manager at 3M before moving into management for HVAC companies. Their mother, Elizabeth, is a CPA.
Jake began working part-time jobs in his teens. At just 14, he worked in landscaping. And at 16, he was a maintenance assistant at a factory.
When looking ahead to his future career, originally he thought he’d be an engineer. But he loves talking to people, and didn’t want to spend his days sitting at a computer.
Additionally, he was inspired by his Boy Scout leader, Dr. John Northwood, who was a primary care physician. “Dr. Northwood was a really influential person in my life,” Dr. Wilcox said.
Education and Career
Dr. Wilcox earned a double major in biochemistry and exercise science from UMD. During his time as a student, he worked a couple of different jobs.
“First, I was a research assistant at UMD’s medical school,” he noted. “It was very precise work and often monotonous, but I learned a lot from it.”
He also worked as a personal trainer at UMD. While a student, he earned his EMT certification. He also worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) at Franciscan Health Care.
Later, he attended the Medical College of Wisconsin – Green Bay, where he earned his MD. He completed his residency at Duluth Family Medicine.
In September 2025, Jake began the next chapter of his medical career with Essentia Health. Today, he practices family medicine at Essentia’s West Duluth clinic, caring for patients of all ages and building the long-term relationships that first drew him to family medicine.
“I see all ages, and I can handle almost every medical issue, or else triage the patient where they can get the help they need. That’s what makes family practice so great.
“Most of what I handle is what we call the ‘metabolic triad,’” he added. “This includes high blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol.
“I also treat patients who have COPD and heart failure. I help with everything from acne treatment and contraception to mood management. And, during my residency, I delivered babies and treated the moms, too. In fact, I still see some of the kids I delivered during my residency.”
In addition to his work as a doctor, Wilcox also has another part-time gig: he teaches sessions on ultrasound technology at UMD.
Dr. Wilcox recalled one patient encounter that left a lasting impression. “I helped diagnose a patient who had leukemia,” he noted. “He was able to get treatment right away, and he told me I saved his life.”
Duluth
When they’re not caring for patients at their respective clinics, Jake and Rachel are busy enjoying the outdoor adventures that make Duluth such a great place to live.
“I love to run,” he noted. “I’ve completed Grandma’s full and half marathons. And, I love downhill skiing at Spirit Mountain. I’ve taught Rachel how to downhill ski, too.
“We both love the Duluth trail system, including the Duluth Traverse and the Lakewalk,” he added. “And, we also love the parks. I’ve never seen a city with such a density of parks.”
The couple also enjoys attending Movies in the Park and Concerts on the Pier. Together, they also enjoy stand-up paddleboarding. A few of their favorite Duluth establishments include Duluth Grill, Sir Ben’s, Va Bene, Bali, and Phoholic.
The Wilcoxes live in the Hunter’s Park neighborhood, with their 8-year-old Labrador Retriever, Tonka.
Rewarding Profession
For Jake, the most rewarding part of practicing family medicine at Essentia isn’t simply treating an illness. It’s building relationships with patients that can last a lifetime.
“I enjoy the long-term relationships we develop in family medicine,” he noted. “We’ll have patients in our care for years, or even decades. These patients develop an innate sense of trust in you, and you come to know them well – you can even list all their family members.”
The couple has also found an adopted hometown, here in Duluth. “We both want to get more involved in the Duluth community,” Dr. Wilcox said. “I like to say that now that I’ve completed my residency, I’m trying to get a social life again,” he added with a chuckle.
“Eventually, we both want to do more volunteering and have a family. And we know that we love Duluth and we plan to stay here.”
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Note: This story was originally published last year and written by Andrea Busche. It was updated by Destination Duluth.
The story is sponsored by Essentia Health, but the story is written by Destination Duluth.
