The UW–Madison Department of Surgery’s culture reflects the belief that our impact should go beyond the walls of the hospital. This commitment to involvement and leadership spans the entire department and is an embodiment of UW–Madison’s guiding principle: the Wisconsin Idea. At UW–Madison, Badgers are inspired to push beyond the boundaries of campus and improve people’s lives around the world. In the Department of Surgery, one of the ways faculty, staff and trainees demonstrate the Wisconsin Idea is through involvement in academic organizations.
Members of the Department of Surgery are involved in more than 60 different associations at the local, regional, national and international level. Being involved in an organization gives faculty, staff and trainees the opportunity to collaborate with people who have shared interests and support impactful work. In addition to their responsibilities in the areas of patient care, research, and education, nearly half of our faculty are involved in organizations. They are also often leaders within these organizations, serving on committees or as officers. Committee involvement and leadership allow Wisconsin faculty, staff and trainees to make an even greater impact.
“Engaging in surgical societies and organizations as well as the community around us allows us to move the field of surgery forward and to have a positive impact,” said Dr. Rebecca Minter, A.R. Curreri Professor and Chair of the Department of Surgery. “This ethos of service permeates the culture of our department.”
Our leadership is not just limited to present day. Wisconsin Surgery has a proven history of taking initiative. Dating back to the 1970s, the then Chair of the Department of Surgery, Dr. Anthony Curreri, created the Madison Surgical Society to unify the surgical community in Madison. Dr. Layton Rikkers, the department chair from 1996-2008 who held numerous leadership roles throughout his career, was honored with ACS Distinguished Service Award in 2024 because of his dedication to making an impact beyond UW. This drive to make change is a part of who we are. Read more stories about Wisconsin Surgery’s commitment to leadership and involvement.
Being involved in organizations, especially in a leadership capacity, gives Wisconsin Surgery faculty, staff and trainees the opportunity to impact people not just at UW, but around the world.
“I think one of the strengths of the department in terms of faculty development is really encouraging and supporting faculty members who want to be more involved nationally,” said Dr. Luke Funk, the Layton F. Rikkers, MD Surgical Leadership Endowed Professor. “We have many examples of surgeons in our department who have been leaders of national societies. It really allows our surgeons to network and examine other departments of surgery to see what they do well and what we can bring back to UW.”
The mission of the Department of Surgery is to: alleviate human suffering and promote healing through innovation, education, and compassionate care. Through the department’s culture of involvement and leadership, we demonstrate our commitment to this mission.