Department of Surgery
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Specialties

Katherine Bakke, MD, MPH

Assistant Professor

  • Division of Acute Care & Regional General Surgery

Katherine Bakke, MD, was born and raised in Portland, OR alongside her three older brothers. She attended Bryn Mawr College, where she majored in Religion and graduated magna cum laude. She completed her medical doctorate at the University of Michigan Medical School, graduating with honors in service. She also earned a Masters of Public Health at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. She completed her general surgery training at the University of Massachusetts in Worcester, MA, and was awarded the Resident Leadership Award at graduation for her efforts leading the Department of Surgery’s response during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spring 2020. Dr Bakke is passionate about serving those in greatest need; she has volunteered with migrant laborer communities in rural Oregon, the homeless in Boston, MA, and she completed a year of service as an Americorps volunteer in Harlem, New York City, helping the working poor access social services.

bakke@surgery.wisc.edu
(608) 262-6246

Education

  • MPH, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
  • MD, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
  • Residency, General Surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA

Honors

  • Gold Humanism Honor Society
  • Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society

Clinical Specialties

Dr. Bakke treats a broad range of surgical conditions, including gallbladder disease, appendicitis, hernias, benign colorectal and anal disease, and emergent surgical disease.

Research Interests

Dr. Bakke’s research interest include health disparities within surgical care and outcomes, health care access, end of life care and communication for the surgical patient, and issues facing women in surgery.

Recent Publications

  • The Impact of Non-Fellowship Trained General Surgeon Faculty on Resident Career Plans at Graduation.
    Bakke KE, VanDommelen A, Michel C, Keith M, Panackal J, Morcus MG, Yang Q, Jung S
    J Surg Educ 2026 Oct; 83(10): 104095
    [PubMed ID: 42551261]

  • "My Drops of Tears I'll Turn to Sparks of Fire": Finding Authenticity and Self-Compassion in Talking about Depression.
    Bakke K
    Narrat Inq Bioeth 2026; 16(2): 15-17
    [PubMed ID: 42803024]

  • Digital Kinship in a Hearing World: Building Access Online.
    Williams AS, Williams S, Presto C, Gestetner J, Tadros BR, Moeller S, Manning M, Bakke K
    Narrat Inq Bioeth 2026; 16(2): E1-E3
    [PubMed ID: 42803018]

  • Surgical Management of Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding.
    Soldner T, Bakke K, Savage S
    Gastrointest Endosc Clin N Am 2024 Apr; 34(2): 301-316
    [PubMed ID: 38395485]

  • Inclusion for women in surgery involves re-envisioning the surgeon archetype: A commentary for the Social Consciousness in Surgical Care and Research series for Surgery.
    Bakke K, Blaker M, Miller P
    Surgery 2021 Sep; 170(3): 981-982
    [PubMed ID: 33741183]

All Publications on PubMed