Margaret "Gretchen" Schwarze, MD, MPP, FACS

Professor

  • Division of Vascular Surgery
  • Morgridge Professor in Vascular Surgery

schwarze@surgery.wisc.edu
(608) 265-4420

600 Highland Ave

Madison, WI 53792-3284

Education

  • MD, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
  • MPP, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, MA
  • Residency in Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
  • Research Fellowship, Transplantation Biology Research Center, Boston, MA
  • Fellowship in Vascular Surgery, University of Chicago Hospitals, Chicago, IL
  • Fellowship in Clinical Medical Ethics, University of Chicago Hospitals, Chicago, IL

Clinical Specialties

Dr. Schwarze specializes in vascular and endovascular surgery. She is board certified in both general surgery and vascular surgery.

Research Interests

Dr. Schwarze is a board-certified vascular surgeon and medical ethicist. She is a nationally recognized expert in surgical decision making, informed consent, advance directives and end-of-life care.

Her research focuses on improving communication between older patients and their surgeons so that patients can avoid unwanted treatment and make decisions that align with their values, preferences and goals.

The Patient Preferences Project

Dr. Schwarze was recently awarded a three-year, $300,000 grant from the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation. Read more here.

Recent Publications

  • Clinical momentum in the care of older adults with advanced dementia: What evidence is there in the medical record?
    Stalter LN, Hanlon BM, Bushaw KJ, Bradley T, Buffington A, Zychowski K, Dudek A, Zaza SI, Fritz M, Kwekkeboom K, Schwarze ML
    J Am Geriatr Soc 2024 Sep 16;
    [PubMed ID: 39282746]

  • Using Systems Engineering and Implementation Science to Design an Implementation Package for Preoperative Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Among Older Adults Having Major Abdominal Surgery: Protocol for a 3-Phase Study.
    Berian JR, Schwarze ML, Werner NE, Mahoney JE, Shah MN
    JMIR Res Protoc 2024 Sep 09; 13: e59428
    [PubMed ID: 39250779]

  • Best Case/Worst Case-ICU: protocol for a multisite, stepped-wedge, randomised clinical trial of scenario planning to improve communication in the ICU in US trauma centres for older adults with serious injury.
    Stalter L, Hanlon BM, Bushaw KJ, Kwekkeboom KL, Zelenski A, Fritz M, Buffington A, Stein DM, Cocanour CS, Robles AJ, Jansen J, Brasel K, O'Connell KM, Cipolle MD, Ayoung-Chee P, Morris R, Gelbard RB, Kozar RA, Lueckel S, Schwarze M
    BMJ Open 2024 Aug 28; 14(8): e083603
    [PubMed ID: 39209498]

  • Systems Forces Leading to Feeding Tube Placement in Patients with Advanced Dementia: A Qualitative Exploration of Clinical Momentum.
    Zaza SI, Jacobson N, Buffington A, Dudek A, Haug K, Bradley T, Bushaw KJ, Kalbfell EL, Kwekkeboom K, Schwarze ML
    J Palliat Med 2024 Aug; 27(8): 993-1000
    [PubMed ID: 39083427]

  • Top Ten Tips Palliative Care Clinicians Should Know Before Their Patient Undergoes Surgery.
    Hadler R, India L, Bader AM, Farber ON, Fritz ML, Johnston FM, Massarweh NN, Pathak R, Sacks SH, Schwarze ML, Streid J, Rosa WE, Aslakson RA
    J Palliat Med 2024 Jul 15;
    [PubMed ID: 39008413]

All Publications on PubMed