Bill Burns, MD

Clinical information Publications

LEADERSHIP POSITION

Assistant Residency Program Director

EDUCATION

BS: Marquette University, Biomedical Engineering
MD: Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine
Residency: McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University – Chief Resident
Fellowship: McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University – Hospice & Palliative Medicine

Dr. William “Bill” Burns trained in emergency medicine at Northwestern University, where he served as chief resident, and completed a fellowship in hospice and palliative medicine. He then joined the faculty at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. He primarily works clinically in the emergency department but is active on the palliative care inpatient and consult services. Within the UW Emergency Medicine residency leadership team, Dr. Burns coordinates the resident block and clinical schedules.

His professional interests include resident education, EKG interpretation, interpersonal communication, symptom management, and the intersection of emergency and palliative medicine. Along with a team of dedicated EM educators, Dr. Burns created the Foundations ECG curriculum, which is a component of Foundations of Emergency Medicine, a free, open-access curriculum. The ECG courses have been implemented widely across the United States and are beginning to expand globally.

Outside of work, he enjoys time with his family, cycling, audiobooks, home projects, and bottle aging cocktails.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• UWEMRP Education Research Group
• Emergency Medicine Education Research Alliance
• Foundations of Emergency Medicine

SELECT AWARDS & HONORS

• Faculty Award for Excellence in Clinical Care, BerbeeWalsh Department of Emergency Medicine (2025)
• Faculty Award for Excellence in Clinical Care, BerbeeWalsh Department of Emergency Medicine (2020)
• Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching, BerbeeWalsh Department of Emergency Medicine (2019)
• Foundations of Emergency Medicine Impact Award (2019)
• Fellow Teaching Award, Northwestern Department of Internal Medicine
• Best Resident Procedure Teacher, Northwestern Department of Emergency Medicine (2017)
• Best Resident Teacher, Northwestern Department of Emergency Medicine (2016)