David Gourlay, MD

David Gourlay, MD, FACS, FAAP

Surgeon-in-Chief, Children’s Wisconsin
Marie Z. Uihlein Chair in Pediatric Surgery, Children’s Wisconsin
Professor of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin

GourlayDavid M. Gourlay, MD, is Surgeon-in-Chief at Children’s Wisconsin and Professor of Surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW). He also is the Marie Z. Uihlein Chair in Pediatric Surgery and a Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgeon at Children’s Wisconsin. As Surgeon-in-Chief he oversees the operational, academic, administrative, and financial performance of surgical specialties across two campuses, supporting more than 200 providers and staff.

Since joining Children’s Wisconsin, Dr. Gourlay has advanced clinical care, education, research and surgical leadership throughout the institution and region. He previously served as Chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery at MCW and as Medical Director of Trauma at Children's Wisconsin, where he led the system to Level I Pediatric Trauma Center verification by the American College of Surgeons — the highest national recognition for trauma care.

An accomplished academic surgeon, Dr. Gourlay has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed manuscripts, book chapters and reviews, and has delivered more than 140 invited lectures nationally and internationally. He serves on the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) NICU Verification Program Advisory Board and as a site reviewer for both the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma and the AAP NICU Verification Program.

Dr. Gourlay also has a distinguished 25-year record of service in the U.S. Army Reserve, retiring in 2023 at the rank of Colonel after six combat deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo. His military service earned him multiple commendations, including the Combat Action Badge, Army Commendation Medals and campaign medals for service in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He received his bacherlor's degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and his medical degree from the MCW, followed by general surgery training at the University of Washington and a fellowship in pediatric surgery at Children's Wisconsin.