The People

About Dr. Laurie Punch

Dr. Punch loves to heal. Educated in medicine at the University of Connecticut and trained in surgery at the University of Maryland and R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, this desire to heal has brought to life a career with a three-fold focus: education, violence and equity. As a trauma surgeon at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and associate professor at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine this work comes to life in various undergraduate and graduate medical education courses that focus on the experience of violence related injury across the entire spectrum of illness and healing. Through community engagement in St. Louis, Dr. Punch carries this mission forward each day, bridging the gap between the resources inside healthcare and the voices of the people. This includes a campaign to bring the national “Stop the Bleed” campaign to members of the St. Louis community at risk for violence and serious injury. This also includes the creation of “The T”, an a community “Trauma Center” which focuses on harm reduction as a mechanism for primary prevention. Looking to advance the knowledge and bravery of learners of all levels in the management of violence and injury, both in and out of the hospital, Dr. Punch works diligently to serve medical professionals, patients, families and communities in their shared journey toward healing.