Dr. Cassie Valukas is currently a general surgery chief resident at Northwestern Medicine with clinical and academic interests in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery, improving access to quality surgical care and quality improvement in surgical systems. Her work has focused on improving access to surgical care, addressing health disparities, and strengthening education and system-level processes to enhance patient outcomes. Prior to medical school, Dr. Valukas developed a strong interest in global health, political science, and health advocacy through her work in Haiti. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Iowa, where these interests began shaping her commitment to equitable health care delivery. She went on to attend Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, where she was selected as a Global Surgery Scholar and pursued research focused on access to surgical care in resource-limited settings. Her researh has focused on global health, understanding and improving health care disparities in bariatric surgical care and surgical education initiatives. As she moves toward fellowship in MIS and bariatric surgery at MCW next year Dr. Valukas aims to integrate clinical excellence with program development, quality and safety work, and innovative approaches to improving access to surgical care.