Catherine Ferguson

Catherine Ferguson, MD is a Professor of Pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), where she also serves as Director of the Quality Improvement & Patient Safety Scholarly Concentration and Co-Director of the Health Equity Scholars Program. She is affiliated with Children's Wisconsin's Emergency/Trauma department in Milwaukee. Her career spans roles as a clinician, educator, and researcher focused on pediatric emergency medicine and healthcare system improvement.

Dr. Ferguson earned her MD from MCW (2004), followed by pediatric residency and pediatric emergency medicine fellowship at the University of Colorado. Her research emphasizes improving medical trainee well-being, reducing healthcare disparities, and optimizing emergency care for children with chronic conditions. She pioneered MCW's Quality Improvement pathway since 2012, developing curricula like the REACH program addressing student wellness and the Health Equity Scholars Program.

Her work addresses urgent issues like racial disparities in emergency evaluations, reducing unnecessary diagnostic testing, and improving telehealth education during crises. She collaborates across disciplines to leverage electronic medical records for asthma education distribution and refine protocols for conditions like diabetic ketoacidosis and testicular torsion in children.

Publications highlight her contributions to medical education equity, mental health stigma reduction among healthcare professionals, and implementing telehealth innovations. Her projects often combine quality improvement methodologies with patient-centered outcomes measurement, reflecting her dual commitment to clinical excellence and systemic change.