Deborah Kuhls

Deborah Kuhls, MD, FACS, is a Professor and Chief of the Section of Critical Care in the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV’s Division of Acute Care Surgery. She is also the Program Director of the Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Program and Medical Director of University Medical Center’s Trauma Intensive Care Unit. Her clinical expertise spans trauma surgery, general surgery, and critical care, with a strong focus on teaching medical students, residents, and fellows.

• Medical College of Pennsylvania (now Drexel University School of Medicine) – MD
• Albert Einstein University – General Surgery Residency
• University of Maryland – Critical Care and Trauma Fellowship
• Drexel University – Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine Fellowship

Dr. Kuhls’ research emphasizes injury prevention across diverse contexts such as vehicular crashes, firearm-related injuries, and violence, alongside disaster management, medical education, and clinical outcomes of injured patients. Her leadership roles include President of the Nevada Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, Chair of the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma Injury Prevention and Control Committee, and Treasurer of the Clark County Medical Society.

• Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine fellowship (Drexel University)

As Program Director of the Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Program, Dr. Kuhls mentors advanced trainees in critical care and trauma. She actively contributes to academic leadership through her representation on the Association of American Medical Colleges’ Group on Women in Medicine and her role in shaping injury prevention policies.