As a child, Stephanie always wanted to be a doctor to "fix people." Having a mom with a heart condition cured by cardiac ablation, she was inspired to pursue a career in medicine. Currently, Stephanie is a trauma surgeon, critical care, and intensive care specialist at Rhode Island Hospital – Warren Alpert Brown Medical School, and has completed research receiving grants in various areas of trauma and is a sought-after speaker. Prior to her role at her current hospital, she spent months in the African country of Malawi collaborating not only with US doctors, but nurses and doctors native to Malawi to help those who needed care, saving lives in conditions that are unlike anything here in the Unites States. Her compassion catapulted her to care for as many of the sick as she could until she returned stateside to resume her career as a trauma surgeon. Now add in the COVID-19 pandemic. In the early months, she practiced medicine caring for the acutely ill patients in certain “hot zones.” Being one of the few physicians with the knowledge of working the ventilators, Stephanie not only needed to treat patients, but also was elected to train hospital personnel on the use of these ventilators and the care regimen of all COVID cases. Always grounded, her work was highlighted in The Providence Journal where she insisted, “she’s nobody special – many ICU doctors are fighting the same battle.” She is a leader in all respects and does it with humility. Whether she is sewing up knife wounds or taking bullets from a stomach, caring for those with COVID, Stephanie puts everyone before herself and believes she is meant to save the patients with her knowledge, confidence, and compassionate spirit.
Stephanie Lueckel, MD '96