Jennifer L. Hartwell , M.D., F.A.C.S.
Associate Professor, Surgery
Clinical Director, Section Chief of Emergency General Surgery, Surgery
Professional Background
Dr. Jennifer Hartwell, MD, FACS is an Associate Professor of Surgery and the Section Chief of Emergency General Surgery, Acute Care Surgery Division, in the Department of Surgery at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Dr. Hartwell grew up in Ohio where she obtained her undergraduate degree in Zoology from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She then went to medical school at Wright State University School of Medicine in Dayton, Ohio. She completed her General Surgery training at the University of Illinois at Chicago and pursued her passion for Trauma, Acute Care Surgery, and Surgical Critical Care with her fellowship at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center in Memphis.
Dr. Hartwell has a special interest in surgical nutrition and is an advocate for physician and learner wellbeing. She enjoys spending time with her husband and four children when she is not working.
Education and Training
- MD, Medicine, Wright State University School of Medicine, Dayton, Ohio
- Residency, General Surgery, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
- Clinical Fellowship, Trauma/Surgical Critical Care, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN
Licensure, Accreditations & Certifications
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support, American Heart Association
- Advanced Trauma Life Support, American College of Surgeons
Professional Affiliations
- Western Trauma Association Algorithms Committee, WTA Algorithms Committee, Chair, 2026 - Present
- American Association for the Surgery of Trauma EGS Task Force, EGS Task Force, Member, 2025 - Present
- American College of Surgeons, Kansas Chapter, Councilor, 2025 - 2026
- American Board of Surgery, Surgical Critical Care Entrustable Professional Activities Reactor Panel for Trauma, Burns, and Surgical Critical Care Board , Member, 2024 - Present
- American College of Surgeons Surgeon Well-Being Coalition , Surgeon Well-Being Coalition , Co-Chair, 2023 - Present
- American Association for the Surgery of Trauma Communications Committee, Communications Committee, Member, 2018 - Present
- American College of Surgeons, Member, 2005 - Present
Current Research and Grants
- Video Education for Surgical Patient Engagement (VESPE) Program, The University of Kansas Health System, PI
Selected Publications
- Hartwell, j., L. 2018. 2018 ASPEN Virtual Nutrition Support Fundamentals Course
- Hartwell, Jennifer. 2024. A Multipronged Approach for Process Improvement in the Care of Patients with Acute Appendicitis
- Kapoor, R, Hartwell, J., L, Cotton, A. 2019. A Process Change to Improve Enteral Nutrition Delivery and Prevent Caloric Debt in Critical Care
- Hartwell, J., L. 2019. A Reflection of One's Self in the Trauma Bay: When the Patient is the Unsuspecting Healer
- Hartwell, Jennifer, Albanese, Kelly, Retterer, Abby, Martin, Stacey, O'Mara, M.., Shay. 2016. A Trauma Patient Advocate is a Valuable Addition to the Multidisciplinary Trauma Team: A Process Improvement Project. The American Surgeon™, 82 (8), 183-185. https://doi.org/10.1177/000313481608200803
- Sanner-Dixon, Kate, Tessman, Hunter, Knowles, Taylor, Morey, Kennedy, Baker , Jordan , Prabhakar, Chalise, Broski, Julie, Hartwell, Jennifer., L. 2025. AAST Grade -The Ultimate Predictor of Appendectomy Complications
- Hartwell, J., L, Zarzaur, B., L. 2019. Abdominal Compartment Syndrome and Management of the Open Abdomen. Current Surgical Therapy, 13th Edition (13th Edition ), 1246-1250. https://www.clinicalkey.com/#!/content/book/3-s2.0-B9780323640596002280
- Thornsberry, Tanner, Nault Connors, Jill, Welch, Julie, Hayden, Julie, Hartwell, Jennifer, Ober, Michael, Sotto, Sylk, Draucker, Claire, Wasmuth, Sally, Boustani, Malaz, Overley, Ashley, Monahan, Patrick, Kroenke, Kurt. 2020. Addressing Mental Health Needs of Health Care Workers through Peer Support Groups During the COVID-19 Crisis. Proceedings of IMPRS, 3. https://doi.org/10.18060/24783
- Keric, N, Shatz, D., V, Schellenberg, M, de Moya, M, Moore, L., J, Brown CVR, Hartwell, J., L, Inaba, K, Ley, E., J, Peck, K., A, Fox, C., J, Rosen, N., G, Weinberg, J., A, Coimbra, R., S, Kozar, R, Martin, M., J. 2023. Adult Blunt Hepatic Injury: A Western Trauma Association Critical Decisions Algorithm.. The journal of trauma and acute care surgery
- Tesoriero, Ronald, Coimbra, Raul, Biffl, Walt, Burlew, Clay, Croft, Chasen., A , Fox, Charles, Hartwell, Jennifer., L , Keric, Natasha, Lorezo, Manuel, Martin, Matthew., J , Magee, Gregory., A , Moore, Laura., J, Privette, Alicia., R, Shellenberg, Morgan, Schuster, Kevin., M , Weinberg, Jordan., A, Stein, Deborah., J . 2024. Adult emergency resuscitative thoracotomy: A Western Trauma Association clinical decisions algorithm. Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery