Gundersen Health System logo
Gundersen Health System
La Crosse, Wisconsin

MD/DO Cardiothoracic Surgeon

SurgeryIncludes callIncludes weekendsFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not disclosed

Listing transparency4 of 6 stated

Ask the employer about the pay range and nights and shift pattern.

Employment & setting
Full-Time · on-site
Call expectations
Includes call
Weekends
Includes weekends
Posted 1mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

Emplify Health by Gundersen is seeking a board-certified, highly skilled Cardiothoracic Surgeon to join our premier, award-winning cardiac program in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Step into a collegial, physician-led culture committed to clinical excellence, innovative surgical techniques, and compassionate patient care. This role offers an exceptional balance of advanced clinical practice, robust associate support, and dedicated time for teaching and mentorship.

  • Practice Highlights
  • Clinical Focus: Perform a comprehensive range of adult cardiothoracic surgical procedures.
  • Predictable Schedule: Benefit from dedicated, set OR blocks to optimize your surgical days.

Inpatient Workflow: Practice structure is heavily inpatient-focused, balanced by one day of outpatient clinic per week.

Manageable Call: Maintain an equitable 1:3 rotation for night, weekend, and holiday call.

Robust Support: Practice with elite clinical backing, including 4 inpatient surgical APCs and 2 dedicated outpatient APCs.

Academic Engagement: Teach and mentor the next generation of physicians through our integrated General Surgery residency training program.

Emplify by Gundersen System Overview

Flagship Facility: Join a premier 325-bed Level II Trauma Center equipped with a Primary Stroke Center and an onsite Inpatient Rehabilitation Center.

Massive Regional Reach: Serve a thriving 22-county catchment area of over 700,000 lives, supported by two medical transport helicopters and an expansive ground ambulance fleet.

Expansive Network: Emplify Health features an award-winning multispecialty group practice including 6 critical access hospitals and over 65 regional clinics.

Integrated Technology: Stay seamlessly connected across the continuum of care using a fully optimized Epic EMR system.

Compensation & Benefits

Financial Reward: Highly competitive base salary enhanced by a generous sign-on bonus and robust retirement plans.

Comprehensive Protection: Comprehensive malpractice coverage, including full tail coverage.

Health & Wellness: Top-tier health, dental, and vision options, alongside supplemental insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability.

Culture: A deeply supportive, collaborative, and physician-led workplace where your voice drives patient care.

About the Community

Nestled between majestic bluffs and the historic Mississippi River, La Crosse is the largest city in western Wisconsin and is consistently ranked as a top place to live. The region boasts unparalleled outdoor recreation, safe neighborhoods, and an affordable cost of living. Families benefit from top-rated K-12 schools and three local universities, while enjoying a vibrant local arts, music, and dining scene.

Must have completed an accredited graduate medical training program and be board certified or eligible within the area of medicine stated. In addition, must have or be able to obtain a license to practice in our multi-state region with no restrictions or limitations. Medical staff in our system will supervise advanced practice clinicians. Medical staff may need to provide outreach service as part of their role in the system. Teaching students, residents, fellows or clinical staff is cornerstone to our Medical Education philosophy and an expectation of all medical staff.

Primary Recruiter

Kaija Towle

Recruiter Email Address

ktowle@emplifyhealth.org

We inspire your best life by relentlessly caring, learning and innovating. This is our purpose. Together with our values — belonging, respect, excellence, accountability, teamwork and humility — our pillars set our foundation and our future.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Key Responsibilities

Perform a comprehensive range of adult cardiothoracic surgical procedures while managing inpatient workflows and providing call coverage. Engage in academic activities by teaching and mentoring residents and clinical staff within the integrated residency program.

Requirements

Must be a board-certified or board-eligible MD/DO with an accredited graduate medical training program completion. Must possess or be able to obtain a valid, unrestricted medical license for the region.

Qualifications

Education
Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
10+ years of experience

Certifications

Board Certification

Key Skills

Cardiothoracic surgeryAdult cardiac surgeryClinical mentorshipInpatient managementTrauma careSurgical block management

Surgery — Physician Career Context

Of the 50 active Surgery listings this role was benchmarked against, 8% are remote, 74% have no call, 50% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Wisconsin is 94.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 60.7% of Wisconsin clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Surgeon Jobs

31 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution31 jobs · 8 employers

18
$350k-440k
4
$440k-1000k
9
$1000k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks23 jobs · 8 employers

401k / retirement match
100% this job
CME allowance
17% this job
Sign-on bonus
9% this job
Relocation assistance
9%
Loan repayment
4%

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Work-life snapshot

1.5/ 10
Listing-based score
  • On-site
  • Includes call
  • Includes weekends

Living in La Crosse

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$277k
Typical market rent
$1,080/mo
Residents’ average commute
16 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
91.8
State income tax
Up to 7.7%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Gundersen Health System logo

About Gundersen Health System

Hospitals and Health Care
La Crosse, WI
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Sign-on bonus
Malpractice coverage with tail
Health, dental, vision
Retirement plans
CME
Teaching opportunities