Physician remembered for kindness, commitment to the underserved

Jessica Summers, MD, former medical director of the Burn Unit at Nebraska Medical Center and faculty member within the UNMC Division of Acute Care Surgery in the UNMC Department of Surgery, passed away unexpectedly July 4.

Dr. Summers joined UNMC and Nebraska Medicine in 2015. After leaving in 2018, she worked at Upstate Medical University as an assistant professor of surgery in Syracuse, New York. Dr. Summers is being remembered as a passionate surgeon and educator.

“In the days since I learned of her passing, I have shared so many wonderful memories of Dr. Summers with the general surgery residents,” said Corrigan McBride, MD, medical director, bariatrics, and professor and chief of minimally invasive and bariatric surgery. “They remember her as a faculty member who always had an open door to help them with a clinical problem. Dr. Summers and I both have a passion for medical mission trips and would often share many stories about how rewarding these opportunities are.”

“Dr. Summers was a brilliant and kind surgeon, whose life was dedicated to her patients both at our institution and abroad, her family and her church,” said Charity Evans, MD, chief of the UNMC Division of Acute Care Surgery. “Her academic career was dedicated to improving the care to burn patients and trauma care in rural settings. She was a supportive friend who looked out for the team, an educator and always up for a good adventure. She will be greatly missed.”

“Dr. Summers will be remembered as a genuinely wonderful human being, whose dedication and compassion towards her patients, colleagues, friends and family was unmatched,” said Keely Buesing, MD, Acute Care Surgery. “She gave so much of herself and her talent through her work stateside and on medical mission trips; my hope is that others will honor her memory through volunteer work of their own. She will be missed.”

The Upstate Foundation has set up a memorial scholarship fund in her honor.

Counseling resources for Nebraska Medicine colleagues.

Counseling resources for UNMC faculty and staff.