Michael Kurz, MD

2023 Senior Faculty Scholars

Dr. Michael Kurz is a Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Section of Emergency Medicine at the University of Chicago. Previously, Dr. Kurz served as a Professor in the Departments of Emergency Medicine and Surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

Dr. Kurz earned his MD from the University of Virginia School of Medicine, along with an MS in Health Evaluation Sciences. He completed his residency in Emergency Medicine at the University of Chicago and a fellowship in Emergency Cardiac Care at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). At VCU, he directed Emergent Cardiac Care and the ARCTIC program.

In 2013, Dr. Kurz joined UAB, where he held several leadership roles, including Vice Chair for Research and Director of the Alabama Resuscitation Center. His multidisciplinary UAB Post Arrest Service achieved a remarkable 31% survival rate for cardiac arrest patients, vastly surpassing the statewide average of 3%.

Dr. Kurz’s research focuses on sudden cardiac arrest, intra- and post-arrest care, novel biomarkers, and resuscitation systems of care. He has led research teams enrolling over 20,000 subjects and has conducted NIH, Department of Defense, and foundation-funded studies. He has authored over 150 peer-reviewed publications and serves as a guest editor for Circulation.

Nationally, Dr. Kurz has contributed to AHA Emergency Cardiac Care guidelines since 2010 and will chair the 2025 AHA advanced life support guidelines. He has trained numerous residents and fellows, many of whom have become successful physician-scientists. His vision for Emergency Medicine includes advancing education, research, and clinical collaborations to enhance emergency medicine at UChicago Medicine.