Stephen w. Burgher | va north texas health care | veterans affairs

Stephen W. Burgher is the acting deputy chief of staff of the VA North Texas health care system. Dr. Burgher began his VA career at VA North Texas in 2017 as Chief of Emergency Medicine

Service, and in September 2024, he became Acting Deputy Chief of Staff. Prior to joining VA, Dr. Burgher served for over 15 years at Baylor University Medical Center in downtown Dallas, a

Level I Trauma Center, where he was assistant medical director and health care system medical director for emergency preparedness. After completing medical school at the University of Texas

Medical School at Houston, Dr. Burgher served as a Navy Flight Surgeon and later completed his emergency medicine residency at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth as Chief Resident. He was

awarded the 1998 Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors Resident Academic Achievement Award and achieved board certification in emergency medicine in 1999. Dr. Burgher served over

21 years in the U.S. Navy, including 12 years of active duty and nine years in the Navy Reserves, retiring as a Captain in 2019. He deployed twice to Southwest Asia, serving as Department

Head for Trauma/Emergency at NATO's Role 3 Multinational Medical Unit in Kandahar during Operation Enduring Freedom and as Task Force Surgeon with the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground

Task Force. Dr. Burgher is a Fleet Marine Force Warfare Officer and Naval Flight Surgeon, and his decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, five Navy and Marine Corps Commendation

Medals, and the Navy Achievement Medal. He resides in Dallas with his wife of 37 years, near their three grown children and grandson.