Dr. Bulger received her undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University and her medical degree from Cornell University. She then completed her surgical residency and fellowship in trauma and critical care at the University of Washington. She joined the faculty at the University of Washington in 2000 where she is now a Professor of Surgery and the Chief of Trauma at Harborview Medical Center the sole Level 1 trauma center for adults and pediatrics in Washington State. She has served as co-PI for trauma with the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium and PI of the Seattle Crash Injury Research and Engineering center. She is currently leading the development of a National Trauma Research Action plan for the US. Her research interests include resuscitation strategies for hemorrhagic shock, trauma system development, the prehospital triage and management of injured patients, the biomechanics of injury after motor vehicle crashes, modulation of the inflammatory response after injury, and necrotizing soft tissue infections. Her research has generated over 250 peer reviewed publications. She has served in several leadership roles in the Washington State trauma system. Nationally, she currently serves  as the Chair of the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma.