General surgeon Colin Kennedy, MD, joins Winona Health

General Surgeon Colin (Cah-lin) Kennedy, MD, has joined Winona Health and will provide a broad scope of general surgery procedures for people of all ages. “Location is important to me. I lived in the driftless area off and on for almost 10 years prior to moving away for residency, and I wanted to live back in this area. I’ve often met people from rural communities who need to go to the doctor and want to stay close to home, but struggle with the perception that they had to go somewhere big to get the best care,” said Dr. Kennedy. “Throughout my medical training, my focus was on developing my knowledge and skills so I could take the best training back to a rural community and help take care of the people who live there.” As an example of this, Dr. Kennedy will be part of the group that is working to bring the surgical robot to Winona Health and is excited to be able to offer this to his patients in the near future. Dr. Kennedy chose Winona and Winona Health. “This area has everything I’m looking for in the way of communities to explore, nature and outdoor activities. And, across the board, my experience with Winona Health has been amazing. It offers the opportunity for a broad scope of practice, high-quality referral centers when necessary, and, as an independent organization, there is more fluidity in implementing changes and making things better for patients as healthcare evolves.” Dr. Kennedy earned his medical degree at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison, Wisconsin, and was part of the Wisconsin Academy for Rural Medicine. He completed his residency at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, New York. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology with concentrations in Biomedical Science & Cellular & Molecular Biology along with a minor in Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He is a member of the American College of Surgeons. In his free time, Dr. Kennedy enjoys being outdoors, biking, cross-country skiing, hiking, hunting and fishing. “I’m also sort of a homebody, and I like gardening, habitat restoration projects, and hanging out with our two German Shepherd dogs.” To schedule an appointment in the General Surgery Department, call 507.457.7670. To learn more about surgical care available at Winona Health, visit winonahealth.org.