Leigh J. Spera, MD

Leigh J. Spera, MD, grew up in the greater Chicagoland area and received her Bachelor of Science degree from Loyola University Chicago. She remained in Chicago to obtain her medical degree from Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine where her interests in surgery and burn began. She then went on to complete sequential General Surgery and Plastic Surgery residencies at Indiana University. After eight years at IU, Dr. Spera finished her final year of training in Los Angeles with the University of Southern California and Los Angeles County Hospital for a combined fellowship in burn and surgical critical care. She joined the division of plastic surgery at Indiana University in October 2021 as a burn and reconstructive plastic surgeon and is board certified in general surgery, plastic surgery and surgical critical care.

Dr. Spera is also the Medical Director of the Burn Center at Riley Children's Health. She brings extensive burn and critical care experience to this role.

Her research interests include education in surgical training, optimization of burn resuscitation, excisional techniques in burn debridement and reconstructive methods and outcomes of traumatic lower extremity wounds.

In her free time, Dr. Spera enjoys traveling domestically and abroad, craft cocktails, snowboarding, going to Orangetheory Fitness, spending time back in Chicago visiting family and attending sporting events of her favorite teams. She has a mini-Goldendoodle named Winnie who has become her closest companion and pet therapy co-worker.