Dr. Potenza acquired Fellowship certification in Trauma and Surgical Critical Care at UCSD School of Medicine, Division of Trauma and Burns from 1993 to 1995 where he is now a faculty member. Dr. Potenza was invited to join our faculty to serve as both trauma and burn surgeon when he was an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Wisconsin Medical School in 2000. He is known as an excellent instructor specializing in general surgery, critical care and burns and has received numerous honors and awards from both faculty and students. Dr. Potenza is also involved in community service and outreach to promote his idea of educating public in burn awareness and prevention.

Dr. Potenza graduated from Science Engineering Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois with a Biology Degree in 1975. He then pursued his Medical Degree at Loyola University, Stritch School of Medicine in Maywood, Illinois and graduated in 1983. He spent his residency years at Gunderson Medical Clinic, La Crosse, Wisconsin in a transitional internship; chief medial residency at Good Samaritan Medical Center/Veteran's Administration Hospital Medical Center in Phoenix Arizona; and surgical residency at State University of New York Science Center, Syracuse, New York from 1983 to 1993.

His professional memberships to honor societies and associations have included the Wound Healing Society, Society of Laparoscopic Surgeons, Western Trauma Association, American Burn Association, San Diego County Medical Society, American College of Surgeons, San Diego Chapter, Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, Association for Surgical Education, American Public Health Association, American College of Physicians – American Society of Internal Medicine, Arizona Medical Association, American Medical Association, American College of Surgeons, Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, Society of Critical Care Medicine, and World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine.

In addition to his busy schedule, he is a captain in the U.S. naval reserve and has traveled around the country presenting 102 lectures related to trauma and burn treatment, and 11 research activities which can be found in medical journals, and 18 publications to his credit.