About Dr. Katya | Bloom Health & Metabolic Care

Triple Board-Certified Physician

Family Medicine · Obesity Medicine · Clinical Informatics

Rice Lake, WI

A letter to my patients —

I'm Dr. Katya, a board-certified family medicine physician in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. I'm also a wife, a mother, and a patient living with chronic illness.

I created Bloom Health & Metabolic Care because I believe many people are searching for something that has become increasingly rare in modern healthcare. A physician who takes the time to listen, offers thoughtful explanations, and understands the full picture of their health.

Patients often come to me after feeling rushed, dismissed, or unheard. Many feel like just another number in a system focused on volume rather than meaningful care. Over time, this can leave people feeling discouraged, unsure of what to do next, and left to navigate their health largely on their own.

My approach to medicine begins with listening. I take the time to understand where you are in your health, what you have already tried, and the realities of your day-to-day life.

My perspective is shaped not only by my medical training, but also by my own experiences and background. As the daughter of Mexican immigrants and a bilingual physician, I understand that healthcare is not one-size-fits-all. Culture, language, and lived experience all matter, and they deserve to be part of your care.

At Bloom, you are not a number.

You deserve care that meets you where you are and supports steady, sustainable progress over time. I would be honored to work with you as you move forward in your health, and support you as you bloom into a healthier, more supported version of yourself.

Dr. Katya Alcaraz Voelker, M.D.

Bloom Health & Metabolic Care · Rice Lake, WI

My Story

How I got here.

Growing up in
Rice Lake

I moved to Rice Lake when I was eight years old and learned English here, navigating school, healthcare, and daily life in a new language.

Around that same time, I began helping family members and friends as a medical interpreter. I spent time in exam rooms and hospital hallways translating conversations that were often complex, rushed, or difficult to understand. Through those experiences, I saw how language, culture, and time could shape the care someone received.

I also saw the difference it made when a physician slowed down, listened carefully, and treated patients with dignity. My own family physician, Dr. Pebler, not only cared for my family but believed in me and encouraged me to pursue family medicine. That encouragement stayed with me through every stage of my education.

My path into
medicine

I am a first-generation graduate of high school, college, and medical school. My family immigrated from Mexico with limited resources, and my path into medicine required navigating financial, cultural, and systemic barriers without a clear roadmap.

Over time, my goal became clear. I wanted to return to communities like the one that shaped me and provide care that felt more accessible, more thoughtful, and more aligned with the realities of people's lives.

"Coming back to Rice Lake as a physician is deeply meaningful to me. This is where I first saw what compassionate, relationship-based medicine could look like."

Why I built
Bloom

As I moved through training and into practice, I began to feel a growing tension between the kind of care I knew patients needed and what the healthcare system was designed to deliver.

Visits were often too short. Expectations were focused on volume and productivity. There was little room for the nuanced, longitudinal care required for chronic illness, metabolic disease, and real-life complexity.

Bloom was created to offer a different approach. One that is grounded in time, continuity, and trust. One that allows care to be thoughtful, personalized, and sustainable for both patients and physician.

What I carry
into practice

My perspective is shaped not only by my medical training, but also by my lived experience. I have navigated chronic illness and medical uncertainty, and I understand what it feels like to manage complex care in a fragmented system.

I am also a parent to a child with autism, which has deepened my understanding of how healthcare can impact families already balancing significant emotional and practical demands.

These experiences have reinforced my commitment to patience, humility, and steady, sustainable progress in care.

Outside the Clinic

Beyond medicine.

Family

I am married to a Rice Lake native who grew up farming, and together we are raising three children. Much of our life outside of work is centered around them.

Being part of this community in that way — not just as a physician but as a neighbor, a parent, and a spouse — shapes how I think about health, time, and what it means to build care that fits real life.

Training & Education

Medical School

UW School of Medicine and Public Health

Residency

Gundersen Lutheran
La Crosse, WI

Board Certifications

Family Medicine · Obesity Medicine · Clinical Informatics

A little more about me

Gardening

Gaming

Dancing

Bilingual
English & Spanish