In memoriam: Lisa Wise-Faberowski, M.D., M.S.

Lisa Wise-Faberowski

We are deeply saddened to share the news that Lisa Wise-Faberowski, M.D., M.S., a graduate of our anesthesiology residency (’96) and neuroanesthesia fellowship (‘97) and an immensely talented pediatric anesthesiologist, researcher, wife, and mother, has died

Wise-Faberowski dedicated her career to pediatric cardiac anesthesia and critical care. Most recently, she was an associate professor of anesthesiology in the Division of Pediatric Anesthesiology in the Department of Anesthesiology at Stanford University School of Medicine. 

Wise-Faberowski came to the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Florida after completing her pediatric residency at Bowman Gray School of Medicine at Wake Forest University in 1993.

“I was the director of the pediatric critical care medicine fellowship and Lisa and I plotted her path to become a multiboarded pediatric intensivist/anesthesiologist,” said Salvatore Goodwin, M.D., a graduate of UF’s anesthesiology (‘81) and pediatrics (’82) residency programs and pediatric anesthesia and critical care fellowships and a faculty member in anesthesiology and pediatrics from 1983 to 2000. “While I knew at the outset that Lisa was incredibly bright and talented, I had no idea of the immense potential that she had within her and the illustrious career that lay before her.” 

During her training at UF, Wise-Faberowski distinguished herself as a compassionate physician who was loved by her patients and peers. After her anesthesiology residency, she continued at UF with a neuroanesthesia and research fellowship. She also completed a portion of her pediatric critical care training at UF and worked as a postdoctoral associate in anesthesiology before going on to complete a pediatric critical care fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital.

“Each phase of her training seemed to spark within her a desire to reach further, to learn more,” Goodwin said. “I watched in awe as she sprang to the national and international pediatric anesthesia and critical care stage, delivering her expertise and research in the areas of pediatric, neuro, and cardiac anesthesia and pediatric critical care.” 

Wise-Faberowski was the recipient of numerous accolades, including the Golden Apple Teaching Award from the UF College of Medicine in 1998. 

She also quickly established herself as an adroit researcher in the field of neuronal apoptosis.

“I remember sitting beside my friend, Dr. Myron Yaster, an icon in our field, as Lisa was presenting her research and subject review at a national meeting. Myron said, ‘she has the eye of a tiger.’ He was sensing a star in the making out of this newcomer to our specialty, and he was certainly correct,” Goodwin said. “Wherever Lisa trained, worked, or visited, she left a trail of kindness and gentleness and a lasting impression of a visionary scientist and physician.”  

Goodwin expressed his deep sorrow for Wise-Faberowski’s family, including four children. 

“I am so thankful to have had Lisa as a student, colleague, and friend and so sad to have to say goodbye,” Goodwin said. 

Shirley Graves, M.D., D.Sc. (honorary), professor emeritus of anesthesiology and pediatrics at UF, said she was deeply saddened by the news.

“Lisa was an outstanding resident in the UF Department of Anesthesiology family,” Graves said. “She made us proud in all she did and accomplished during her career at UF and later at Stanford and nationally.”