Five physicians joined our Critical Care Medicine Fellowship and one joined our Adult Combined Cardiothoracic Critical Care Fellowship. Please help us in welcoming them to the Department of Anesthesiology!
Incoming Critical Care Medicine Fellows
Younus Aqeel, M.D.
Aqeel earned his medical degree from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. He completed his emergency medicine residency at St. John’s Riverside Hospital and a resuscitation and emergency critical care fellowship at Albany Medical Center. His Master of Science in experimental and molecular pathology is from the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, and his Bachelor of Science in chemistry is from the University of California, Irvine.
Aqeel’s interests include researching the role and utility of artificial intelligence (AI) in emergency medicine. His recent project focused on patient attitudes towards the use of AI. As a medical student, Aqeel was recognized for his research efforts and received a research fellowship award. He also shared his poster about necrotizing pancreatitis at the 2024 Mediterranean Emergency Medicine Congress in Greece.
Matthew Bzdega, M.D.
Bzdega learned his medical degree from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and completed his residency here at the UF Department of Anesthesiology. He also finished an anesthesia research fellowship here, where he focused on simulation and mathematical modeling. He has a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan University and a Bachelor of Science in applied physics from Emory University.
After his training, he worked for the PeaceHealth Medical Group at the Ketchikan Medical Center in Oregon as the department chair of anesthesiology and later the chief medical officer. He was most recently the chief medical officer for PeaceHealth at Peace Harbor Medical Center. In addition, he has been on medical mission trips to the Philippines, Haiti, and Honduras.
Blake Callahan, M.D.
Callahan received his medical degree from the University of Central Florida (UCF) College of Medicine (COM) and completed his emergency medicine residency at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center. He also did a general surgery internship with UCF. Additionally, he has a Master of Science in medical science from the University of South Florida and a Bachelor of Science in biology from Florida State University.
As a medical student, Callahan was awarded the UCF COM Institutional Scholarship and the Anthony Cipparone Medical Student Endowed Scholarship. He also published articles about proximal humerus fractures and mutant amino acids. His most recent peer-reviewed article was about a predictive nomogram-based model for lower extremity compartment syndrome after trauma.
Jaydip Desai, D.O.
Desai received his medical degree from the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his emergency medicine residency at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He also has a Bachelor of Arts in cell biology and neuroscience from Rutgers University in New Jersey.
Desai was recently involved in two research projects: the first using clinical gestalt in the diagnosis of ureteral colic, and the second investigating the outcomes of dual antibiotic administration in patients with septic shock. His current project focuses on creating a method of didactic teaching that informs learners about botany and toxicology.
Chengcheng Zheng, M.D.
Zheng received his medical degree from Florida International University and completed his residency here at the University of Florida (UF) Department of Anesthesiology.
Zheng’s research has covered topics like nasopharyngeal carcinoma and hematomas. At the 2025 American Society of Anesthesiologists annual meeting, he shared his poster on perioperative management of spontaneous subdural hematomas after red yeast rice-induced liver injury. He also presented this research at the 2025 Society of General Internal Medicine annual meeting with his group.
Incoming Adult Combined Cardiothoracic Critical Care Fellow
Elizabeth Miller, M.D.
Miller earned her medical degree from Wake Forest University and finished her residency here in the UF Department of Anesthesiology. She also completed residency with the UF Department of Surgery before turning to anesthesia. She has a Bachelor of Arts in biology and sociology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Miller has co-authored publications on various topics, like bone marrow, inflammation, and blockades. At the 2025 American Society of Anesthesiologists annual meeting, she shared her research on prosthetic leaflet impalement after modified Y-incision aortic annular enlargement. She was also honored with the Great Catch award by the UF Health Sebastian Ferrero Office of Clinical Quality and Patient Safety for her high-quality patient care.
Learn about our Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Program.
Learn about our Adult Combined Cardiothoracic Critical Care Fellowship.