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Nettie Van Wyen Retires

This month we are saying farewell to Nettie Van Wyen, an administrative assistant II who served the Division of Critical Care Medicine, as she retires after five years with the department. Nettie joined us in November 2016 after 10 years at UF. She first joined UF as an assistant to…

Celebrating our July and August 2021 Residents of the Month

Please help us congratulate our newest Residents of the Month! These residents were nominated by their fellow residents and faculty for their hard work, motivation and for going above and beyond in their duties. Below are some of the quotes from their nominations. July 2021 Resident of the…

Resident Spotlight: Blessing Ogbemudia, M.D.

Blessing Ogbemudia, M.D., earned his undergraduate degree at Ohio State University and attended Indiana University for medical school. This past spring, he was honored by the UF Health nursing staff with the LEAD Resident Award for his outstanding performance in promoting high-quality patient care. He is now in his…

Drs. Bergbauer, Fong & Fowler Join the Department

We are excited to have three accomplished doctors joining us. Welcome to the department! Robin Bergbauer, M.D., joined us on Sept. 13 as an assistant professor in the Division of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology. She joins us from HCA Healthcare in New Port Richey, Florida, where she worked as a cardiovascular anesthesiologist.

August 2021 Publications

Congratulations to everyone who had publications in August 2021! Our faculty who were published are: Drs. Cruz-Beltran, Doré, Fahy, Garvan, Gravenstein, Keidan, Lampotang, Meroney, Mohamed, Morey, Price, Przkora, Rabai, Reynolds, Sappenfield, Seubert, Spiess, Vasilopoulos, Victor, and White. Cureus Sappenfield JW, White JD, Pelletier JPR, Loftus TJ, Mukhtar…

Isaac Luria, M.D., Joins Faculty

Isaac Luria, M.D., joined us as an assistant professor of anesthesiology in the Division of Acute Pain Medicine in September 2021. He completed a yearlong fellowship in our Division of Acute Pain Medicine this summer after completing his anesthesiology residency with us. Luria earned his medical degree at UF, as…

Resident Spotlight: Karolain Garcia, M.D.

Karolain Garcia, M.D., grew up in Miami, FL, and earned her undergraduate degree at Florida International University before attending Florida State University for medical school. She is now in her third year in our program.   We asked her a few questions about her experience in our anesthesiology residency program so far and…

Kelly Spaulding Honored for 30 Years of Service to UF

Congratulations to Kelly Spaulding, program assistant in the Education Office, who was honored in August for 30 years of service to the University of Florida! Kelly received a plaque from Kent Fuchs, Ph.D., UF president, at a staff appreciation reception held Aug. 10 at the Earl and Christy Powell University…

Dr. Smith Selected for Inaugural Investigator Position Funded by Alumnus

Stephen O. Heard, M.D., an alumnus of our anesthesiology residency (1983) and critical care medicine fellowship (1984) programs, long had a vision to support the research and discovery efforts of junior faculty. The former chair of the Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine at the University of Massachusetts, Heard has…

Two Residents Elected to Housestaff Council

Congratulations to third-year resident Andrew Neff, D.O., and second-year resident Alicia McLeod, M.D., who have been elected to serve as the anesthesiology representatives on the 2021-22 University of Florida College of Medicine Housestaff Council! Neff will serve as hospital relations chair as part of the council’s…

Critical Care Fellows Gain Hands-on Experience in 3rd Annual Bootcamp

Critical care fellows from four departments practiced essential skills on simulation equipment and learned from new faculty during the third annual multidisciplinary Critical Care Medicine Bootcamp this August. The three-day bootcamp provided fellows with a common foundation as they begin their training, which is particularly important given that critical care…

Two Residents Score in Top 10% on BASIC Exam

Congratulations to third-year residents Nick Rahn, M.D., and Matt Reed, M.D., who scored in the top 10% of the American Board of Anesthesiology BASIC Exam in June 2021! Scoring in the top 10% nationally is a testament to these residents’ hard work and dedication. “Mastering the…

UF Health team develops technique to conserve oxygen during acute shortages

With supplemental oxygen supplies became critically scarce in some countries due to COVID-19, a team at the University of Florida Health’s Center for Safety, Simulation and Advanced Learning Technologies, or CSSALT, conceived a novel way to prolong the life of oxygen cylinders by reducing oxygen waste.

Dr. Lampotang Appointed Joint Professor of Urology

Congratulations to Samsun “Sem” Lampotang, Ph.D., FSSH, FAIMBE, who has been appointed as a joint professor in the Department of Urology! Lampotang is the Joachim S. Gravenstein Professor of Anesthesiology and the director of the Center for Safety, Simulation & Advanced Learning Technologies (CSSALT). He…

June 2021 Resident of the Month: Krupesh Dave, M.D.

Please help us congratulate our Resident of the Month! June 2021 Resident of the Month: Krupesh Dave, M.D. “Dr. Dave is a silent hero. He constantly offers to help co-residents or anesthetists without complaint. He always offers to stay late. He never complains and is consistently a team player.

Welcome 2021 CTCC & Peds Fellows

Welcome to our new Combined Cardiothoracic Critical Care Medicine Fellow and Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellow! Combined Cardiothoracic Critical Care Medicine Shiv Rawal, MD Dr. Rawal earned his medical degree at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, and completed his anesthesiology residency at Barnes Jewish Hospital/Washington University in St. Louis. Dr.

July 2021 Publications

Congratulations to everyone who had publications in July 2021! Our faculty who were published are: Drs. Algarra, Boezaart, Doré, Fahy, Garvan, Lampotang, Price, Przkora, Reina, Tighe, and Vasilopoulos. American Journal of Medical Quality Brewer JL, Lampotang S, Algarra NNN, Taşdelen Teker G. Playing with your phone in class:…

Welcome 2021 Pain Medicine Fellows!

Physicians began their Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine Fellowship with us this summer. Please help us welcome them to the team! Mark Bender, Julia Eidelman, Jeff Pence, Nikhil Makhija, Viswanath Ramaswamy!

Nicholas Hosford, M.H.A., Joins the Department

Nicholas Hosford, M.H.A., joined us as Practice Manager, Pain Medicine UF Health Springhill, on Monday, July 26. Nicholas has worked for the Department of Orthopaedics at UF Health since 2016, most recently as business office supervisor. He has held prior positions with Dermatology Associates and as relief manager for Ronald McDonald…

Three Faculty Members Join the Department

Welcome to the department! Jonathan “Nicky” Cates, M.D., joined us on July 1 as an assistant professor in the Division of Critical Care Medicine after completing his Critical Care Medicine fellowship with us. Cates earned his medical degree from the University of South Carolina and completed his residency…

Welcome 2021 Cardiothoracic Fellows!

Four anesthesiologists began their Adult Cardiothoracic Fellowship with us this summer. Please help us welcome them to the team! Clifford Deerman, M.D. Dr. Deerman earned his medical degree at the University of Alabama School of Medicine at Birmingham and completed his anesthesiology residency at Penn State Hershey Medical Center, where…

Three faculty promoted in 2021

Congratulations to Sanjeev Kumar, MD, Sonia Mehta, MD, and Richa Wardhan, MD, who have been promoted to Associate Professor, effective July 1, 2021! Promotion is a significant professional achievement, representing the culmination of years of dedicated work. All three have made outstanding contributions to our university, our…

Dr. Giordano collaborates on simulation-based study assessing effects of rudeness

A new study used a simulation with anesthesiology residents to investigate whether rudeness negatively affects medical performance. Chris Giordano, M.D., collaborated with colleagues in UF’s Warrington College of Business on the study, which was published in June in the Journal of Applied Psychology. “During our Leadership Seminars, we spent…

Welcome 2021 Critical Care Medicine Fellows!

Three physicians began their Critical Care Medicine Fellowship with us this summer. Please help us welcome them to the team! Beulah Castor, MD Dr. Castor earned her medical degree from the University of Florida and completed her residency in emergency medicine at Orlando Health. She has participated in research…

2021 Fellowship Graduates: Where are they headed next?

Our Pain Medicine Faculty, Fellows, and their families celebrating graduating at Lake Wauburg. The 2021 graduates of our fellowship programs celebrated the milestone in small groups at various locations in recent weeks. We are extremely proud of each of our graduates for their hard work and dedication to…

June 2021 Publications

Congratulations to everyone who had publications in June! Our faculty who were published are: Drs. Boezaart, Caruso, Chemobrovich, Fahy, Frantz, Garvan, Giordano, Janelle, Martynyuk, Mora, Morey, Parsons, Reina, Reynolds, Smith, Spiess, Sullivan, Zasimovich, and Zhu. Anesthesia & Analgesia Warner DO, Lien CA, Wang T, Zhou Y, Isaak RS, Peterson-Layne C,…

Welcome 2021 Acute & Perioperative Pain Medicine Fellows!

Six anesthesiologists began their Acute and Perioperative Pain Medicine Fellowship with us this summer. Please help us welcome them to the team! W. Kirk Fowler, MD Dr. Fowler earned his medical degree at the Medical University of South Carolina and completed his anesthesiology residency at the University of Florida.

Two residents inducted into UF chapter of Gold Humanism Honor Society

Congratulations to fourth-year resident, David Hutchinson, M.D., and recent graduate Milu Thakkar, M.D., who were inducted into UF’s Resident Chapter of the national Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS). Hutchinson and Thakkar were nominated by their peers for induction into the organization, which comprises medical students, residents, faculty, and other…

New residents join the department

Twenty-six physicians began their Anesthesiology Residency with us this summer, including four graduates of the University of Florida College of Medicine. Please help us welcome them to the team! Interested in joining our residency program? Find out how to apply here. First-Year Residents (PGY-1/Intern) Nnamdi Achebe, M.D. Undergrad: University of…

New AI Fundamentals course educates anesthesiology residents in emerging field

Anesthesiology residents now have the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of artificial intelligence (AI) through a yearlong course developed and taught by J. Chris Goldstein, M.D., and Heidi Goldstein, M.D., both affiliated anesthesiology faculty based at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center. Inaugural course Seventeen residents participated in the inaugural…

Class of 2021 Residents Recognized

At the first in-person celebration in over a year, the residents of our Class of 2021 were recognized for their achievements and hard work over the past four years. The ceremony at Touchdown Terrace in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium marked a return to normalcy as UF Health’s successful vaccine campaign…

May 2021 Publications

Congratulations to everyone who had publications in May! Our faculty who were published are: Drs. Frantz, Garvan, Gatica, Giordano, Lampotang, Loeb, Peng, Spiess, Vasilopoulos, Wardhan, and Zhu! BJU International Zhang Z, Lampotang S, Yu Y, Acar YA, Wakim J, Mei V, Ahmad AE, Shenot P, Lee J, Perlis N,…

Residents learn essential skills in 2021 Basic Skills Boot Camp

Twenty-one of our residents had the opportunity to learn a wide range of skills in preparation for their first clinical anesthesia year during this year’s Basic Skills Boot Camp. Over four days of the first week of June, residents received instruction on topics such as anesthesiology measurements and checks, emergency…

Welcome New Managers of Healthcare Administration

Rishab Chimmanamada, M.H.A., joined us on May 28 as the Manager of Health Care Administration at Central Florida Health. Rishab earned his Master of Health Administration degree from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in May 2021. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from…

Happy CAA Week!

The UF Department of Anesthesiology is joining healthcare providers nationwide in recognizing the unique skills of Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants (CAAs) during National CAA Week. As members of our anesthesia team, CAAs help provide each patient with the safest model of care. Our CAAs are dedicated, highly educated, and extensively trained…

Pain Medicine Fellowship Receives Grant from Boston Scientific

We are excited to announce that Rene Przkora, M.D., Ph.D., and the Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine Fellowship program have been awarded an educational grant from Boston Scientific. The Neuromodulation Fellowship Grant from Boston Scientific is intended to support professional education by providing funding for a limited number of medical fellowships…

Anesthesiology Wellness Program Expands as Healthy Habits Take Root

In the past three years, the Anesthesiology Wellness Program has grown substantially, adding eight thriving interest groups on topics ranging from cooking to meditation and increasing participation in all areas of the department by hosting speakers and events. The wellness program’s mission is to encourage physical activity and mental…

UF Health selected as study site for knee pain trial through EPPIC-Net

UF Health has been selected as one of 20 sites across the nation to participate in a trial of a new treatment for knee pain. The clinical trial is part of the ongoing NIH HEAL Initiative to identify nonopioid pain treatments. The trial, titled “A 24-week study to evaluate the…

Dr. Ogbemudia Honored by Nursing Staff for Outstanding Patient Care

Congratulations to anesthesiology intern Blessing Ogbemudia, M.D., who has been honored with the LEAD Resident Award presented by UF Health Shands Hospital nursing staff for his outstanding performance in promoting high-quality patient care. The award recognizes a resident who has gone above and beyond professionally and in their patient…

Dr. Reina is Co-Editor of New Textbook on Cervical Plexus Anatomy

Congratulations to Miguel Reina, M.D., Ph.D., a courtesy clinical professor of anesthesiology, who is an editor of a new textbook titled Surgical Anatomy of the Cervical Plexus and its Branches. Reina is also a coauthor on four chapters in the book, which was published by Elsevier in April 2021.

Celebrating National Nurses Week

Each year, National Nurses Week beings on National Nurses Day, May 6, and ends on Florence Nightingale’s birthday, May 12. Registered nurses in the United States constitute our nation’s largest health care profession and are an indispensable component of the safety and quality of care of hospitalized patients. We want…

April 2021 Publications

Congratulations to all who had articles published in April! Alzheimer’s Research &Therapy Wei YJ, Schmidt S, Chen C, Fillingim RB, Reid MC, DeKosky S, Solberg L, Pahor M, Brumback B, Winterstein AG. Quality of opioid prescribing in older adults with or without Alzheimer disease and related dementia. Alzheimers…

Dr. Enneking Receives 2021 Gaston Labat Award from ASRA

F. Kayser Enneking, M.D., has been honored with the 2021 Gaston Labat Award from the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine. She delivered a lecture at the 46th Annual Regional Anesthesiology and Acute Pain Medicine Meeting on May 15 as part of the Excellence in ASRA…

Residents of the Month

Please help us congratulate our Residents of the Month! February Resident of the Month: Aaron Hanson, M.D.  Dr. Hanson has consistently worked hard, willingly changed his schedule for the benefit of his colleagues, stepped up in multiple difficult cases to assist the attending, and served as a patient advocate. Special Recognition:…

Carley Hume Wins 2021 Rebecca Lovely Outstanding Service Award

Congratulations to Carley Hume, administrative assistant II, for being selected as the winner of the fifth annual Rebecca Y. Lovely Outstanding Service Award! Carley joined our department in early 2020 and has consistently demonstrated dedication, professionalism, efficiency, and enthusiasm in her role in the Chair’s Office. Nominators noted that…

Dr. Doré joins Editorial Board of Antioxidants

Congratulations to Sylvain Doré, PhD, FAHA, who has joined the Editorial Board of the peer-reviewed open access journal Antioxidants. Antioxidants is published online monthly by MDPI and has an impact factor of 5.014. In June, Dr. Doré was the senior author on an article published in Antioxidants titled…

Dave Hutchinson, MD, Receives Outstanding Resident Educator Award

We are proud to announce that third-year resident Dave Hutchinson, MD, has been honored with the 2020 Outstanding Resident Educator Award. This award is presented by the University of Florida’s Society of Teaching Scholars to one individual from each department. The award is intended to honor a resident who…

Lung transplants: An anesthesiologist’s vigilance

It’s 3 a.m., and an experienced hand gently squeezes the first breath into a patient’s newly perfused lung. On lung transplant time, vigilance is the defining word for anesthesiologists. While cases can start at any time of day, preparations often begin 8 to 12 hours in advance. Myriad uncertainties from…

March 2021 Publications

Congratulations to all who had articles published in March! Anesthesia & Analgesia Foley LJ, Urdaneta F, Berkow L, Aziz MF, Baker PA, Jagannathan N, Rosenblatt W, Straker TM, Wong DT, Hagberg CA. Difficult airway management in adult COVID-19 patients: statement by the Society of Airway Management. Anesth Analg.

Tammy Bleeker Joins the Department

Tammy Bleeker, M.Ed., joined us on April 5, 2021, as Assistant Director for Education and Training Programs. In this position, Tammy will oversee the operations of the Education Office. Tammy comes to us from the Department of Pediatrics in the UF College of Medicine, where she has worked for the…

2021-2022 Chief Residents Selected

The Anesthesiology Education Office and the Department of Anesthesiology Leadership are pleased to announce the selection of our three new chief residents for the upcoming academic year. David Hutchinson, M.D., Bill Mallett, M.D., and Nicole Premo, M.D. will serve from April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2022. To be selected,…

Happy National Doctors Day!

The UF Department of Anesthesiology is joining the healthcare community nationwide in honoring the extraordinary physicians who have dedicated their careers to caring for others. National Doctors Day provides an opportunity to thank the physicians who provide the highest quality patient care and to recognize their sacrifices. Doctors work long…

January 2021 Resident of the Month

Congratulations goes out to second-year resident Matthew Frakes, DO, for being voted the January Resident of the Month! Residents are nominated by their fellow residents and faculty in recognition of their hard work and one individual each month is chosen for going above and beyond the call of duty.

Dr. Frantz appointed ABA examiner for APPLIED Examination

Congratulations to Amanda Frantz, MD, who has been appointed to serve as an American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) examiner for the APPLIED Examination. In this position, she will play a critical role in the future of our specialty as part of a select group that helps the ABA identify…

Match Day 2021: Twenty-five physicians match with UF Anesthesiology

Twenty-five physicians have matched with our department to begin their Anesthesiology Residency with us in the upcoming academic year, including three graduates of the University of Florida College of Medicine. This year, our department interviewed approximately 270 candidates for the 20 positions of the categorical rank and five positions…

New transplant rotation available to residents

Anesthesiology residents now have the option to gain specialized experience with transplants through a dedicated 2-week rotation. Residents in their second and third clinical years who have had cardiovascular, neuro, and pediatric experience are eligible for the rotation. Residents on this rotation will have preference for lung, liver, and adult…

February 2021 Publications

Congratulations to all who had articles published in February! Anesthesia & Analgesia Baharloo R, Principe JC, Fillingim RB, Wallace MR, Zou B, Crispen PL, Parvataneni HK, Prieto HA, Machuca TN, Mi X, Hughes SJ, Murad GJA, Rashidi P, Tighe PJ. Slow dynamics of acute postoperative pain intensity time…

February 26 Is National Thank a Resident Day!

Residency is an integral period in medical training. We know that our residents work tremendously hard and are a vital part of our healthcare team. They are crucial resources for medical students and their fellow lower-level residents. This day, and every day, we thank our residents for their commitment to…

Staff honored with UF Superior Accomplishment Awards

We are excited to announce that two staff members – Kathy Parrish, MBA, and Christina Hendricks, MA – have been awarded 2020–2021 UF Superior Accomplishment Awards for their outstanding contributions to our department and institution during an especially challenging year.  The Superior Accomplishment Awards recognize faculty and staff who have shown efficiency or economy…

Dr. Price receives mid-career research award from International Neuropsychological Society

Congratulations to Catherine Price, PhD, ABPP/CN, who has been awarded a prestigious mid-career research award from the International Neuropsychological Society (INS). Dr. Price, an Associate Professor and Paul Satz Term Professor who co-directs the Perioperative Cognitive Anesthesia Network (PeCAN), received the Arthur Benton Award for Mid-Career Research at…

Dr. Loeb, Professor of Anesthesiology, retires after four years

This month we are saying farewell to Robert “Butch” Loeb, MD, an exemplary clinician who is retiring after four years with our department. Dr. Loeb joined the Department of Anesthesiology in March 2017 as a Professor of Anesthesiology in the Division of Multispecialty Anesthesiology. He started his academic career at…

Neuroanesthesiology Fellowship Receives International Accreditation

The Department of Anesthesiology’s Neuroanesthesiology Fellowship has received international accreditation, becoming only the 20th such program worldwide to receive that distinction from the International Council on Perioperative Neuroscience Training (ICPNT). The strength of the department’s application was the breadth and dedication of the faculty in the Division…

January 2021 Publications

Congratulations to all who had articles published in January! A&A Practice Hamlet KM, Pasternak E, Rabai F, Mufti M, Hernaiz Alonso C, Price CC. Perioperative multidisciplinary delirium prevention: a longitudinal case report. A A Pract. 2021 Jan 14;15(1):e01364. doi: 10.1213/XAA.0000000000001364. PMID: 33443846 Anesthesia & Analgesia Wang T, Sun…

Two Faculty Members Join Department of Anesthesiology as Joint Professors

A big welcome to Kimberly Sibille, PhD, MA, as a Joint Associate Professor with the Division of Pain Medicine, and Brent Carr, MD, as Joint Assistant Professor. Dr. Sibille is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Aging & Geriatric Research as well as Affiliate Faculty in the…

11 Faculty Receive 2020 Exemplary Teacher Awards

Eleven of our faculty have been awarded the Exemplary Teacher Award for 2020! Eligible faculty are nominated from each department and participate in a college-wide competition. Faculty are selected based on the excellence of their teaching of medical students, residents and fellows, graduate students, and post-docs, as well as mentorship…

Dr. Fahy Receives FEO for Coaching Training

Congratulations to Professor Brenda G. Fahy, MD, MCCM, who has received a Spring 2021 Faculty Enhancement Opportunity (FEO) award to complete a university-based Sherpa Executive Coaching Program to further her leadership and mentoring skills. Dr. Fahy received $4,666 in FEO funding to attend the fully immersive program, which she…

Longtime Professor Avner Sidi, MD, retires after 35 years

This month, we said farewell to longtime Professor of Anesthesiology Avner Sidi, MD, who retired after 35 years with the department. Dr. Sidi was a prolific author whose work on simulation, transplantation anesthesia, and other basic science concepts positively impacted the next generation of physicians and our field. He will…

December 2020 Publications

Congratulations to all who had articles published in December! Annals of Thoracic Surgery Corwin HL, Shander A, Speiss B, Muñoz M, Faraoni D, Calcaterra D, Welsby I, Ozawa S, Arnofsky A, Goldweit RS, Tibi P. Management of perioperative iron deficiency in cardiac aurgery: A modified RAND Delphi study.

Professor Ramachandran Ramani, MBBS, MD, Retires

This month, we are saying farewell to Ramachandran Ramani, MBBS, MD, a Professor of Anesthesiology in the Division of Neuroanesthesia and an internationally known expert on functional MRI, who has retired after­ five years with our department. Dr. Ramani joined us in January 2016 from Yale University School of Medicine.

GatorWorks 2020 Now Available

As 2020 comes to a close with vaccines arriving and hope abounding for 2021, take a look back with us at all we went through and achieved in the past year in the Department of Anesthesiology. View our annual edition of GatorWorks.

Courtesy professor named to Editorial Board of Clinical Anatomy

Congratulations to Miguel A. Reina, MD, PhD, who has been named to the Editorial Board of the journal Clinical Anatomy. Dr. Reina, who has been a Professor of Anesthesiology in the School of Medicine at the University CEU San Pablo since 2009, is serving as a yearlong Courtesy Professor in our…

Resident & Anesthetist of the Month: November 2020

Please join us in congratulating Bryan Ray, MD, and Maggie Green, CAA! Residents and anesthetists are nominated by residents and faculty for their hard work, motivation, and for going above and beyond in their duties. Dr. Ray was chosen as November resident of the month for his endurance and…

November Publications

Congratulations to all who had articles published in November! View post to read all the details.

Article on EPPIC-Net Published in ASA Monitor

Congratulations to Rene Przkora, MD, PhD, who is the lead author on an article published in the ASA Monitor about the ongoing National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded pain treatment research network involving the University of Florida. The article, titled “A Major Step to Improve…

Drs. Reynolds and Vasilopoulos to present at Research Reproducibility 2020

Two members of our department’s STatistics in Anesthesiology Research (STAR) Core will be presenting at the virtual Research Reproducibility 2020: Educating for Reproducibility conference from Dec. 2 to 3. The free conference is geared toward anyone interested in research reproducibility and training approaches, including educators in higher education, K-12, and…

Drs. Reina and Rosenberg named courtesy professors

Our department has announced the appointments of Miguel A. Reina, MD, PhD, and Henry Rosenberg, MD, as Courtesy Professors effective Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2021. Dr. Reina has been a Professor of Anesthesiology in the School of Medicine at the University CEU San Pablo since 2009. He has been…

Three Residents Scored Top 10% BASIC Exam

Third-year residents Joseph Aburahma, MD, Bill Mallett, MD, and Jay Nwokolo, MD, each scored in the top 10% of the American Board of Anesthesiology BASIC Examination in August, 2020. Scoring in the top ten percent among those who took the exam is a testament to the hard work and dedication…

UF team receives NIH funding to refine genetic markers in malignant hyperthermia

With funding and in collaboration with a group from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a team of UF researchers is working to refine the genetic markers of malignant hyperthermia (MH) using whole exome sequencing.   Ultimately, the project aims to make a genetic analysis a more reliable way to diagnose a person’s genetic susceptibility to malignant hyperthermia (MH), which is…

Dr. Acar Joins Department as Simulation Fellow

Yahya Ayhan Acar, MD, has joined us for a yearlong Simulation Fellowship in the Center for Safety, Simulation, and Advanced Learning Technologies (CSSALT). Dr. Acar is Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine in the Department of Emergency Medicine at University…

September 2020 Publications

Congratulations to all who had articles published in September! A&A Practice Gray CM, Adaralegbe AO, Kumar S. A case report of high cervical spinal cord stimulation for chronic otalgia and tinnitus. A A Pract. 2020 Jul;14(9):e01261. doi: 10.1213/XAA.0000000000001261. PMID: 32909723 American Journal of Medical Quality…

Dr. Zhu awarded grant for traumatic brain injury research

Congratulations to Jiepei Zhu, MD, PhD, who has been awarded an Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) grant to go on a yearlong assignment assisting with traumatic brain injury (TBI) research at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center. Dr. Zhu will serve…

Resident Spotlight: Fritz-Gerald Charles, MD

Fritz-Gerald Charles, MD, earned his undergraduate degree in Pre-Health Professions from Florida Atlantic University before attending UF’s College of Medicine. He also earned a Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Medicine Technology from Barry University in 2009, and an Associate of Arts in Pharmacy from Broward College in 2006. Now a third-year resident,…

Dr. Lampotang & team receive a UF innovation award for PanVentTM

Congratulations to Sem Lampotang, PhD, FSSH, FAIMBE, Gordon L. Gibby, MD, MSEE, David Lizdas, BSME, and their team, who have been honored with a UF Innovations of the Year award for the PanVentTM low-cost, open-source ventilator they created during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The award from UF…

Resident Spotlight: Lauren Smajdor, MD

Lauren Smajdor, MD, earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Florida before attending UF’s College of Medicine. Now a fourth-year resident, Dr. Smajdor received the CA2 Division of Acute Pain Award at our 2020 graduation ceremony. She also…

August 2020 Publications

Congratulations to all who had articles published in August! Annals of Thoracic Surgery Tinica G, Tarus A, Bacusca A, Furnica C, Chistol RO, Robicsek SA. “Carpe diem” professor – in memoriam of Francis Robicsek (1925-2020). Ann Thorac Surg. 2020…

Resident Spotlight: Lida Esfandiary, MD

Originally from Miami, Lida Esfandiary, MD, earned her undergraduate degree in biology at the University of Florida in 2014 before attending UF’s College of Medicine. In her final year of medical school, she earned the prestigious J.S. Gravenstein Award…

Dr. Berkow Has New Topic Published in UpToDate®

Lauren Berkow, MD, is the author of a new topic, “Complications of airway management in adults,” published in the database UpToDate® in July. The topic discusses potential complications during or…

New simulator aims to educate clinicians on pterygopalatine fossa block

The pterygopalatine fossa block simulator, built over the past year with a grant from the I. Heermann Anesthesia Foundation (IHAF), is now ready for validation with trainees. Ultimately, it could be used to train providers in several UF Health locations on as many as eight other head and neck blocks.

Pablo Pizarro Rosario, MD, Joins Department

Pablo Pizarro Rosario, MD, joined us on Aug. 17, 2020, as an Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology in the Division of Critical Care Medicine. He has more than 30 years of military service and joins us from the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth in Virginia, where he has served as a staff…

First-Year Anesthesiology Resident Elected to Housestaff Committee

Congratulations to Alicia McLeod, MD, for being elected to the University of Florida College of Medicine Housestaff Council Executive Committee! The Housestaff Council provides input to the Graduate Medical Education office on many issues and the Executive Committee guides some of the financial decisions for money used for housestaff. Dr.

Critical Care Medicine Hosts Core Skills Boot Camp

Sixteen fellows from the Departments of Anesthesiology, Emergency Medicine, Neurology, and Surgery had the opportunity to practice core critical care skills on simulation equipment during a multidisciplinary 3-day boot camp August 12-14. The 3 didactic days included lectures, interactive problem-based learning discussions, task training, team training, and simulation. Scheduling…

Welcome 2020 Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine Fellows

Six anesthesiologists began their Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine Fellowship with us this summer. Please help us welcome them to the team! Justin Alfonso, MD Residency Specialty: Anesthesiology Residency Institution: University of Florida Jacksonville Medical Education: American University of Antigua In his free time, Dr. Alfonso enjoys playing a variety of sports…

UF Health receives NIH grant for clinical trial on knee osteoarthritis pain

UF Health will become a study site of an NIH-funded research initiative aimed at comparing non-opioid treatments for managing knee pain associated with osteoarthritis.  The multicenter randomized controlled trial, called “A sequenced strategy for improving outcomes in persons with knee osteoarthritis pain (SKOAP),” will seek to optimize evidence-based approaches to managing pain associated with knee osteoarthritis and identify phenotypes that…

July 2020 Publications

Congratulations to all who had articles published in July! Addiction Zhou L, Bhattacharjee S, Kwoh K, Tighe PJ, Reisfield GM, Malone DC, Slack M, Wilson DL, Chang CY, Lo-Ciganic WH. Dual-trajectories of opioid and gabapentinoid use and risk of subsequent drug overdose among medicare beneficiaries in the united…

Welcome 2020 Fellows for Combined CT & CCM and Pediatric Anesthesiology

Welcome to our new Combined Cardiothoracic Critical Care Medicine Fellow and Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellow! Combined Cardiothoracic Critical Care Medicine Ahmad Parniani, MD Residency Specialty: Anesthesiology Residency Institution: Penn State Medical Education: University of Louisville In his free time, Dr. Parniani likes to travel. He enjoys bowling and billiards and…

Researchers awarded Department of Anesthesiology Research Opportunity Funds

The Department of Anesthesiology awarded four research grants to support anesthesiology faculty research. Fifteen applications were submitted and four proposals were selected and approved by leadership. The winners are Prodip Bose, PhD, Penny Reynolds, PhD, Richa Wardhan, MD, Anthony Cometa, MD, Brandon Lopez, MD, and Adam Wendling, MD.

June 2020 Publications

Congratulations to all who had articles published in June! American Journal of Transplantation Wallen TJ, Arnaoutakis GJ, Beaver T, Pelaez A, Chandrashekaran S, Shahmohammadi A, Emtiazjoo AM, Spiess B, Pipkin M, Machuca TN. Successful Bridge to Lung Transplantation with Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement. Am J Transplant. 2020 Jun 7.

Dr. Frantz awarded IHAF grant for research on total knee replacement surgery outcomes

Congratulations to Amanda Frantz, MD, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, who has been awarded a $42,110 grant from the I. Heermann Anesthesia Foundation, or IHAF. The yearlong grant titled “Exploration of Biomarkers and Clinical Assessment of Patients Undergoing Total Knee Replacement Surgery and Their Perioperative Outcomes” will begin Sept. 20.

Statisticians publish research showing need for improvement in animal-based research

Two members of our department’s Statistics in Anesthesiology Research (STAR) Core have published new research in the journal Military Medicine showing poor methodological quality in animal research studies, pointing to problems in clinical research translation and ethical issues for animal use. Penny Reynolds, PhD, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, and…

May 2020 Publications

Congratulations to all who had articles published in May! Annals of Work Exposures and Health Schirmer A, Sessions R, Gravenstein N, Rand K, Oli M, Cooper LA, Sappenfield JW. Isolation gowns as a potential work hazard. Ann Work Expo Health. 2020 May 6. pii: wxaa047. doi: 10.1093/annweh/wxaa047. [Epub ahead…

How to Become a CRNA or CAA in Florida

As members of the anesthesia care team, CRNAs and CAAs provide very important assistance to anesthesiologists in treating patients before and after surgery. They provide specialized knowledge, skillful expertise, and high-quality patient care techniques to ensure the well-being of every patient. How to Become a CRNA Certified registered nurse…

How to Become an Anesthesiologist in Florida

While the path to become an anesthesiologist is long — it will likely take at least 12 years to complete all of the necessary post-secondary education, and several years longer for those who want to specialize or obtain certifications that could enhance job prospects — the job outlook and salary…

Dr. Garvan awarded grant for SOLAR System project

Professor of Anesthesiology and Statistician Cynthia Garvan, PhD, has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the University of Florida Research Foundation Commercialization Fund to develop the “Strategies to Orient, Learn, and Achieve in Research – (SOLAR)” project. The award will be used to develop a web application…

April 2020 Publications

Congratulations to all who had articles published in April! Anesthesia & Analgesia Berkow L, Kanowitz A. COVID-19 putting patients at risk of unplanned extubation and airway providers at increased risk of contamination. Anesth Analg. 2020 Apr 16. doi: 10.1213/ANE.0000000000004890. [Epub ahead of print] Huffmyer JL, Fahy BG.

March 2020 Publications

Congratulations to all who had articles published in March! Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Liu L, Kelly MG, Yang XR, Fernandez TG, Wierzbicki EL, Skrobach A, Doré S. Nrf2 Deficiency Exacerbates Cognitive Impairment and Reactive Microgliosis in a Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Neuroinflammatory Mouse Model. Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2020 Mar…

UF Department of Anesthesiology rises in 2019 Blue Ridge rankings

Our department is now ranked #29 in the country among all anesthesiology departments for NIH research funding in the 2019 Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research rankings. The ranking is a jump from 2018, when the department was ranked #36. Among principal investigators in Anesthesiology, Rene Przkora, MD, PhD, Professor…

Residents score well on national American Board of Anesthesiology In-Training Examination

Congratulations to our department residents, who performed strongly overall on the American Board of Anesthesiology’s February 2020 administration of the In-Training Examination. Overall, our senior residents scored at or very close to the 90th percentile nationally. In addition, three of our senior residents achieved the highest possible scaled score of…

COVID-19 highlights need for blood donations

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to escalate, experts are warning of a dire shortage of blood as donors stay home and blood drives across the country are canceled. People should continue to donate blood while taking appropriate precautions and following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and…

February 2020 Publications

Congratulations to all who had articles published in February! Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Wendling AL, Byun SY, Koenig M, Vasilopoulos T. Impact of oral carbohydrate consumption prior to cesarean delivery on preoperative well-being: a randomized interventional study. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2020 Jan;301(1):179-187. doi: 10.1007/s00404-020-05455-z. Epub 2020 Feb 5.

Initiatives seek to mitigate pharmaceutical waste

A multipronged approach targeting pharmaceutical waste generated during anesthesia care has seen success by improving the efficiency of medication delivery and implementing new strategies for safely disposing of controlled substances.   The Department of Anesthesiology is seeking to reduce waste from upstream to downstream,…

CSSALT Works on Open Source Ventilator Design

The Center for Safety, Simulation, and Advanced Learning Technologies (CSSALT) has started an Open Source Ventilator Project to address the predicted worldwide ventilator shortage due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the most recent study, there are about 62,000 ventilators in hospitals…

Intern Education Month 2020

Many thanks to all who contributed to 2020’s Intern Education Month! Friday, February 7, 2020, was the last day of our Intern Education Month rotation and we’re happy to report that this year was another great success! Our interns took part in nineteen simulations, seventeen classroom sessions, eight shadow…

Prodip Bose, MD, PhD, Joins the Department

Prodip K. Bose, MD, PhD, has joined us as a Research Associate Professor. He currently holds joint appointments as an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurology in the College of Medicine and McKnight Brain Institute and as an Associate Professor in the Department of Physiological Sciences in the…

North Tower renovations progress with opening of first four operating rooms

After about nine months of extensive renovations that continued into last-minute finishing touches over the weekend, four completely upgraded and expanded North Tower operating rooms equipped with cutting-edge technology opened on Jan. 13. The four rooms are the first phase of a massive makeover to the North Tower, which will…

Acetaminophen Stewardship Team reduces costs with focus on strategic Tylenol use

Through efforts to educate providers about the importance of using costly intravenous acetaminophen (IV Tylenol) only when necessary, a new stewardship committee has been able to reduce costs at UF Health by more than $60,000 per month. Arvin Trippensee, DO, FASA, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, is spearheading the effort to encourage…

Dr. Spiess Pushes for Federal Patient Blood Management Legislation

The Department of Anesthesiology’s patient blood management program is pushing for federal legislation requiring hospitals that receive federal support to educate physicians about alternatives to blood transfusion and ways to reduce risk by using a patient’s own blood. Bruce D. Spiess, MD, FAHA, traveled to the…

André P. Boezaart, MD, PhD: Thank You

Dr. Boezaart brought passion, learning, and innovation, as well as his very special presence, and he will be missed. We would like to thank him for all of his efforts to make UF a better place.

Critical Care Medicine Fellows Gain Experience in Inaugural Boot Camp

Ten first-year fellows from the Departments of Anesthesiology, Neurology, and Surgery had the opportunity to practice core critical care skills on simulation equipment and gain exposure to new faculty during a multidisciplinary three-day boot camp. The inaugural Critical Care Medicine Boot Camp included lectures, task trainers, and Advanced…