Chair’s Awards
Selected by Greg Janelle, M.D., FASE, FASA, for outstanding service to the department.
- Best Faculty Member Award
- Best Resident Award
- Chair’s Quality Award
- Unsung Hero Award
- Chair’s Research Award
- Chair’s CRNA Award
- Chair’s CAA Award
- Chair’s Education Award
CRNA and CAA Choice Award
- CRNA and CAA Choice Resident of the Year
Outstanding Resident Awards
Selected by departmental faculty and presented by Timothy W. Martin, M.D., MBA, FASA, FAAP.
- Outstanding Senior Resident
- Outstanding Junior Resident
Division Awards
Selected by the faculty of each division.
- Outstanding Achievement in Obstetric Anesthesiology
- Outstanding Achievement in Transition to Practice
- Outstanding Achievement in Multispecialty Anesthesiology
- Outstanding Achievement in Critical Care Medicine
- Outstanding Achievement in Acute Pain Medicine
- Outstanding Achievement in Neuroanesthesiology
- Outstanding Achievement in NORA
- Outstanding Achievement in Perioperative Medicine
- Outstanding VA Resident
- Outstanding Achievement in Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology
- Outstanding Achievement in Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine
- Outstanding Achievement in Liver & Transplant Anesthesiology
- Outstanding Achievement in Pediatric Anesthesiology
Residents’ Awards
Selected by residents and presented by the 2025-26 chief residents: Kyle Chan, M.D., Kellen Creech, D.O., and Allyson Tragesser, M.D.
- Exceptional CRNA or CAA of the Year
- Distinguished Team Player
- Michael E. Mahla Exceptional Resident of the Year
Teaching Awards
Selected by the senior residents and presented by the 2024-25 chief residents: Alex Horowitz, D.O., Bobby Houston, M.D., and Georgeanna Tsoumas, D.O.
T.W. Andersen Teacher of the Year
Torkhild W. Andersen, M.D., was the department’s very first faculty member. As a pioneering anesthesiologist in Denmark, Dr. Andersen made significant contributions by demonstrating the effectiveness of artificially supporting ventilation in patients with acute poliomyelitis. This approach helped many patients regain their ability to breathe independently. Dr. Andersen also collaborated with Dr. Bernard Briggs to establish the Respiratory Intensive Care Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, one of the first in the country. Dr. Andersen’s work has earned him international recognition. He joined the UF Department of Anesthesiology at its founding in 1958 and was recognized by our residents with the Outstanding Teacher Award every year from 1958-1978. The award was renamed the T.W. Andersen Teacher of the Year in 1995, and Drs. Nik Gravenstein and Kayser Enneking were the first joint recipients.
Haven M. Perkins Lifetime Teaching Award
Haven M. Perkins, M.D., was the department’s first resident. Before becoming an anesthesiology resident, he was a board-certified general and cardiac surgeon. In his late thirties, Dr. Perkins developed an allergy to pHysoHex, which is used exclusively to scrub one’s hands prior to surgery, and decided to try his hand at anesthesiology. After his residency, Dr. Perkins remained on faculty until he was 77 years old. Fondly known as “Perk,” he was famous for his original West Virginia philosophical sayings, known as “Perkisms.”
Anesthesiology Resident Graduates
Program Director: Timothy W. Martin, M.D., MBA, FASA, FAAP
Assistant Program Directors: Timothy Feldheim, M.D., Michael Fowler, M.D., Amanda Frantz, M.D., David Hutchinson, M.D., and Karisa Walker, M.D.
Nnamdi Achebe, M.D.
Dr. Achebe will join U.S. Anesthesia Partners.
Stacia Andrews, M.D.
Dr. Andrews will join Advocate Aurora St. Luke’s in Milwaukee, WI.
Tony Boateng, M.D.
Dr. Boateng will remain at UF for Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Fellowship.
Kevin Clark, M.D.
Dr. Clark will remain at UF for Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Fellowship.
Alex Horowitz, D.O.
Dr. Horowitz will will remain at UF for Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Fellowship.
Bobby Houston, M.D.
Dr. Houston will pursue a Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
Robert Hutnik, M.D.
Dr. Hutnik will join Envision Anesthesiologists of Greater Orlando in Winter Garden, FL.
Meena Kanhai, M.D.
Dr. Kanhai will remain at UF for Regional Anesthesiology & Acute Pain Medicine Fellowship.
Linda Lange, D.O.
Dr. Lange will join Naval Hospital Jacksonville in Jacksonville, FL.
Ashlyn Mason, M.D.
Dr. Mason will join U.S. Anesthesia Partners in Maitland, FL.
Tyler McKenzie, M.D.
Dr. McKenzie will join North Florida Regional Medical Center in Gainesville, FL.
Olesia Merinova, M.D.
Dr. Merinova will pursue a Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Fellowship at the University of Alabama.
Vanessa Metellus, M.D.
Dr. Metellus will join a private practice.
Hamad Sagheer, M.D.
Dr. Sagheer will join UF Health Jacksonville in Jacksonville, FL.
Sayoni Saha, M.D.
Dr. Saha will pursue Pediatric Anesthesia Fellowship at Boston’s Children Hospital.
Alisha Shah, M.D.
Dr. Shah will remain at UF for Regional Anesthesiology & Acute Pain Medicine Fellowship.
Vlad Toropchyn, M.D.
Dr. Toropchyn will remain at UF for Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine Fellowship.
Georgeanna Tsoumas, D.O.
Dr. Tsoumas will join Northwell Health Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, NY.
Andrew Tucker, II, D.O.
Dr. Tucker will join a private practice.
Michael Walsh, M.D.
Dr. Walsh will join Cleveland Clinic – Hillcrest Hospital in Ohio.
Jessica Webber, M.D.
Dr. Webber will be considering various career paths and opportunities.
Gabriella Williams M.D.
Dr. Williams will join U.S. Anesthesia Partners in Orlando, FL.
Tanner McKai Wood, M.D.
Dr. Wood will join Winchester Anesthesiologists, Inc. in Winchester, VA.
Talmage Wood, M.D.
Dr. Wood will join Mountain West Anesthesia in Utah.
Acknowledgements
Our residency and fellowship programs would not be as successful as they are today without the tireless efforts of our faculty.
We are grateful for the unwavering support of Dr. Janelle and the department’s leadership team, which enables our programs to deliver exceptional training.
We are grateful to our administrative staff for their conscientiousness and support of our trainees.
We are indebted to our chief residents, Alex Horowitz, D.O., Bobby Houston, M.D., and Georgeanna Tsoumas, D.O., who led our residents over the past academic year. Their contributions to the residency program will be felt for many years to come.
Through the ever-changing landscape of hospital, departmental, and program priorities, the staff members of our education office remain steadfast in their dedication to supporting our residents and fellows as they become leaders in their field.
Thank you.