In June, 25 of our residents are graduating and moving on in their careers. One of these outstanding graduates is Kellen Creech, D.O., MPH. Creech received his medical degree from Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine and served as one of our chief residents for the past academic year.
University of Florida Department of Anesthesiology members attended this year’s American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) annual meeting with faculty, staff, fellows, and residents sharing more than 25 posters and participating in numerous sessions, discussions, and panels. Held in San Antonio, Texas, from October 10-14, 2025, the ASA conference provided an…
Mid-April marked the end of the University of Florida College of Medicine’s Transition to Residency course led by Amanda Frantz, M.D., and organized by the UF Department of Anesthesiology. This three-week course is designed to prepare medical students for their next steps as residents and is the capstone to…
As we get closer to graduation, we want to take a moment to spotlight one of our CA3 residents: Vanessa Metellus, M.D. Metellus joined us as a CA1 in 2022. She received her medical degree from our own UF College of Medicine. After she graduates in June, Metellus will work…
Kraymer Eppich, M.D., was chosen by his peers as the February Resident of the Month! Eppich’s nominations praise him for his great attitude. They said that he went above and beyond, helping the team tirelessly and consistently. Eppich was also called out for a particular patient encounter in which he…
The University of Florida Department of Anesthesiology is proud to announce the selection of Kyle Chan, M.D., Kellen Creech, D.O., and Allyson Tragesser, M.D., as our anesthesiology chief residents for the 2025-2026 academic year. This talented trio will work collaboratively as the chief resident team, dedicated to serving their…
For four weeks at the beginning of each calendar year, first-year residents in the University of Florida Department of Anesthesiology participate in Intern Education Month. This rotation is filled with lectures, simulations, test prep, and shadowing. The month leads up to the In-Training Exam (ITE) that all anesthesiology residents take…
Please join us in congratulating Federico Jimenez Ruiz, M.D., assistant professor of anesthesiology in the Divisions of Pediatric Anesthesiology and Acute Pain Medicine, who was chosen by our residents as August’s Faculty Educator of the Month! See some highlights from his nominations below. “Dr. Jimenez Ruiz was an absolute pleasure…
The Department of Anesthesiology’s 2024 paired period team has successfully piloted a new model for the important work of helping anesthesiology interns transition into the operating room. The paired period is an essential way that the department provides mentorship, guidance, and support to interns during a challenging period of…
Congratulations to Tim Feldheim, M.D., and David Hutchinson, M.D., who have each been named assistant program directors in the department’s anesthesiology residency program. Feldheim, assistant professor in the Divisions of Pain Medicine, Multispecialty Anesthesia, and Vascular Anesthesia, has been named assistant program director of Resident Wellbeing. “It’s a huge…
Congratulations to Kellen Creech, D.O., for being selected the new co-chair of the Housestaff Quality and Patient Safety Committee (HQPSC)! Congratulations also to Dawei Guan, M.D., and Kendal Jenkins, M.D., for being selected as first-year members of the committee. All were selected based on their motivation to move quality care…
As the new academic year begins in earnest, we’re thrilled to welcome our incoming cohort of residents! Each year, our department conducts hundreds of interviews to ensure our incoming residents are among the most remarkable in the nation. We’re more than confident we’ve succeeded; the 25 physicians joining us…
Congratulations to Tatsiana Kryvitskaya, M.D., for being elected into the University of Florida College of Medicine Chapter of the Alpha Omega Alpha (AΩA) Honor Medical Society! Kryvitskaya is in her fourth year of residency and is currently one of our chief residents. The AΩA society was founded in 1902 and is the…
Congratulations to Casey Taylor, D.O., who was chosen by his colleagues as the January Resident of the Month! Dr. Taylor’s colleagues couldn’t say enough about his hard work and positive attitude. Read some quotes from his nominations below. Dr. Taylor is a wonderful resident, always goes above and beyond helping…
Congratulations to associate professor of anesthesiology Joshua Sappenfield, M.D., who was chosen by our residents as the December Faculty Educator of the Month! Check out some of the comments from his nominations to see why our residents love working with this talented physician. “Dr. Sappenfield is a great teacher, always…
Family and friends of our anesthesiology residents got a glimpse of the day-to-day life of a resident at the third annual Family Anesthesiology Day. Residency program director Tim Martin, M.D., MBA, and assistant program director Michael Fowler, M.D., MBA, led some introductory discussion with the help of a panel of…
In June, twenty-two of our residents took the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) BASIC Examination for the first time and all twenty-two of them passed, giving us a 100% pass rate! Â BASIC is the first written exam of the ABA board certification process and is administered to approximately 1,600…
It’s that time of year once more! Our halls are lively with the arrival of fresh faces, as a new cohort of residents and fellows joins our ranks. In our unwavering commitment to education, we seek out the most exceptional and talented individuals to become part of the University of…
Please help us congratulate our May 2023 Resident of the Month: Kelley Martin, M.D.! Dr. Martin was nominated by her fellow residents and faculty for her consistent hard work and dedication. Below are some quotes from her nominations. “Kelley is a superstar on so many levels. Her preparation of…
Rohan Patel, M.D., is the recipient of the 2023 JS Gravenstein Award. This award is presented each year to an outstanding University of Florida College of Medicine graduate who intends to pursue anesthesiology. Patel was selected by UF Department of Anesthesiology leadership based on his record of achievements and…
The 2023 Department of Anesthesiology Celebration of Research was held on March 29 to showcase the department’s exceptional research and encourage collaboration and mentorship. There were more than 100 attendees, including faculty, staff, residents, fellows and students. The event took place at the UF Health south tower conference rooms, where…
Please help us congratulate our December 2022 Resident of the Month: Gabriella Williams, M.D., CA-1! Dr. Williams was nominated by her fellow residents and faculty for her hard work and motivation and for going above and beyond in her duties. Below are some of the quotes from her nominations.
We are pleased to announce that 10 of our faculty received the Exemplary Teacher Award for 2022. 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…
Please help us congratulate our August 2022 Resident of the Month: Christopher Henson, M.D., CA-2! Dr. Henson was nominated by his fellow residents and faculty for his hard work and motivation and for going above and beyond in his duties. Below are some of the quotes from his nominations.
Basma Mohamed, MBChB Basma Mohamed, MBChB, assistant professor of anesthesiology and assistant program director for resident wellness, has been accepted into the Stanford Medicine WellMD & WellPhD Physician Well-Being Director Course. This virtual, six-week course endeavors to empower participants to catalyze meaningful local change, employ best practices, and help improve…
The 2022 Basic Skills Boot Camp prepared our intern class for the challenges of their first clinical year of residency through a dedicated week of lectures and simulation training. Over five days from June 6-10, residents received instruction on topics such as anesthesiology measurements and checks, emergency medicine, airway management…
Please help us congratulate our April 2022 Resident of the Month: Nicole Premo, M.D., CA-3! Dr. Premo was nominated by her fellow residents and faculty for her hard work and motivation and for going above and beyond in her duties. Below are some of the quotes from her nominations. “She…
Anesthesiology residents take the American Board of Anesthesiology BASIC Exam at the end of their first clinical year (CA-1) in June. It is the first of three staged examinations required for certification (the others are the Advanced and Applied). How We Prepare Our Residents Residents experience a steep…
At the end of March, our 2021-22 chief residents, David Hutchinson, M.D., Nicole Premo, M.D., and Bill Mallett, M.D., passed the torch to the next group of leaders. These residents provided exemplary leadership and enthusiasm during a challenging year. We caught up with them to ask how they reflect…
Please help us congratulate our March 2022 Resident of the Month: Matthew McGee, M.D., CA-2! Dr. McGee was nominated by his fellow residents and faculty for his hard work and motivation and for going above and beyond in his duties. Below are some of the quotes from his nominations. “He…
Fritz-Gerald Charles, M.D., a fourth-year resident, was honored with the opportunity to deliver the keynote address at this year’s Emerald Ball, part of Accepted Medical Student Weekend and a culmination of the UF College of Medicine’s Celebration of Diversity Week. The keynote on Saturday, April 9, was intended to be…
Our residents took home four out of six total awards at the 46th annual Gulf Atlantic Anesthesia Residents’ Research Conference (GAARRC) hosted by the Mayo Clinic from April 8-10. The department sent six residents to the conference and took home first place in the original research category and first, second,…
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. Shahrukh Bengali, M.D., Bryan Stevens, M.D., and Andrey Suprun, M.D., will serve from April 1, 2022 through March 31, 2023. To be selected,…
Kelly Spaulding, who worked tirelessly to make our residents and fellows feel at home and serve our faculty, retired this March after more than 30 years with the Department of Anesthesiology. Kelly’s unparalleled event-planning skills, knowledge, and good cheer have been vital to the successful operations of the Anesthesiology…
Fourth-year resident Joseph AbuRahma, M.D., has been elected into the Alpha Omega Alpha (AΩA) Honor Medical Society. AΩA, which was founded in 1902, is the only allopathic medical honor society in the United States. Election into the society is a lifelong honor that represents a commitment to professionalism, leadership,…
Please help us congratulate our December 2021 Resident of the Month: Angela Bott, D.O., CA-1! Dr. Bott was nominated by her fellow residents and faculty for her hard work and motivation and for going above and beyond in her duties. Below are some of the quotes from her nominations. “Angel…
Please help us congratulate Tammy Bleeker, M.Ed., C-TAGME, assistant director of education administration, who has been certified by the National Board for Certification for Training Administrators in Graduate Medical Education. Tammy earned the TAGME certification in November after she completed training and successfully passed an examination. The UF Graduate Medical…
We are excited to announce that 10 of our faculty have been awarded the Exemplary Teacher Award for 2021! 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,…
Please help us congratulate our October 2021 Resident of the Month: Miguel Rovira, M.D.! Dr. Rovira was nominated by his fellow residents and faculty for his hard work and motivation and for going above and beyond in his duties. Below are some of the quotes from his nominations. “Team player,…
Please help us congratulate our September 2021 Resident of the Month: Trevor Sudweeks, D.O.! Dr. Sudweeks was nominated by his fellow residents and faculty for his hard work and motivation and for going above and beyond in his duties. Below are some of the quotes from his nominations. “The man…
The University of Florida Department of Anesthesiology residency program is ranked fourth for reputation among anesthesiology residency programs in the South and 23rd in the United States, according to Doximity’s 2021-22 Residency Navigator. UF’s anesthesiology program is also ranked second in the South for research…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
The Department of Anesthesiology’s clinical rotation was honored with the Golden Apple Award for Clinical Science for the third year in a row during the College of Medicine’s Senior Student and Faculty Awards ceremony on May 7. Each year, the graduating class votes on the best clinical rotation of…
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…
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:…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Please join us in congratulating, Julie Holroyd, MD, our resident of the month for August! Residents were nominated by their fellow residents and faculty for their hard work, motivation, and going above and beyond in their duties. Fourth-year resident Julie Holroyd, MD, received the most nominations of any individual in…
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,…
Congratulations to fourth-year resident Milu Thakkar, MD, who has been selected to participate in the 2020 American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Resident Component House of Delegates as a Florida Resident Delegate. As a member of the governing council, the ASA Resident Component House of Delegates will provide Dr. Thakkar with exposure to…
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…
