Welcome to the Department of Anesthesiology
The Department of Anesthesiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis is one of the most successful and innovative anesthesiology programs in the U.S. We have a long and rich history of excellence in the multi-faceted missions of collaborative patient care, education, and research.
We invite you to explore our department website and join our vibrant community.
Train here,
thrive anywhere.™
Our training programs prepare tomorrow’s leaders in clinical and academic medicine.
Groundbreaking Research
The department is heavily funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health and has ranked among the top five anesthesiology departments in NIH dollars for over 15 years.
Committed to providing exceptional patient care
We work collaboratively with our partners at Washington University School of Medicine and the nationally ranked Barnes-Jewish Hospital system to continuously improve the health and well-being of the people in our community. We take pride in being leaders in the rapidly-advancing field of anesthesiology – encompassing perioperative medicine, peripartum and critical care, and pain management.
Featured Anesthesiology Department Members
Christina Caldwell
Christina has worked at WashU since May 2010, and has been with the department in the Research division since 2013. She currently manages procurement, expenses, onboarding of new employees, visas, and office management. Christina is originally from St. Peters, MO, and found her passion for traveling during high school when she had the opportunity to travel to Quebec/Montreal, Canada, and Egypt. She also participated in two mission trips to Reynosa, Mexico, and spent the summer of 2002 in Sevilla, Spain with the Center for Cross-Culture Study. Christina attended Missouri Baptist University where she studied Business Administration and Spanish. She lives with her son, Dominic, and German Shepherd/Rhodesian Ridgeback mix, Jonah. Aside from traveling, she also enjoys history and any water-related fun.
Brad Fritz, MD, MSCI
Alex Hincker, MD
Alex was born and raised in Virginia. He graduated from the University of Virginia with bachelor’s degrees in psychology and biology. After medical school at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Alex joined the department in 2013 as an anesthesia resident. He subsequently completed fellowships here in both obstetric anesthesiology and pain management. Combining these sometimes disparate interests, his research focuses on neuropathic pain, opioid analgesia, and management of the high-risk parturient. Clinically, Alex can be usually be found at Barnes Jewish Hospital on Labor and Delivery or in the ORs, though he also spends time at Missouri Baptist Medical Center and Progress West Hospital. He is particularly excited about his role as Chief of Fetal Surgery Anesthesiology, where he works in a large and talented interdisciplinary team to coordinate in-utero surgery on fetuses with a variety of complex pathologies. Outside of the hospital, Alex enjoys working out and taking in the St. Louis’s greatest offerings, including the local craft beers, accessible hiking trails, and Sugarfire BBQ.
Department Updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Our department is closely monitoring the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). See the latest departmental updates and resources on the coronavirus page.
Latest News
Pratik Sinha, MBChB, PhD, joins department
Uchenna Ofoma, MD, appointed Director of the Christian Hospital Intensive Care Unit
Simon Haroutounian, PhD, appointed Chief of the Division of Clinical and Translational Research (DoCTR)
Why we love St. Louis
Here you’ll find charming neighborhoods, vibrant cultural and culinary scenes, and plenty of fun for nature-lovers and urbanites alike – all packed into an incredibly affordable city.