An announcement from Drs. Robert Swarm and Michael Avidan:
It is with mixed emotions that we inform you of Dr. Michael Bottros’ resignation from the Department of Anesthesiology effective July 1, 2020. For personal/family reasons, Dr. Bottros and his family found it imperative that they relocate to Los Angeles, where he has recently accepted the position of Chief of Pain Medicine at University of Southern California (USC), Department of Anesthesiology. At USC, he will oversee all acute and chronic pain services at Keck Hospital, Los Angeles County Hospitals, and affiliated satellite clinics in southern California. Of course, we rejoice with Dr. Bottros and his family as they celebrate this relocation, but we are saddened to be winding up his work with us in the Department over the coming few months.
Dr. Bottros began his work in the Department of Anesthesiology 20 years ago, as a Washington University undergraduate student researcher in Dr. Michael Crowder’s Anesthesiology research lab. Dr. Bottros subsequently participated in Departmental research with Drs. Crowder, Avidan, and others throughout the medical school at Washington University and anesthesiology residency in our department. Following a Pain Fellowship at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, Dr. Bottros returned to our Pain Management Division as an Anesthesiology faculty member in 2011.
Dr. Bottros has been a superb faculty member of our Department. He has contributed outstanding leadership in acute and chronic pain clinical practice, education, research, and administration. Under his leadership, the Acute Pain Service was established at BJH in 2013 and rapidly became an essential component of perioperative care for thousands of patients annually. His many important contributions to our chronic pain practice include the introduction of ultrasound guidance for many injection procedures, and broadening the use of radiofrequency neuroablation techniques. Acknowledgments of his contributions to education include the Department of Anesthesiology Teacher of the Year Award (2015) and Department of Surgery “Friend of the Surgery Resident Award” (2015). He has also made important contributions to Pain Medicine and Anesthesiology through highly-ranked journal publications and textbook contributions, as well as over 100 local, national, and international presentations. Dr. Bottros’ administrative leadership has extended well beyond the Acute Pain Service to broadly impact the delivery of pain management across the Washington University Medical Center, and he became Associate Chief of the Pain Management Division in 2017.
As much as Dr. Bottros’ leadership will be missed across our Department, we are certain that his contributions will be of great benefit to his new colleagues and patients at the University of Southern California! Please help us in congratulating Dr. Bottros on his new position and wishing him continued success.
Robert Swarm, MD
Professor of Anesthesiology and Chief, Division of Pain Management
Washington University School of Medicine
Michael S. Avidan, MBBCh, FCASA
Dr. Seymour and Rose T. Brown Professor of Anesthesiology
Head of the Department of Anesthesiology
Anesthesiologist-in-Chief, Barnes-Jewish Hospital