Our success is intimately linked to the accomplishments of each and every member of our department.
Each month, four members are nominated and featured to celebrate their commitment to patient care, education, and research.
Current Featured Anesthesiology Department Members
Ream Al-Hasani, PhD
Associate Professor, Anesthesiology
Ashley DuBois, CRNA
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
Ivan Torres
Assistant Supervisor for Insurance Billing
Muthu Vijayasankar, MD
Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology
Featured Anesthesiology Department Members Archive
Avi Dobrusin, MD
Resident Physician, Class of 2024; Chief Resident 2023-2024
Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: January 2024
Avi Dobrusin is a CA-3 and Chief Resident in the Department of Anesthesiology at WashU Medicine. Originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, he attended Emory University where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology and Human Biology. Following graduation, Avi worked as an emergency medical technician in Atlanta and then went to Central Michigan University for medical school before moving to St. Louis for residency. Next year, he will start fellowship training in cardiothoracic anesthesiology and critical care medicine. He looks forward to pursuing a career in academic anesthesiology and medical education.
Outside of work, Avi enjoys cycling, hiking, geocaching, and cooking. His lifelong goal is to travel to visit every national park – so far he is at 15!
Julie Drobish, MD, MA
Director of Pediatric Liver Transplant Anesthesia; Associate Professor, Anesthesiology
Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: February 2023
Julie Drobish, MD, MA, is an assistant professor of anesthesiology at Washington University School of Medicine. Originally from Pennsylvania, she earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from the Pennsylvania State University Schreyer Honors College. She completed her medical degree and master’s degree in neuroscience at Washington University School of Medicine in 2009. She trained at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania for her anesthesiology residency, followed by fellowship training in pediatric anesthesiology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Dr. Drobish practiced general and pediatric anesthesia at Hershey Medical Center for two years before returning to St. Louis to join the Washington University faculty in 2016. She now practices pediatric anesthesia at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and Shriners Hospital for Children. She became the director of pediatric liver transplant anesthesia in 2019. Her clinical interests include anesthesia for liver and kidney transplants, management of congenital cardiac disease for noncardiac surgery, and volunteering for medical outreach trips.
Ashley DuBois, CRNA
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: June 2026
Ashley DuBois is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist who joined WashU Medicine in 2023 after earning her Doctorate of Nurse Anesthesia Practice from Webster University. Prior to becoming a CRNA, she gained critical care experience at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in the Cardiothoracic ICU.
In her current role, Ashley works closely with surgical teams to provide anesthesia care for patients across a variety of procedures, and she floats across the Barnes-Jewish campus to multiple procedural and surgical pods. Ashley enjoys caring for a wide variety of patients and embraces the challenges of acute and critical care environments often associated with complex surgical settings such as trauma cases, emergent procedures, and critically ill ICU patients.
Outside of work, Ashley enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and two dogs, as well as trying new restaurants, enjoying good food, and traveling whenever possible.
Nicole Durko, MD
Director of Obstetric Anesthesiology, Missouri Baptist Hospital
Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: July 2021
Nicole was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. She completed her residency at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in 2005 and followed her husband to St. Louis, where she completed her Obstetric Anesthesiology fellowship under Dr. Barbara Leighton in 2006. After fellowship, Nicole left St. Louis for two years and returned to our department in 2008. She spends her clinical time at Missouri Baptist Hospital, which she often refers to as “her home away from home.” In 2015, Nicole was appointed director of obstetric anesthesiology at Missouri Baptist.
Nicole and her husband George have a 13-year-old son, Drake, who attends Chaminade College Preparatory School and an 11-year-old daughter, Nina, who attends Oak Hill School. They spend their family time outdoors in Forest Park, playing tennis and golf at Norwood Hills, and traveling with their son Drake’s hockey team. The Durkos also love dining out and discovering new local places to enjoy with friends and family.