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
Catherine Gould, PA-C
Physician Assistant
Parita Jani, MD
ACTA Fellow
Sherry McKinnon
Manager of Clinical Research, Regulatory and Compliance
Andrew Schaffer, MD
Resident Physician
Featured Anesthesiology Department Members Archive
Mitsukuni Yoshida, MD, PhD
Resident Physician, Class of 2026
Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: June 2022
Mitsu is a current resident physician in the Academic Scholar Advancement Program (ASAP) in the Department of Anesthesiology.
Raised in Tokyo, Japan, Mitsu graduated from Washington University School of Medicine in 2021 with MD and PhD in Neuroscience, studying the role of a blood-circulating enzyme and metabolites in systemic aging.
Outside of the hospital, Mitsu is a dedicated researcher and remains active in both clinical and basic science research. He is investigating the role of neurometabolism in the pathophysiology of delirium under the guidance of Dr. Ben Palanca. He also leads several basic science projects in the laboratory of Dr. Rajendra Apte, studying the role of metabolism and brain circuitry in aging and age-related diseases.
Mitsu holds a 5th-degree black belt in Japanese fencing (kendo) and teaches at the local community center. In his spare time, he enjoys learning new things, performing experiments, and spending time with his wife and three daughters.
Alexander Young, MD
Assistant Clinical Professor
Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: October 2022
Alexander Young is an assistant clinical professor in the West County division where he has been since 1999. He grew up in rural Arkansas and graduated from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 1990. He completed his residency at Barnes and worked in private practice for five years before returning to Washington University. Dr. Young enjoys working in the West County division because of the busy regional program and the wonderful people he works with.
Fun fact: Dr. Young owns a farm in Jefferson County where he breeds and raises American Quarter Horses!
Anna Rebecca Young, MD
Associate Professor, Anesthesiology
Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: October 2020
Rebecca is an Associate Professor in the division of Pediatric Anesthesia. She grew up in Atlanta, GA, and then Lexington, KY where she attended college, medical school, and residency, spending most of her summers in school overseas on medical outreach projects. She did her pediatric anesthesia fellowship at Washington University in 2012 and joined the faculty thereafter.
Rebecca is passionate about teaching and recently became the Director of Pediatric Anesthesia Education. She developed and helps direct the curriculum for the pediatric anesthesia fellowship, as well actively participating in medical student and resident education. In her new role, she is working to develop an expanded curriculum for the resident pediatric rotations. She also helps with the Gateway curriculum for medical students, as well as continuing her work with the pediatric anesthesia fellowship.
Outside of work, she spends her time with her husband and twin daughters, refurbishing their 1910 ‘fixer-upper,’ running, cycling, and skiing as much as possible. She also helps coach her daughters’ basketball and soccer teams.
Linda Yun
Manager of Clinical Trials and Operations
Department of Anesthesiology FAS Employee of the Quarter: September 2023
Linda is a clinical research professional with experience in project management, clinical trial feasibility review, trial design, as well as study start-up and execution. She began her WashU tenure as a clinical research coordinator (CRC) in Radiation Oncology. Since joining the Division of Clinical and Translational Research (DoCTR) in 2018 as a CRC, Linda has grown into an administrative management role as the division manager of clinical trials and operations. She supports the DoCTR research faculty and staff on a variety of research studies, collaborates with division peers and leaders, as well as works closely with the research business and financial teams on staffing and allocations.
In addition to her core responsibilities as the clinical trials manager, Linda is also a graduate of WashU’s Institute of Leadership Excellence’s inaugural Leadership Excellence and Development Program, a member of the Women of WUDA Steering Committee, and an incoming member of the Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity in Anesthesiology Task Force.
Prior to starting at WashU, Linda spent nearly ten years on the West Coast, and then five years living abroad. She spent a month backpacking around Europe before returning to her family and hometown. Since returning to St. Louis, she has spent her time re-acclimating to Midwest weather (she says it’s a long-term work-in-progress that may never end!), and eating lots St. Louis favorites like toasted ravioli and Imo’s. In her spare time, Linda enjoys trying out overly ambitious cooking recipes, reading mystery/thriller novels, and Olympic weightlifting.
Linda hopes to continue her ongoing journey of developing her leadership skills, as well as promoting equity and safe space culture in the division. She is grateful for the awesome colleagues, leaders, and mentors around her who provide the support and guidance to achieve success in her role! She gives the greatest thanks to all those in anesthesiology for nominating her as the Employee of the Quarter in October 2023!