Abdominal Organ Transplant Anesthesiology Fellowship

WashU Medicine and its affiliated hospital, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, are high-volume transplant centers and internationally recognized leaders in organ transplantation. Both institutions provide an exceptional environment for training in basic and clinical sciences and have a strong strategic commitment toward advancing the organ transplant program.

How to apply:

Please send your completed fellowship application and the following additional materials to Natasha Barclay.

• Personal statement
• Headshot photo
• CV
• At least 3 letters of recommendation
• USMLE certificate
• ECFMG certificate (IMG only)
• Medical school transcript 
• Proof of completion of residency in anesthesiology
  • Certificate of completion or summative exit evaluation
  • If a current U.S. CA-3 resident, provide details
• Status of anesthesiology board certification
  • If certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology, provide ABA diploma number
  • If certified by a foreign board, provide evidence of certification
  • If not certified, provide information about eligibility and current progress toward certification
• Visa eligibility (IMG only) – We accept a variety of visas but cannot sponsor new H-1 visa applications at this time. Our program is open to considering applicants who are currently on a H1B visa, but please note that we cannot guarantee sponsorship of any particular visa.

Next Steps:

1. Selected candidates will be interviewed via telephone or zoom, followed by an optional in-person campus visit at the candidate’s request.
2. Our fellowship program director, along with division leadership, will evaluate candidates based on residency performance, recommendations, and a demonstrated interest in trauma care.

Fellowship Director

George Richard Benzinger III, MD, PhD

Professor, Anesthesiology

• Email: benzingerg@nospam.wustl.edu

Fellowship Coordinator

Natasha Barclay

Fellowship Program Coordinator

• Email: b.natasha@nospam.wustl.edu

Barnes-Jewish Hospital is a dynamic, high-volume transplant center. We have a dynamic interdisciplinary group, comprising anesthesiologists, surgeons, hepatologists, dietitians, social workers, and other transplant professionals.

Trainees in the program are exposed to every aspect of care of the liver transplant recipient – from evaluating candidate’s acceptability for transplant to postoperative management in the ICU. The focus of the fellowship is the intraoperative anesthetic management of transplant recipients. Comprehensive clinical training with structured teaching in thromboelastometry, novel hemodynamic monitoring modalities, and transesophageal echocardiography enriches the clinical experience. Trainees become familiar with the implications of the various surgical techniques employed, including veno-venous bypass and the piggyback technique.

Under supervision, fellows serve as consultants to evaluate potential liver transplant recipients. Fellows attend weekly Multidisciplinary Listing Meetings to discuss the suitability of candidates as well as participate in weekly multidisciplinary Morbidity and Mortality Liver Transplant Conferences to optimize patient care.

The fellowship experience is rounded by rotations in a state-of-the-art surgical intensive care unit, blood bank, and transplant surgery service. Additional rotations can be organized based on the trainee’s interests.

The transplant group shares operating rooms and is fully clinically and educationally integrated with the cardiothoracic anesthesia group. This dynamic allows for Fellows to learn transesophageal echocardiography from experts in the field and become eligible for certification in Basic Perioperative Echocardiography.

Below is an example of an intraoperative TEE, demonstrating a positive bubble study in a patient with hepatopulmonary syndrome.

The didactic curriculum and clinical training are under the care of a multidisciplinary team of physicians, including anesthesiologists, intensivists, transplant surgeons, hematologists, and hepatologists. Conferences include the following:

• Abdominal Organ Transplant Lecture Series: a monthly, multi-disciplinary conference with lectures that reinforce fundamentals and provide insight into the current issues in transplantation.
• Transplant Anesthesia Journal Club: a conference dedicated to transplant anesthesia.
• Echocardiography Conference: a weekly conference (OR schedule permitting) lead by cardiothoracic anesthesiologists.
• Hepatobiliary, Transplant, Vascular and Cardiothoracic Anesthesia Conference: a weekly subspecialty conference.

Fellows have protected time for research throughout the year and are encouraged to take advantage of numerous research opportunities available either within the Department of Anesthesiology or in collaboration with other departments in the Medical Center.

Fellowship experience will be tailored to the individual candidate’s needs and goals. We encourage interested, board-eligible applicants to contact us and discuss their specific career goals.