People

Medical School: University of Minnesota Medical School

Residency: WashU Medicine — Anesthesiology (2022-2027)

Fellowship: WashU Medicine — Regional Anesthesiology and Acute Pain Fellow (2025-26)

* ASAP

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: November 2024

Rebecca is a CA-2 resident in the Department of Anesthesiology at WashU Medicine. Originally from Central Wisconsin, she grew up as a competitive ice dancer, training intensively and eventually performing professionally with Disney On Ice. Over her three-year career with Disney, Rebecca toured extensively across the U.S. and Southeast Asia, visiting countries like Thailand, Singapore, Japan, and Malaysia.

Following a sports-related injury that ended her skating career, Rebecca shifted her focus to academics. She earned a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry from Hamline University in Minnesota while working as a lab technician and junior scientist in pain research. Her passion for understanding pain mechanisms led her to the University of Minnesota, where she completed the Medical Scientist Training Program, earning both her MD and a PhD in neuroscience with a focus on basic pain research.

Now part of the ASAP training program at WashU Medicine, Rebecca is preparing to begin a fellowship in regional anesthesia in February. She plans to continue her research into pain modulation, specifically examining the spinal cord's dorsal horn circuitry.

Division of Research

WashU Medicine Pain Center

Assists Drs. Robert Gereau and Jose Moron-Concepcion

Medical School: Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine-Stratford (Rowan SOM)

Residency: Lehigh Valley Health Network/USF Residency Program

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: January 2024

Joshua Spiro, MD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology working primarily at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Spiro grew up in Arizona where he spent many summers working with kids as a camp counselor. After medical school at the University of Arizona, Dr. Spiro subsequently completed residency at the University of Pennsylvania and a pediatric fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. As an attending, he continues to love working with children and teaching in all capacities. When not at work, he enjoys reading science fiction, cooking, and asking his wife if she’s seen all the funny memes he sends her.

Fun Fact: Dr. Spiro started breakdancing while in college and still battles intermittently under his childhood nickname: "Brown Sugar."