Profiled

Department of Anesthesiology – APP of the Quarter: September 2019

Trish graduated from the ACNP program at Saint Louis University and joined the department in 2012 and is one of the Leadership APP's for 44ICU and 78ICU. In addition to her work in the Department of Anesthesiology, she serves in the Air Force Reserve at Scott Air Force Base. Her dog, Lexi, is certified as a therapy dog and Trish enjoys patient and staff visits with her. For fun, Trish enjoys traveling and hiking and is looking forward to an upcoming vacation to Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos.

Trish was named the Q2 2020 APP of the Quarter! She is an involved leader with excellent clinical skills. Trish is a very dependable, dedicated, and valued member of our group. Congratulations, Trish!

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: August 2022

Michael has served as the Department of Anesthesiology’s mail carrier for over twenty years. You can usually find him - and his ever-present smile - bustling about the Medical School campus as he manages the department’s never-ending flow of deliveries and packages.

Born and raised in University City, Michael attended the Miriam School and Annunziata Special Learning Center, and graduated from Ladue High School. He is the oldest of three brothers and the devoted uncle to three nieces and two nephews.

Michael’s can-do attitude, especially with the personal challenges he overcomes daily, is inspiring to all who work and interact with him. He is always available to assist and goes the extra mile for the department to complete his tasks correctly and very promptly. Off-campus, he is quick to explain how proud he is to be a part of the department and, in particular, how grateful he is for the support, encouragement, and many kindnesses he receives every day from each of his department colleagues and the Medical School community at large.

Michael is an avid sports fan, especially the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Blues, and has an encyclopedic knowledge of the games he’s attended for many years. He particularly enjoys fishing, jigsaw puzzles, and traveling with his family. He looks forward to monthly book club meetings with his fellow Pathways To Independence participants and proudly serves on the Ship Sponsor’s Advisory Committee for the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), which he has visited onboard several times.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: September 2024

As the Project Manager of Research Technology, Eric has been dedicated IT within the Department of Anesthesiology for the past 13 years at WashU Medicine. He joined the department in 2011, and in his current role, provides IT assistance in the form of pc equipment, break fix issues, consultation, working with WUIT to assist and expedite our department’s ticketed issues, and provides the best customer service that could ever be provided. He assists the department in the areas of clinical, research, administration, and management.

Outside of work, Eric spends much of his time doing yard work and spending time with his family. He also enjoys concerts and traveling with his family as well.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: November 2023

After a decade working in the Graduate School at the University of the Philippines, Gigi moved to the US and landed a job in the Department of Anesthesiology in April 2012. Her current role is Senior Accounts Payable Specialist. She’s been with the department for almost 12 years. Her previous roles in the Chairman’s Office, Credentialing and HR/Payroll, gave her a unique “big picture” view of the department. She won the coveted Financial and Administrative Staff Employee of the Quarter twice and has been nominated three times.

In her spare time, she likes spending time with her family, cooking, gardening, and binge-watching K-dramas.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: March 2021

Dr. James Wirthlin is a current CA-3 resident and an active-duty Major in the U.S. Air Force. Jim was born and raised in Salt Lake City, UT where he met and married his high school sweetheart, Sarah. He attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah receiving a B.S in chemical engineering. After graduation and commissioning as an officer in the USAF, Jim went on to attend medical school at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, MD.

During Jim’s previous military station as a flight surgeon in the 391st Fighter Squadron at Mountain Home AFB, ID, he flew in his favorite aircraft the F-15E Strike Eagle and has accumulated over 500 flight hours in 15 different military airframes during his career.

When choosing to train at WashU, the patient diversity and high volume of trauma were major factors, as he wanted to be proficient to handle any future case in peace or wartime. After graduation, he will stay on for a 1-year fellowship in regional anesthesia and acute pain and then return to the USAF Medical Corp as a clinical anesthesiologist.

Jim currently lives in Fenton, Missouri with his wife of 15 years and their 4 children. He is an avid water & snow skier, runner, and mountain biker. Jim is also a music enthusiast who loves to sing, play piano, and guitar. Jim speaks fluent German due to a 2-year church mission he served in Switzerland, and his current hobbies include RC scale jet and airplane flying, building scale models, and playing video games with his kids.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: December 2020

Dr. Maxim Wolfson is an instructor in the Divisions of Regional & Ambulatory Anesthesiology and General Anesthesiology.

Originally born in Minsk, Belarus, Dr. Wolfson lived in Jerusalem, Israel for several years before settling in St. Louis at a young age. Dr. Wolfson attended WashU, graduating summa cum laude with a BS in biomedical engineering in 2010 before earning his MD there in 2015. While at WashU as a medical student, Dr. Wolfson performed perioperative outcomes and EEG clinical research with Dr. Michael Avidan, who first sparked his interest in pursuing a career in anesthesiology.

Dr. Wolfson was honored to join our Department of Anesthesiology in 2015 for residency and then fellowship in regional and ambulatory anesthesia. During this time, he has had the opportunity to represent our department on international educational and mission trips to Guatemala and the Philippines. Besides regional anesthesia, his special interests are in quality improvement initiatives as well as education and mentoring of medical students, residents, and fellows.

Max and his wife, Tiffany, have a dog and an aquarium of fish. His hobbies include collecting coins, rooting on his childhood team, the Blues, and traveling to new places.

Department of Anesthesiology – FAS Employee of the Quarter: March 2021

Erin was born and raised across the river in Southern Illinois and has enjoyed a varied educational and career background that has led to; out-planting federally endangered orchid species in the Hawaiian islands, gaining an MS in Plant Pathology from the University of Florida, and a rewarding career in nonprofit communications upon first returning to the Midwest. Ultimately, Erin joined the Department of Anesthesiology as a Residency Program Coordinator in 2018. In her words, “It’s both a challenging and rewarding position – it’s certainly never boring!”

Erin currently resides in Old North St. Louis where she and her fiancé James are working to restore their historic home (124 years and counting!). When not working on the house, she loves cycling, hiking, working in her extensive backyard garden, and enjoying dinner parties with her neighbors.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: January 2026

Eric is a critical care nurse practitioner within the Department of Anesthesiology. He joined the department in 2018 and currently practices in the Intensive Care Units at Progress West Hospital and Memorial Hospital - Belleville. In addition to his clinical work, Eric serves as a WashU Medicine Wellness Champion and is an active member of the Department of Anesthesiology’s Social and Well-Being Committee, where he supports initiatives focused on clinician wellness, connection, and professional engagement.

Eric earned his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Missouri in 2007 and spent nine years working as a bedside ICU nurse prior to becoming a nurse practitioner. He completed his degree at Maryville University in 2016, followed by a post-master’s ACNP certificate from the Goldfarb School of Nursing in 2019.

Originally from a small-town south of St. Louis, Eric enjoys spending time with friends and family, golfing, playing disc golf, chess, gardening, and tackling DIY home projects. He is married, has four children, and shares his home with three miniature schnauzers.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: September 2019

Branden is an Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and serves as the Director of Anesthesiology and Co-Medical Director at the Center for Advanced Medicine at South County. Dr. Yee has been with the Department of Anesthesiology since 2012. In addition to his clinical contributions, he serves as a member of the case review committee and has led several quality improvement projects within the department and hospital. While outside the hospital, you can find Dr. Yee spending time reading to his children and traveling.

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.