Profiled

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: November 2025

Jeffrey Wherritt is a current pediatric anesthesiology fellow at WashU Medicine. Originally from Wichita, Kansas, he played collegiate tennis at the Division II level before earning his medical degree from Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCU-COM). He then completed his anesthesia residency at WashU Medicine and stayed for fellowship.

Outside of work, he enjoys exploring St. Louis’s vibrant restaurant scene, spending time with his family, and cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs. His favorite hobbies include golf, tennis, and pickleball. He is passionate about patient care and looks forward to carrying that same dedication into his future career.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: November 2024

Dyan was born in Oxfordshire, England, to a U.S. military family and spent much of her life moving between the U.S. and the U.K. before settling in Birmingham, Alabama, to pursue her education. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, with additional studies in communicable diseases.

Dyan dedicated over a decade to researching chronic pain and discrimination among individuals with and without HIV. As the supervisor of Dr. Burel Goodin’s Lab, she specializes in quantitative sensory testing (QST) and protocol development, training and supporting fellow researchers in these areas.

Outside of work, Dyan is a proud plant and dog mom with a passion for helping others and continuously learning about physical and mental health and wellness. Now a resident of St. Louis, she is excited to explore her new community and connect with the people around her.

Department of Anesthesiology Featured Member: February 2026

Andrew Wilkey is a CA-1 in the Department of Anesthesiology at WashU Medicine. Originally from Idaho, Andrew completed his undergraduate degree in molecular biology and spanish at Brigham Young University. He then attended the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio for medical school.

Andrew and his wife have a one-year-old little boy who is keeping them on their toes and up all night. In his free time, Andrew loves going to professional sporting events and doing almost anything outdoors. A fun fact about Andrew is that when he was looking at residencies, he had a specific Excel tab for residencies with awesome zoos nearby. Let’s just say WashU was VERY high on the list.

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.