After a competitive search and interview process, we are thrilled to announce Jamie Brown-Shpigel, MD, and Mohammed Helwani, MD, MSPH, as Assistant Residency Program Directors in the Department of Anesthesiology, effective Dec. 1, 2024. In addition, Dr. Brown-Shpigel has also been appointed Trauma Fellowship Program Director.
Dr. Jamie Brown-Shpigel, MD – Assistant Residency Program Director of Recruitment, Integration, and Wellbeing
Dr. Jamie Brown-Shpigel, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology in the Division of Critical Care Medicine, has been named the Assistant Residency Program Director of Recruitment, Integration, and Wellbeing.
In her role as Assistant Residency Program Director, Dr. Brown-Shpigel will assist with recruitment efforts, advise students, and serve on the residency recruitment committee. She will lead onboarding for new interns, manage their transition to CA-1, and implement programs to support resident wellbeing throughout training. Additionally, she will collaborate with departmental leadership to ensure alignment with graduate medical education standards and foster a culture of inclusion and wellness.
Trauma Fellowship Program Director
Dr. Brown-Shpigel has also been appointed as the new Trauma Fellowship Program Director, joining Justin Knittel, MD, Division Chief of Trauma Anesthesiology, in recruiting, educating, and mentoring trauma anesthesia fellows.
Dr. Brown-Shpigel earned her medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center and completed her anesthesiology residency at WashU Medicine in 2019. Following residency, she became an Instructor of Anesthesiology and, in 2020, assumed the role of POD 4 Leader for the Center for Advanced Medicine Outpatient Surgery Center. Dr. Brown-Shpigel completed a fellowship in Critical Care Medicine at WashU Medicine in 2022.
Dr. Mohammed Helwani, MD, MSPH – Assistant Residency Program Director of Ultrasound and Perioperative Technology Program
Dr. Mohammed Helwani, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology in the Division of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, has been named Assistant Residency Program Director of the Ultrasound and Perioperative Technology Program. In this role, Dr. Helwani will lead the development of a longitudinal perioperative ultrasound curriculum for anesthesiology residents, oversee education and faculty development in ultrasound, and collaborate with the simulation center to enhance training and promote innovation in education.
Dr. Helwani earned his medical degree from Damascus University School of Medicine in Syria in 1998, followed by a surgical internship at Damascus University. He completed a surgery internship and his anesthesiology residency at Saint Louis University, finishing in 2004. In 2005, he undertook a critical care medicine fellowship at the Mayo Clinic before returning to St. Louis to work at the VA and earn a Master of Science in Public Health at Saint Louis University in 2013. Dr. Helwani joined WashU Medicine in 2011 as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology. In 2014, he completed a fellowship in Adult Cardiac Anesthesiology and has since advanced to his current roles as Associate Professor and Assistant Director of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit.
We are excited to welcome Drs. Brown-Shpigel and Helwani to these vital roles and look forward to the innovative contributions they will bring to the Division of Education.
This announcement was sent on behalf of Drs. Allison Mitchell, Rich Benzinger, Justin Knittel, and Michael Avidan.