WashU’s anesthesiology residency and fellowship classes came together in June to celebrate the accomplishments of their graduates.
On Saturday, June 17, the Residency Class of 2023 had their graduation ceremony at the Planetarium, located at the St. Louis Science Center. During the event, Michael S. Avidan, MBBCh, FCA SA, Dr. Seymour and Rose T. Brown Professor and head of the Department of Anesthesiology, addressed the class and drew inspiration from Nelson Mandela.
Dr. Avidan emphasized the importance of providing service to others for happiness and fulfillment in life. He highlighted the unique power anesthesiologists, critical care physicians, perioperative clinicians, and pain management specialists possess to contribute to society and uplift their colleagues. By caring for the most vulnerable members of our society and imparting their knowledge and skills to others, these medical professionals ensure continuity of care and leave a lasting impact.
The Residency Class of 2023 made remarkable contributions, including:
- Administering 22,021 anesthetics, and providing care for 18,886 unique patients. Among them, over 3,000 were the sickest ASA 4 & 5 patients, demonstrating their expertise in handling high-acuity cases.
- Performing 526 organ transplants.
- Successfully managing 12,849 airways.
- Placing 2,558 arterial lines.
- Inserting 1,784 central lines.
- Administering 2,576 neuraxial blocks.
- Conducting 4,840 peripheral nerve blocks.
In addition to recognizing the achievements of the graduates, the program leadership team presented several awards and honored this year’s outstanding teachers.
Dr. Avidan concluded with a quote from Mandela: “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived; it is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”
“Congratulations to the Class of 2023,” said Resident Program Director, Allison Mitchell, MD. “May your future endeavors be filled with continued success, personal fulfillment, and the ability to make a lasting difference in the lives of those you serve.”
Meet Our 2023 Graduates
- Dima Aladdin, MD
- Kathleen Bickel, MD, PhD
- Kevin Cohen, MD
- Ding Ding, MD
- Ottavia Green, MD
- Mark Hanak, MD
- Melissa Hector-Greene, MD, PhD
- Lauren Lagrimas-Kundaje, MD
- Ryan Lee, MD, MBA
- Lily Liu, MD
- Ruchik Patel, MD
- Todd Rackohn, MD
- Jonathan Rich, MD
- Ilesha Sevak Shah, MD
- Manjaap Sidhu, MD
- Benjamin Stivers, MD
- Patricia Strutz, MD, MSCI
- Peter Szatkowski, MD, PharmD
- Brandon Tan, MD
- Brandon White, MD
- Jackie Yu, MD
The Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Fellowship recently celebrated the graduation of five outstanding fellows. To celebrate this special milestone in the graduates’ professional journeys, mentors, friends, and colleagues gathered at Top Golf on Sunday, June 25, 2023, to honor and celebrate the following graduates:
- Michael Bethel, MD
- Krishna Bhat, MD
- Furqaan Sadiq, MD
- Sheila Sullivan, MD
- Jaclyn Yeung, DO
Ten physicians completed their Critical Care Medicine Fellowships, marking a significant milestone in their careers. To honor this achievement, the program hosted a graduation celebration at the Saint Louis Zoo on Saturday, June 24, 2023, for:
- Benjamin Barmaan, MD
- Stephan Diljak, MD
- Zachary Fetter, DO
- Mohamed Ginina, MD*
- Josue Guzman, MD
- Brendan Kurtz, MD
- Kevin Lee, DO
- Shelby Martin, MD
- Matthew McCauley, MD
- Jeffrey Pepin, MD, FACEP, Maj, USAF, MC· Maitri Shah, MD
*Dr. Ginina will graduate in October but was honored at the graduation ceremony with his colleagues.
The Obstetric Anesthesia Fellowship held a memorable celebration on June 23, 2023, at Ballpark Village to honor their esteemed graduate, Kiran Shah, MBBS. The event was filled with joy and camaraderie as colleagues, mentors, and friends gathered to celebrate Dr. Shah.
On Friday, June 23, 2023, a joint celebration took place at Longview Park to celebrate the graduating fellows from the Pain Medicine Fellowship and the Adult & Pediatric Pain Dual Fellowship programs. The event served as a testament to the graduates’ unwavering dedication and commitment to the field of pain medicine.
- Rida Chaudhry, MBBS
- Jordan Farley, DO (Adult and Pediatric Pain)
- Thomas Gedulig, DO
- David Lam, MD
On Saturday, June 24, 2023, six graduates of the Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellowship were celebrated at Brennan’s Work and Leisure. The event served as a joyous occasion, bringing together mentors, colleagues, and loved ones to celebrate the graduates’ achievements. It was a special gathering to recognize their hard work, dedication, and successful completion of the fellowship program, highlighting their commitment to providing specialized care. Those honored were:
- Micaela Clark-Bethel, MD
- Caitlynn Miller, DO
- Jason Pierce, MD
- Jessica Santucci, DO
- Brandon Tan, MD
- Richard Villegas, MD
On June 7, 2023, the Regional Anesthesia & Acute Pain Fellowship hosted its graduation celebration at Il Bel Lago. The event was a momentous occasion as it marked the culmination of the fellowship journey for three fellows:
- Anchal Bansal, MD
- Jonathan Ford, MD
- David Rasche, MD