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The UAB Medicine Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine is improving team dynamics and creating development opportunities with the guidance of Associate Professor Matthew Sherrer, M.D., MBA, FASA, FAACD. Sherrer’s efforts focus on creating stronger, more effective teams—with the goal of enhancing clinical faculty and staff experience as well as patient outcomes.

The following was sent on behalf of Dan E. Berkowitz, M.D.

Dear Colleagues,

Now more than ever, it is critical for the success and future of our department to continue to recruit the most talented faculty. This will ensure that we meet our clinical mission of delivering excellent patient care. To lead these efforts, I am thrilled to announce that Brittney Clark, M.D., has accepted the role of Faculty Recruitment Director for the UAB Medicine Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine.

The following are monthly updates from the UAB Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine Education Division.

Pain Medicine

Dr. Eric Lee completed the Fellows’ Program at the ASRA Annual Pain Medicine Meeting.

The following are monthly updates from the UAB Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine Education Division.

APPLIED Exam

Congratulations to our 2023 residency graduates and others. All who have taken the APPLIED Exam thus far have passed with many getting the good news at the end of October. This includes Drs. Andrew Braun, Arren Carter, Andrew Hackney, Annalese Neuenschwander, Beomjy Ohlman, and Teshi Kaushik.

The UAB Heersink School of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine has created an impact that spans beyond our institution’s city, state, and country through clinical care initiatives, international rotations, and participation in global conferences. Here are just a few of the ways our department has improved patient outcomes and advanced medical knowledge on a global scale during the last year.

Rotation in Zambia

The following are monthly updates from the UAB Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine Education Division.

The UAB Heersink School of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine is privileged to announce the promotion and tenure of six esteemed faculty members, effective Oct. 1, 2024. These accolades are significant accomplishments that show each recipient’s commitment to the department and its academic missions and mark a milestone in their academic careers.

The following was sent on behalf of Dan E. Berkowitz, M.D.

Dear Colleagues,

I am incredibly pleased to announce that Jennifer DeBerry, Ph.D., is the second faculty member to hold the David Hill Chestnut Endowed Professorship in Anesthesiology in the UAB Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine.

The following was sent on behalf of Dan E. Berkowitz, M.D.

Dear Colleagues,

As you well know, our department’s Division of Multispecialty Anesthesia (MSA) is a massive enterprise—administering more than 90,000 anesthetics annually in the UAB coverage sites, including UAB Hospital, UAB Hospital-Highlands, UAB Callahan Eye Hospital, and UAB Medical West.

Since 2002, Bert Pierce, M.D., has held leadership roles within the MSA, most recently serving as vice chair and division director. As he transitions into the role of associate vice chair for the division, I am pleased to announce that Justin Routman, M.D., MSHA, will assume the role of vice chair and division director for the Division of Multispecialty Anesthesia.

A foundation of service and adaptability

Born in Gainesville, Ga., Harold Goss, MLS, Ed.D., grew up in a hardworking family with parents who were first-generation high school graduates. Shortly after graduation, his father was drafted into the military and served in the Vietnam War. Due to his father’s military service, Goss experienced life in various locations; including Georgia, South Carolina, California, and Germany. These early travels shaped his ability to adapt and thrive in diverse environments. 

Physicians at the UAB Pain Treatment Clinic are offering a new treatment for chronic low back pain. The treatment focuses on stimulating one of the key stabilizing muscles of the lumbar spine, the multifidus muscle, which is often dysfunctional in patients after injury or stress to the spine, spinal discs, or other soft tissues surrounding the spine. Neural inhibition, or impaired control, of the multifidus muscle can cause a lack of spinal support and lead to chronic pain.

The following are monthly updates from the UAB Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine Education Division.

The following was sent on behalf of Dan E. Berkowitz, M.D.

Dear Colleagues,

After a rigorous selection process, I am delighted to announce that Lee Hammonds, MSHA, MBA, has been appointed as the new executive administrator for the UAB Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, effective Sept. 1, 2024. This is a critically important leadership position, and we are confident that he will fulfill this role with expertise, vision, and commitment.

The following are monthly updates from the UAB Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine Education Division.

Faculty Kudos

Dr. Lee Ann Riesenberg was recently highlighted in the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation newsletter for the publication Perioperative Handoff Education Resources.

Dr. Prentiss Lawson has been appointed as secretary for The Association of Pain Program Directors. This is recognition of his experience and work as our Pain Medicine Fellowship Program Director.

The UAB Heersink School of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine recently announced multiple new leaders within the department.

“We recognize that the success of any organization lies within its people; and the dedication, expertise, and passion of these faculty members are the assets that drive our department and the institution forward,” says Alfred Habeeb Professor and Chair Dan E. Berkowitz, M.D.

Please join our department in congratulating the following new appointees.

On June 3, 2024, the UAB Heersink School of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine hosted its fourth annual Research Day. This event gives residents, fellows, faculty, and CRNAs the opportunity to gather and present on their latest research while celebrating all research efforts within the department. Each year, the resident and non-resident abstract winners give an oral presentation, and a keynote speaker presents on the topic of their choice. This year, we were honored to welcome Emily Anne Vail, M.D., MSc., from Penn Medicine as she presented “Developing a Research Career in Clinical Anesthesiology.”

 The following are monthly updates from the UAB Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine Education Division.

Resident Updates

Our new CA1s completed their first month in the operating rooms along with multiple education sessions including didactic days, simulation, and ATLS. Thanks to all of our faculty who taught sessions and contributed valuable bedside mentorship. Thank you to our CA2 and CA3 residents and CRNAs for their OR teaching. In August, our CA1s will begin to be unpaired on some days based on case selection.

The education division is an integral part of our department, consisting of approximately 100 trainees at any given time. Before medical students officially join the department, they benefit from multiple opportunities hosted by our curriculum team. This team—led by Lee Ann Riesenberg, Ph.D., R.N., CMQ, and Victoria Elison, M.S. (pictured right), and supported by Carol Anne Hopper, MPA (pictured right); Ted Barco, EdS, MAEd, M.A.; and Diane Vakakes—is pivotal in developing and implementing programmatic objectives for medical students, residents, and fellows.

John Briggs, M.D., MSHA, shares how his time in the Air Force instilled a perspective of purposefulness that cascades into his work as an anesthesiologist.

Dr. Jennifer DeBerry is a true rising star in pain research. Find out how her time at UAB shapes her current research and opens avenues to develop future endeavors.