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Vision

To be one of the premier academic anesthesiology and perioperative medicine programs in the country.

Mission

The mission of the Department of Anesthesiology is to:

  • Deliver the highest quality care during the perioperative phase, in the ICUs and pain clinics
  • Provide excellence in education of medical students, residents, fellow, and other health care providers
  • Foster the advancement of knowledge through research and collaboration with our partners in healthcare, service, and leadership
  • Develop an environment of caring with an emphasis on quality, patient safety, performance improvement, professionalism and compassion
  • Cultivate leadership within the department, university and our healthcare partner facilities at the local and national level
102
Faculty
4
Fellows
43
Residents
112
CRNAs
KU Medical Center campus with tulips in the foreground

Message from the Chair

"We strive to deliver the highest quality care in our pain clinics, intensive care units, and OR’s. Our emphasis is on compassionate care, patient safety, performance improvement, professionalism, wellness, and leadership."
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Alan Schurle and Hannah McCarthy stand in front of their poster.SIM Conference 2025

Alan Schurle and Hannah McCarthy present poster on Identifying Bias in Anesthesia Resident Simulation Scenarios in Orlando, FL.

Dr. Girod stands with Dr. Alkhatib after she was presented the award.
2024 University Teaching Awards

Dr. Cheen Alkhatib was recognized as one of four recipients of this year's Chancellor Distinguished Teaching Award.

Congratulations to Dr. Alkhatib for this well-deserved recognition!

KU Anesthesiology Debuts History Display
Two people talk in front of wall
Two people stretch out a blue ribbon across a hallway while a third person cuts it with large scissors.

Tony Kovac MD and the Department of Anesthesiology has created a display documenting the history and evolution of anesthesia administration at our health system. The exhibition illustrates in timeline fashion milestones and firsts in the anesthesiology department with text, photos, events, and individuals who were responsible for important achievements and contributions from the past to the present.

Individuals who helped create the display:

  • Alex Welborn, archivist of KU Medical Center archives.
  • Courtney Barbeau, past executive assistant to Talal Khan, MD
  • Walter Orr, past medical writer for the Department of Anesthesiology.
  • Nick Kelly, Department of Anesthesiology administrator.
  • Rachel Lambert, Department of Anesthesiology assistant administrator.
  • Angela Snyder, Willoughby Design Co. Talal Khan, MD, past chair, Department of Anesthesiology 
  • Gina Hendren MD, chair of Anesthesiology
Drs. Hild and Kovac travel to Ghana
Three medical professionals observe Dr. Hild as she gestures to similated infant
Five medical profesionals in white coats pose together

In September 2024, as part of the Dept. of Anesthesiology’s global health resident elective, Dr. Anthony Kovac, professor, and Dr. Johanna Hild, resident, observed anesthesia and medical care at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, Ghana.

Three students holding award ribbons.KU Medical Center hosts Brain Bee
Erin Young, faculty co-president this year, helped host the 16th annual SfNKC Brain Bee where local high school students interested in learning about the human brain come to be quizzed on their knowledge. They are proudly sending their regional winner to the National Brain Bee in Irvine, CA! Read the full story.

Photo of Dr. Seth HolwerdaDr. Holwerda receives K-INBRE award!
The K-INBRE has awarded Seth Holwerda, PhD a 2-year $150,000 research grant to examine vascular dysfunction in insulin resistance and obesity. This research award is part of the Developmental Research Program to support promising young Kansas faculty. Congratulations Dr. Holwerda!

Seth W. Holwerda, Ph.D. recently had a manuscript, "Standardizing methodology for assessing spontaneous baroreflex control of muscel sympathetic nerve activity in humans" published in AJP-Heart and Circulatory Physiology as a Cores of Reproducibility in Physiology (Unsolicited).

Seth W. Holwerda, Ph.D. is presenting at the Annual American Autonomic Society meeting November 6th and 7th, 2020. His presentation poster: Evidence of sympathetic regulation of the choroid circulation by baroreceptors in humans.

Dr. Andrea NicolDr. Andrea Chadwick was honored to be featured on the NPR program: "All Things Considered" with her approach to treating pain for addiction patients. View the NPR article

Congratulations to Dr. Anthony Kovac on his article, Updates in the Management of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting, in Advances in Anesthesia.

Now Hiring!

We are actively recruiting general and fellowship trained anesthesiologists to become part of our team.

View opportunities

KU School of Medicine

University of Kansas Medical Center
Department of Anesthesiology
3901 Rainbow Boulevard
Mailstop 1034
Kansas City, KS 66160
913-588-6670