Welcome to the Department of Anesthesiology     

The Department of Anesthesiology employs 47 full-time faculty, many of whom are involved in either basic science or clinical research efforts.  Our research programs are supported by the NIH, as well as numerous private industry sources. These programs produce a large number of peer-reviewed papers, presentations at national and international meetings, and visiting professorships.  Investigators' subspecialties include  acute pain service, ambulatory, cardiovascular, chronic pain, critical care, neurosurgical, obstetric, pediatric, trauma and transplantation. The department currently employs two full-time research personnel with several years of experience conducting clinical studies and wet lab research. Residents, medical students and fellows are involved in a wide range of research activities within the Department of Anesthesiology. The Department of Anesthesiology owns and operates a simulation laboratory for educational and research purposes. The simulator laboratory consists of a mock operating room with an adjacent control room and debriefing area. The mock operating room contains a state-of-the-art, full scale interactive human patient simulator.  The University of Arizona Residency Program in Anesthesiology offers an outstanding combination of clinical training, didactic teaching and subspecialty experience in a friendly collegial atmosphere. The Department has a well-established reputation for teaching and research; with 40 residents we are at an optimal size for providing individualized training for each resident. Through clinical and practical methods, medical students can explore the fundamentals of the practice of anesthesia from induction to emergence.

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Changes at the Top 

Steven J. Barker, PhD, MD

After 18 years as Head of the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Arizona, Dr. Steven J. Barker will step down from this role on July 1, 2013. He will remain a member of the faculty, and heavily involved in both teaching and research. Dr. Barker will focus particularly on projects that involve multidisciplinary collaboration between engineering (his first career) and medicine, including research on medical simulation.   

Department Head - Wayne Jacobsen, MD

Dr. Wayne Jacobsen will assume the position of Department Head on July 1.  

Dr. Jacobsen, who has previously served as anesthesiology chair at Loma Linda University Medical Center, has been the Residency Program Director of our department for the past nine years. He and Dr. Barker have collaborated very closely during that time, and will continue to do so.  

Clinical Director -  Kai Schoenhage, MD

Dr. Kai Schoenhage has now assumed the position of Clinical Director (Director of Perioperative Services) for the Department of Anesthesiology. In this role, together with Co-Directors from Surgery and Nursing, he oversees and manages all aspects of the operating room environment, equipment and outside locations to improve and maintain efficiency and work-flow. Dr. Schoenhage also serves as Director of our Liver Transplant Anesthesia Team.

Residency Program Director - Ryan Matika, MD

With Dr. Jacobsen as Head, Dr. Ryan Matika will become Residency Program Director. Dr Matika has been heavily involved in resident teaching, particularly preparation for written and oral boards, and has developed proven tools for this purpose. Dr. Matika will continue Dr. Jacobsen’s excellent record of recruiting, educating and nurturing our residents. Dr. Matika is trained in Intensive Care Medicine as well as Anesthesiology. He will be assisted by Dr. Kerry Kreidel as our new Associate Program Director.

Associate Program Director - Kerry Kreidel, MD