Our Faculty

I decided to further specialize in Regional Anesthesiology to broaden my knowledge and acquire more advanced skills. I have always loved innovation and Regional Anesthesiology is the branch of our specialty that has most evolved in recent years and is in continuous development. I also like providing my patients the option of a less invasive and pain free anesthetic experience.

I like the technical challenge of regional block placement and more importantly the result of nerve blocks which, unlike systemic analgesics, reliably and effectively remove pain.

RAAPM division aims to provide cost effective tailored, patient-centered care pathways to enhance recovery with reduced inflammation, pain and opioid usage that translate into long term benefits. We are engaged with surgeons, allied professionals and administrators to constantly improve practice through research and education.

I had my eye on Critical Care Medicine since I left medical school. I stumbled into Anesthesia and discovered that doing procedures well was immensely rewarding. Of course, there were lots of procedures in CCM, but I also realized quickly that there were many subspecialties of Anesthesia where the same was true, and certainly true in Regional Anesthesia. I came to Stanford because I saw something special; a department of creative, interesting people with resources to stay on the cutting edge of Anesthesia practice. In February, 2000, we organized some Stanford faculty (I was a founding member) into a Regional Anesthesia group and started our first resident rotation. The interface between Regional Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine is intriguing. We have barely scratched the surface in this arena with ESP/paravertebral blocks for recovering lung transplant patients, or trauma patients with rib fractures and stellate ganglion blocks for VT storm.

I was drawn to the elegance of regional anesthesia. A precisely placed injection can be quite beautiful; a joy for the anesthesiologist to place and a gift to the patient.

I chose regional anesthesiology and acute pain management because these fields are cutting edge and make a big impact on patient outcome and recovery. It has been immensely satisfying to watch the addition of ultrasound imaging to the field with more targets and approaches to provide more effective pain care that translate to safer and higher quality of care. I see the improved patient satisfaction and that is meaningful.

I chose RAAPM because it’s a rapidly expanding field with constant innovation and exciting research opportunities. I also wanted to specialize in non-opioid methods of decreasing acute pain and I hope to maximize the use of regional anesthesia in the acute trauma population.