Leadership

Message From the Department Chair

Welcome to the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Minnesota. Our department has a long and distinguished history dating back to 1925, and we remain deeply committed to excellence in education, research, and clinical care.

Our residency program is based at M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center, M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital, and the M Health Fairview Clinics and Surgery Center - Minneapolis. Together, these institutions serve as major referral centers for patients with complex surgical needs throughout Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. Our trainees also benefit from outstanding clinical rotations across the Twin Cities metropolitan area, including Hennepin County Medical Center, Regions Hospital, and the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

We offer ACGME-accredited fellowship programs in cardiothoracic anesthesia, critical care medicine, pediatric anesthesia, and regional anesthesia and acute pain, providing advanced subspecialty training in diverse and high-acuity clinical environments.

The department also operates a fully ABA/ASA-accredited simulation center, where medical students, residents, and fellows engage in a wide range of clinical scenarios and procedural workshops designed to prepare them for successful and fulfilling careers.

As a leading research institution, the University of Minnesota lives its motto, “Driven to Discover.” In alignment with this mission, our department maintains a vibrant research enterprise that includes numerous ongoing clinical trials. Our physician-scientists are advancing the basic science of pain mechanisms, genomics, and personalized perioperative medicine, helping to shape the future of anesthesiology.

Our department delivers the full spectrum of perioperative medicine. Our robust Pre-Anesthesia Assessment Center leads several enhanced recovery after surgery initiatives, prehabilitation programs, and comprehensive perioperative management strategies for patients with chronic pain and complex medical conditions. Our regional and acute pain service provides expert pain management to patients of all ages. Our intensivists care for patients in the medical, surgical, and cardiothoracic intensive care units at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, as well as in the medical and surgical intensive care units at Ridges and Southdale Medical Centers. In addition, our multidisciplinary comprehensive chronic pain center, located within the M Health Fairview Clinics and Surgery Center – Minneapolis, offers state-of-the-art medical and interventional pain management.

We are proud of our collaborative culture, our commitment to innovation, and our dedication to developing the next generation of leaders in anesthesiology. Together, we are advancing perioperative care while fostering an environment where curiosity, compassion, and excellence thrive.

Michael H. Wall, MD, FASA, FCCM
JJ Buckley Professor and Chairman