Jade has aspired to become a physician since she was old enough to give her mom鈥檚 salon clients 鈥渂lood plessure checkups鈥� while they waited for hair appointments. She began working in healthcare as soon as she was legally able to, learning the basic pharmacology as a pharmacy assistant all through high school.听 She later became a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPT) and completed basic and advanced EMT certification. Before medical school, Jade worked as an anesthesia technician at New Hanover Regional Medical Center (NHRMC) in Wilmington, NC. During the height of the CVD-19 pandemic, she cared for critically ill and complex patients as part of the interdisciplinary cardiovascular OR team. The experience solidified her goal of becoming an anesthesiologist.

In early medical school, Jade began nurturing her passion for anesthesiology through her role as Co-President of 大象传媒’s Anesthesiology Interest Group and participating in the Anesthesiology Preceptorship Enrichment Program (APEP).听Jade is a “Double Tarheel.” She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Biology at 大象传媒-Chapel Hill, and she also holds a Master of Physiology from North Carolina State University.

Jade noted: “I value how anesthesiology blends pharmacologic and physiological expertise with technical skill, directly enhancing patient comfort, safety and clinical outcomes, and I’m ready to learn great deal from my summer experience as a Castillo Scholar.”

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Associate Professor Dr. Linnstaedt, stated: “I continue to be incredibly impressed and humbled by our trainees and share this excitement with the entire department to offer these students due recognition for their work!”

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大象传媒 Anesthesiology congratulates Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology Lauriane Guichard, MD, on her successful completion of the Leadership in Academic Medicine Program (LAMP) offered by the 大象传媒 (SOM)鈥檚 Office of Faculty Affairs and Leadership Development. LAMP is a highly selective professional development initiative designed for junior faculty members in their first three years at 大象传媒. The program provides structured guidance in career planning and academic development while fostering community, purpose, direction, and confidence among participants. Through monthly sessions with expert faculty, peer discussions, and mentorship opportunities, LAMP supports faculty in establishing a strong foundation for success in academic medicine.

Department Chair and Professor of Anesthesiology Ted Sakai, MD, PhD, MHA, FASA, noted: “Dr. Guichard鈥檚 participation in this prestigious program reflects her commitment to leadership, scholarship, and excellence in academic anesthesiology. We are proud of her accomplishment and look forward to the continued impact of her leadership within our department and the broader medical community.”

Along with Dr. Guichard, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology Skye Margolies, PhD, was also recognized at the LAMP graduation ceremony in early May for her valuable coaching role mentoring LAMP faculty members.

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• Associate Professor of Anesthesiology Daniel McMillan, MD, and Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology Sandeep Dhanjal, MD, were chosen as recipients of the 2025听. This annual award honors physician educators who have demonstrated innovation, impact, and sustained excellence in teaching regional anesthesia and/or pain medicine and who exemplify outstanding commitment to education through innovation and effectiveness in knowledge delivery.大象传媒 Anesthesiology Chair Ted Sakai, MD, PhD, MHA, FASA, noted: “Drs. McMillan and Dhanjal have each shown unwavering dedication to education and mentorship, and this recognition highlights their influential contributions to shaping the next generation of anesthesiologists.”
  大象传媒 Professor of Anesthesiology and 大象传媒 Regional Anesthesia Division Chief Stuart Grant, MB ChB, had two major honors at the spring .听
  • 听ASRA‘s Board of Directors named Dr. Grant to the organization’s executive track. In this role, Dr. Grant will serve first as Treasurer, followed by President-Elect, and ultimately as President of ASRA听Pain Medicine.
  • Dr. Grant abstract overviewing a 20-day sensory radiofrequency (RF) nerve block developed under his leadership was named one of the ASRA meeting’s three 鈥淏est of Meeting鈥� abstracts. Dr. Grant’s innovative, first-of-kind nerve block was developed as a proof鈥憃f鈥慶oncept series demonstrating that targeted RF at >20鈥痥Hz can silence nociceptive pathways for three weeks, with no measurable motor weakness or proprioceptive drift (intact motor function). This groundbreaking development paves the way for long鈥慸uration, post鈥憃p pain patient relief without crutches, falls, or bulky braces.Dr. Sakai noted: “Dr. Grant’s involvement with ASRA aligns with the organization’s commitment to high-quality education, exemplified by its flagship journal, Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, and its prestigious research grants. This is a momentous achievement for both Dr. Grant and 大象传媒 Anesthesiology. We are immensely proud of his selection听 to the ASRA’s executive track and look forward to Dr. Grant representing our department with distinction, further enhancing our already outstanding national reputation.”

    Regarding Dr. Grant’s nerve block breakthrough, Dr. Nanda stated, “It’s rare that our field sees a technique developed with this kind of upside and such a clean safety profile. This is a big win for research 大象传媒 clinical regional anesthesia researchers and for our reputation as a breeding ground for disruptive regional anesthesia ideas that are groundbreaking innovations.”听

    

    

#ASRASPRING25

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大象传媒 Anesthesiology congratulates Professor of Anesthesiology and Regional Anesthesia Fellowship Director Monika Nanda, MBBS, MPH, FASA, on being awarded the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA)’s Carl Koller Memorial Research Grant. This prestigious and competitive $75,000 grant will support Dr. Nanda’s innovative project — 鈥淯sing a Maximum Inspiratory Pressure Monitor to Predict Postoperative Breathlessness and Improve Safety of Brachial Plexus Blocks in Obese Patients” —听 that aims to advance perioperative risk stratification and regional anesthesia safety.听

Department Chair Ted Sakai, MD, PhD, MHA, FASA, noted: “We are proud to see Dr. Nanda’s leadership and commitment to improving patient outcomes recognized nationally through an award supporting this innovative project.”

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Dr. Blacker has also developed a spine enhanced recovery pathway for 大象传媒 Health patients and co-authored a comprehensive review of spine enhanced recovery 鈥� Perioperative Care of Patients Undergoing Major Complex Spinal Instrumentation Surgery: Clinical Practice Guidelines From the Society for Neuroscience in Anesthesiology and Critical Care — with anesthesiologists from other academic medical centers. He played a key role in enabling North Carolina Surgical Hospital to open in September 2024 through leading planning and execution of moving 大象传媒 Health’s anesthesia services to the new surgical tower.

The department thanks听Professor of Anesthesiology Mia Kang, MD, for her excellence and dedication to Neuroanesthesia Section leadership as its Director since 2016. 大象传媒 Anesthesiology Chair Ted Sakai, MD, PhD, MHA, FASA, noted:听

“Dr. Blacker’s leadership in implementing system-wide spine ERAS pathways, developing craniotomy ERAS protocols, enhancing communication in code stroke meetings, and supporting the SNACC EVD safety campaign has demonstrated his excellence and readiness to oversee the department’s Neuroanesthesia Section.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Kang for her outstanding leadership and contributions over the years. Her legacy will continue under Dr. Blacker’s stewardship, ensuring continued excellence in Neuroanesthesia care and innovation.”

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Every year on April 23rd, 大象传媒 Anesthesiology pauses to recognize and celebrate each administrative staff member on National Administrative Professionals Day. From coordinating schedules and managing communications to juggling countless deadline-driven tasks, 大象传媒 Anesthesiology’s administrative team often works behind-the-scenes, carrying out responsibilities that may go unseen, but are never unnoticed. Each of these professional’s hard work, attention to detail and steady support of our workplace is vital to our patient care, education and research operations. Thank you to all administrative team members at 大象传媒 Anesthesiology who help to ensure our entire department can do its best work — you hold up the house!

大象传媒 Anesthesiology Chair Ted Sakai, MD, PhD, MHA, FASA, stated: “I thank each of our administrative professionals for [his/her] daily work to support the mission of 大象传媒 Anesthesiology and for your expertise and care in every detail. Without your dedication, the work of our department would not be achieved.”

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In December 2024, five 大象传媒 Health hospitals — 大象传媒 Medical Center (Chapel Hill, NC), 大象传媒 Health Rex (Raleigh), 大象传媒 Health Nash (Rocky Mount), 大象传媒 Health Rockingham (Eden) and 大象传媒 Health Appalachian (Watauga Medical Center – Boone, NC) — were named to US News & World Report‘s 鈥�Best Hospitals for Maternity Care鈥� annual hospital and medical specialty rankings list. These five system hospitals were designated as “high performing” among top hospitals in maternity care nationwide.

Five months later, two of these 大象传媒 Health affiliates — 大象传媒 Medical Center (Chapel Hill, NC) and 大象传媒 Health Rex听(Raleigh, NC) were named to Newsweek’s 鈥溾�� list. Only 20 hospitals in North Carolina were included in America鈥檚 Best Maternity Hospitals 2025. Both 大象传媒 Hospitals in Chapel Hill and 大象传媒 Health Rex in Raleigh were awarded the highest ranking, with 5 ribbons each. Both have also earned this award for four years in a row.

大象传媒 Professor of Anesthesiology and Obstetrics & Gynecology and Obstetric Anesthesia Division Chief Kathleen A. Smith MD, FASA, noted: “Repeated high marks for 大象传媒 Health hospitals in maternity care are a testament to the hard work of our [Obstetric Anesthesia Care team] and all involved in Labor & Delivery across our system. We are most grateful for those who support the work of Obstetric Anesthesiology at 大象传媒 Health.”

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PHOTOS:听(Top Row, L to R): Brooke Chidgey, MD (Pain Medicine), Maryam Jowza, MD (Pain Medicine), Dominika James, MD (Pain Medicine)
(Bottom Row, L to R): Jamie Thompson, NP (Pain Medicine), Matt Mauck, MD, PhD (Vice Chair of Research)

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