Chair's Welcome

The Department of Anesthesiology at Columbia University has been committed to excellence in education, discovery, and clinical care since 1952, when it was established as one of the first independent departments of anesthesiology in the world. Our extraordinary faculty are leaders in contemporary perioperative medicine, which includes clinical anesthesiology, critical care medicine, and pain medicine. For over seventy years, our landmark contributions to the field and our dedication to educating future leaders have sustained the department’s position at the forefront of academic anesthesiology.

Our research advances discovery in perioperative medicine and in a variety of related areas: neuroscience, pain, developmental biology, lung physiology and pathology, organ injury, sepsis, biomedical informatics, microbiome science, psychiatry, population health science, clinical outcomes, education, and more. In 2020, our researchers initiated several ambitious clinical and basic science projects associated with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, including studies addressing hypercoagulability and stroke, pregnancy, and critical care medicine. With funding from numerous governmental and private organizations, the groundbreaking work of our research faculty commands interest in the field and draws aspiring talented investigators to our special residency training track, the highly selective Virginia Apgar Scholars program, a distinct track for residents interested in research careers.

The expertise of our subspecialty clinical teams is sought after by patients worldwide, and by anesthesiology residents and fellows who want to train with the field’s authorities in patient-centered anesthesiology care. We practice in the operating rooms, intensive care units, and clinics of Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), the largest campus of NewYork-Presbyterian, at NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital on the northern tip of Manhattan, the Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville, and in our pain clinics and ambulatory practices in midtown Manhattan.

We offer residents and fellows a collegial, creative learning environment. Along with comprehensive clinical exposure in general anesthesia and subspecialty rotations, we offer a rich variety of learning modalities, from the technologically advanced immersive clinical experiences at the Margaret Wood Center for Simulation and Education to interactive bootcamps and skills workshops. For example, individualized instruction in perioperative ultrasound ensures that all residents receive both basic and advanced certification in this critical competency. Our professional development curriculum trains residents in techniques to cultivate emotional well-being and professional fulfillment. Those interested in future careers as physician-educators will benefit from our clinician-educator track, a course of study taught by faculty with close ties to Columbia’s Teachers College.

We are a community-oriented academic department as well. Our members collaborate with New York City–based programs to train students from underrepresented groups to prepare for medical careers. Alumni of these programs have graduated from some of the country’s most competitive medical schools, including Columbia. We are proud of this work, of our representation in the inaugural class of the college’s Academy of Community and Public Service, and of the many community service endeavors of our faculty, staff, and trainees.

The world-class programs we have built over the past seventy years are thriving, evolving, and ready to meet new opportunities in an ever-changing world. We invite you to explore our website to learn more. We are happy to answer your questions, so please feel free to contact us.

Welcome to the Department of Anesthesiology at Columbia University.

Tricia Eisenstein Brentjens, MD
Professor of Anesthesiology at CUMC

Interim Chair for the Department of Anesthesiology
Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons