The 2025 Gulf Atlantic Anesthesia Residents’ Research Conference (GAARRC) was hosted by the University of Florida (UF) from May 2-4 in St. Pete Beach, Florida. UF Department of Anesthesiology faculty Lauren Berkow, M.D., FASA, professor of anesthesiology, and Tim Feldheim, M.D., assistant professor of anesthesiology and assistant program director of Resident Wellbeing, were the co-directors of the event.

Our UF Department of Anesthesiology residents were joined by residents from the University of Central Florida, University of South Florida, HCA Florida (Oak Hill Hospital and Westside Hospital), Mayo Clinic Florida, Memorial Healthcare, and the University of Florida – Jacksonville. Residents were each given ten minutes for oral presentations and two minutes for questions. Awards were given for the top case report, literature review, and original research presentations, with the top three overall given monetary prizes.

CA3 resident Robert Hutnik, M.D., praised the conference as a supportive environment to practice oral presentation skills as well as a great place to meet residents from other programs. “My favorite part of GAARRC is the opportunity to get new perspectives on anesthetic practices at different institutions,” he said. “Because every institution utilizes different anesthetic medications and techniques, GAARRC serves as an opportunity to learn more about these different options so we can be more adaptable anesthesiologists as we face ever more challenging cases.”

Our residents excelled at the conference, taking home several awards. “I’m extremely proud of our residents who presented,” said Feldheim. “The time and effort they put into their presentations really shone brightly at the conference.” Hutnik came in first place overall, with his presentation also taking first place in the case report category. CA1 resident Rachel Baker, M.D., took second place overall and second place for case reports. Third place overall was a tie between our CA2 Michael Berentzen, M.D., and Dylan Irvine, D.O., from HCA Florida Westside Hospital. Irvine also took home first place for his literature review.

Baker said she was honored to be awarded second place overall. “The other presentations were engaging and thought-provoking,” she said, “so being selected from this group of talented residents was special.”

Berkow hopes to continue to have yearly GAARRC meetings. “We are already in discussions with many of the other programs who attended about plans for 2026 and 2027,” she said.

“I highly recommend other residents attend GAARRC in the future,” said Baker. “It’s an excellent opportunity to learn more about your selected topic, practice public speaking, and get connected with mentors and other residents in a relaxed environment.” Baker also noted that the conference was the perfect balance of education and leisure. In addition to the educational opportunities, the conference hosted two evening receptions and an awards brunch. Residents also had some free time on Saturday afternoon to enjoy St. Pete Beach.

Overall Winners

• 1^st Place Overall: Robert Hutnik, M.D., University of Florida
• 2^nd Place Overall: Rachel Baker, M.D., University of Florida
• 3^rd Place Overall: Michael Berentzen, M.D., University of Florida & Dylan Irvine, D.O., HCA Florida Westside Hospital

Case Reports

• 1^st Place: Robert Hutnik, M.D., University of Florida
• 2^nd Place: Rachel Baker, M.D., University of Florida
• 3^rd Place: Michael Berentzen, M.D., University of Florida

Literature Reviews

• 1^st Place: Dylan Irvine, D.O., HCA Florida Westside Hospital
• 2^nd Place: Anthony Hubbard, D.O., University of Central Florida

Original Research

• 1^st Place: Helena Krogman, University of Florida
• 2^nd Place: Maria Estevez, M.D., Mayo Clinic Florida
• 3^rd Place: Adam Wolach, M.D., University of Florida

Thank you to the UF Anesthesiology Education Office, Drs. Berkow and Feldheim, and all of the faculty judges from multiple programs for making the event a great success! Also, a big thank you to Meghan Brennan, M.D., M.S., assistant professor of anesthesiology at UF, for being our keynote speaker.  

Learn more about our residency program.

The University of Florida Department of Anesthesiology successfully hosted the 2023 Spring Anesthesia Ski Summit last month at the scenic Westgate Park City Resort and Spa in Park City, Utah. The event offered a distinctive platform for healthcare professionals from various institutions and departments across the country to come together, learn, teach and collaborate in an enjoyable and unique setting.

Participants immersed themselves in the latest developments in the field, shared best practices to enhance patient care, and networked with colleagues from all over the country. This year’s summit was a perfect blend of professional development and fun. Attendees had the opportunity to go to lectures delivered by an impressive array of experts, network with colleagues, and enjoy the slopes of Park City.

Brandon Peckham, MHA, Vice Chair of Finance and Administration for the department, applauded the efforts of the organizers and said, “The combination of top-notch educational lectures and the engaging atmosphere created a unique experience that was enjoyed by all who attended.” The department is enthusiastic about building on the success of this year’s conference and looks forward to hosting future events that offer equally rewarding experiences.

The 2024 Spring Ski Summit moves to Vail, Colorado! Vail is an internationally renowned destination that provides world-class mountain activities. The 2024 event takes place March 11-15.

Register for the 2024 Spring Ski Summit!

The Department of Anesthesiology sent nine posters and had two podium presentations at the Florida Society of Anesthesiologists (FSA) Annual Meeting held June 10-12 at The Breakers in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The FSA Annual Meeting is the largest gathering of anesthesiologists in the southeastern United States.

Also at the meeting, Chris Giordano, M.D., associate professor of anesthesiology, division chief of liver transplantation, and director of the Anesthesiology/Critical Care Clerkship, was named FSA president-elect. He will serve as president-elect for one year and begin his term as president on June 11, 2023.

In addition, chief resident Andrey Suprun, M.D., Holden Brown, M.D., CA-3, and Asad Bashir, M.D., CA-1, represented UF well at FSA jeopardy, making it to the final round. Special thanks to Yury Zasimovich, M.D., assistant professor of anesthesiology and chief of the Division of Acute and Perioperative Pain Medicine Division, for his coaching support.

Great job to all!

Podium Sessions

• Sustained Relief of Focal Knee Pain After Bilateral Patellectomy with L3 DRG Stimulation
  Joshua Winegar, M.D.; Juan Mora, M.D.
• Effects of Clinical Factors on Cooled Radiofrequency Ablation Outcomes: A Retrospective Single-Center Study
  Holden Brown, M.D., M.B.A.; Jeffrey Pence, M.D.; Juan Mora, M.D.; Terrie Vasilopoulos, Ph.D.; Rene Przkora, M.D., Ph.D.

Posters

• Radiofrequency Ablation: Outcome Analysis Over Five Years
  Sam Searcy, M.D.; Keith Jenkins, M.D.; Chris Henson, M.D.; Bill Mallett, M.D.; Blessing Ogbemudia, M.D.; Juan Mora, M.D.; Vyshakh Shibu; Rene Przkora, M.D., Ph.D.
• Improvement in Postoperative Care of Intraoperative Recall
  Muna Oli, M.D.; Hope Sprunger, M.D.; Lawrence Caruso, M.D.; Nik Gravenstein, M.D.; Stephanie Gore, MSN, RN, CCRN-K
• A Patient Safety Quality Initiative to Decrease Risk of Acute Chest Syndrome Post Anesthesia in Patient with Diagnosed Sickle Cell Disease
  Hope Sprunger, M.D.; Sonia Mehta, M.D.
• Complete Regional Anesthetic Technique for Posterior Shoulder Labral Repair and Cubital Tunnel Release in a Patient with High-risk Bilateral Pulmonary Blebs
  Andrey Suprun, M.D.; Keyana Vyas, M.D.; Adrian J. Maurer, M.D..
• Opioid-free Multi-modal Anesthetic Protocol During Cardiopulmonary Bypass Surgery: Facilitates Early Neurological Exam and Fast-track to Extubation
  Fritz-Gerald Charles, M.D.; Patrick Tighe, M.D.; Michael Franklin, D.O.
• Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor of the Brachial Plexus in a Jehovah’s Witness Patient
  Shahrukh Bengali, M.D.; Asad Bashir, M.D.; Barys Ihnatsenka, M.D.
• Reducing Tinnitus-Associated Otalgia with Ultrasound-Guided Occipital Nerve Blocks
  Colby Skinner, M.D.; Sanjeev Kumar, M.D.
• Anesthetic Management of a Parturient with Marfan Syndrome and Chronic Type B Aortic Dissection Undergoing Cesarean Section
  Karolain Garcia, M.D.; Vadim Katsenovich, D.O.
• Evolving Care of a Parturient with Newly Diagnosed Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy, Chronic Hypertension and Myocarditis
  Lida Esfandiary, M.D.; Adam L. Wendling, M.D.

Learn more about our residency program

The summit will be held March 21-25 in Westgate Park City Resort & Spa in Park City, Utah, and will feature morning and evening CME lectures to allow attendees to maximize their time with their colleagues on the ski slopes.

Expert clinical faculty will present on a wide range of topics. Lecture topics include adult congenital heart disease, anesthesia and cancer, pediatric anesthesia, cognitive errors, nutrition in surgery, data requests, apologist law vs disclosure, obstetric anesthesia, regional anesthesia for vascular surgery, ultrasound for the anesthesiologist, leadership, and much more.

The ski-in, ski-out resort has access to an unparalleled variety of skiing and snowboarding terrain, as well as plenty of other recreational activities for attendees and families. The five-day summit coincides with school spring break in Alachua County so that attendees can bring their families to explore the area as well.

“I am really looking forward to seeing everyone outside of work and on the slopes,” said organizer Chris Giordano, M.D., associate professor of anesthesiology, division chief of liver transplantation, and director of the Anesthesiology/Critical Care Clerkship. “What better way to continue medical training than with your friends and family in Park City.”

The conference venue, Westgate Park City Resort & Space, is at the base of Canyons Village at Park City Mountain and offers world-class amenities, lavish accommodations, and first-class service from an exceptional team. Attendees can enjoy access to America’s largest ski and snowboard resort with over 300 ski runs, 38 lifts, seven terrain parks, and more.

Park City also offers numerous attractions, including winter adventures such as snowshoeing, fat biking, sleigh rides, and dog sledding, as well as a charming Historic Main Street filled with restaurants, shops and art galleries.

Learn more and register.

The free conference is geared toward anyone interested in research reproducibility and training approaches, including educators in higher education, K-12, and professional development; principal investigators and mentors; students and post-docs; research administrators and research integrity officers; and others interested in research reproducibility, rigor, and replicability.

Penny Reynolds, PhD, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, will present her paper “‘Preproducibility’ and Backwards Design:  Improving preclinical research reproducibility with reporting guidelines” in the 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. paper presentation block on Dec. 2. Paper presenters will give 12-minute talks with 3 minutes for questions.

Terrie Vasilopoulos, PhD, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, will present a poster during a “Lightning Talks” round from 4:30 to 4:45 p.m. Dec. 2.

The keynote speaker will be Brian Nosek, Executive Director of the Center for Open Science and a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Virginia, where he mentors students in reproducible, transparent methods.

The conference will take place on the Remo.co platform. Presenters will share their screens at separate virtual “tables” that attendees can join and leave.

Research Reproducibility is organized by Melissa Rethlefesen, MSLS, AHIP, with support from the Smathers Libraries at UF and the UF Conference Department. This conference is funded by the Office of Research Integrity, Department of Health and Human Services, under grant ORIIR190046.

Registration is open through Dec. 2. Visit https://pwd.aa.ufl.edu/researchre-pro/ to learn more.

One of our own, Jeffrey Carroll, CAA, is the president of the the FAAA and helped in the organization of this first meeting. The association always had the vision to one day provide Florida CAAs with a state-level educational conference event. All of us are extremely proud to have transformed the “idea” of a conference into a reality carried out last weekend, said Carroll.

The conference had a total of 210 attendees from all over the state, 19 exhibitors, ACLS/BLS and an ultrasound workshop. UF Anesthesiology had a strong presence with many speakers from our faculty, including Drs. Bruce Spiess, Kayser Enneking, Taranjit Sangari, Basma Mohamed, Sandra Gonzalez and Todd Jones.

FAAA 2021 Annual Conference is already on the books for next year, January 14th-17th 2021.

Members of the Department of Anesthesiology contributed half of the total number of posters of distinction at the Florida Society of Anesthesiologists’ annual meeting held June 14–16 at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida.

UF sent 30 posters to the conference, of which five were posters of distinction.

Jonathan Wakim of the Center for Safety, Simulation & Advanced Learning Technologies (CSSALT) tied for third place with his poster of distinction “A Low Cost Task Trainer for Open Chest Cardiac Massage Training.” William Sutton, Anthony DeStephens, MSME, Thomas Beaver, MD, George Arnatoukis, MD, and Sean Kiley, MD were co-authors of the poster.

Bruce D. Spiess, MD, FAHA, led a panel on blood management and blood substitutes. Linda Le-Wendling, MD, and Cam Smith, MD, PhD, co-led a panel on acute pain and regional anesthesia with Suvikram Puri, MD, from Tampa General Hospital. Ajay Antony, MD, co-led a panel on chronic pain and interventional pain with Nicholas Koehler, MD, of Tampa General Hospital, and Michael Hanes, MD, of Jax Spine and Pain Centers.

Congratulations to all of the residents and fellows, faculty, students, and staff who contributed their work to this prestigious event!

Next year’s FSA Annual Meeting will be held June 12–14 at The Breakers.

Posters from UF

1. “Neuraxial Techniques in the Setting of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia and Fondaparinux”

James R. Brown, DO

1. “Non-Ischemic Cardiomyopathy in Pregnancy”

Tyler Haskell, DO

1. “Status Asthmaticus — When ECMO Fails”

Joseph E. LaGrew II, MD

1. “Pulmonary Sarcoidosis and Mortality: A Case Report and Review of Strategies to Reduce Postoperative Pulmonary Complications”

Lucas Bannister, MD

1. “The Use of Pterygopalatine Ganglion Block for Positional Headache and Nausea Secondary to Iatrogenic CSF Leak”

Sindhuja R. Nimma, MD

1. “Treatment of Life-Threatening Pulmonary Embolism: The Anesthesiologist’s Perspective”

Ferenc Rabai, MD

1. “Case Report: Ketamine Toxidrome in Neurological ICU Patient”

Miles Murri, DO

1. Management of an End-Stage Renal Disease Patient with Multiple Accounts of Losartan-Induced Vasoplegic Syndrome. Is there a better approach?: A Case Report

Taylor Brown, MD

1. Patient-Centered Care: How to Prepare the Patient for Difficult Intubation: A Case Report

Taylor Brown, MD

1. “Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Opioid Prescriptions in Pediatrics”

Joseph E. LaGrew II, MD

1. “Algorithm for Difficult Epidural Placement”

Vadim Katsenovich, DO

1. “Von Willebrand Disease and Brachioradial Pruritis Neuraxial Intervention Considerations”

Holden L. Brown, MD, MBA

1. “A Case of Granulomatous Amoebic Encephalitis From Balamuthia Mandrillaris in a Critical Care Patient”

Lisa Gu, MD

1. “Effects of Cardiac Auscultation Through Clothing in Aortic Stenosis Patients and Correlation With Echocardiography”

Delaney LaGrew, MS

1. “Don’t Speak, I Know Just What You’re Thinking: A Literature Review of the Response To Laryngospasm in Pediatric and Adult Patients”

Adam L. Chadwick, MD

1. “Predictive Risk Modeling for Cervicogenic Headache Following Cervical Radiofrequency Neurotomy”

Mollie K. Mansfield, BS

1. “Beyond Multimodal Medication: Case Report of Spinal Cord Stimulator Placed for Neuropathic Abdominal Pain Originating from a Tumor Invading the Celiac Plexus”

Jeffrey R. Pence, DO

1. Spinal Cord Stimulation Not an Option? How About Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation?

Adejuyigbe O. Adaralegbe, MD

1. “Supraglottic Airway Pilot Balloon as a Cause of Airway Obstruction Leading to Hypoxemia and Hypercarbia”

Joel P. Goodman, DO

1. “To Air Is Human: A Case Report of Minimally Invasive Surgery With Maximum Complications”

Jason Howard, DO

1. “Using Modular Principles to Efficiently Design and Build New Simulators for Different Healthcare Procedures”

Samsun “Sem” Lampotang, PhD

1. “Evaluating Various Syringing Techniques for Manual Injection of Fluid Bolus Through High Flow Resistance Tubing”

Monica Bursian

1. “Joined Together or Is Separate Better? An Analysis of an Uncommon Approach to the Anesthetic Management of Conjoined Twin Separation”

Rhae Battles, MD

1. “Assessing the Possible Impact of a One-Week Preceptorship on the Perceptions and Attitudes of Medical Students Toward Anesthesiology”

Tyler D. Craig, MD

1. “When to Reverse: Case Report of Chronic GBS and the Use of Sugammadex for Reversal After No Post-Tetanic Twitches”

Brandon Duffin, DO

UF’s Posters of Distinction

1. “Cricothyrotomy for Postoperative Angioedema”

Alex N. Knight, DO

1. “Needle Tip Recoil Following Needle Advance: A Possible Mechanism for False Loss of Resistance?”

Michael Cometa, MD

1. “Inexpensively Modernizing Doppler Technology for Venous Gas Embolism Detection”

Anthony DeStephens, MSME

1. “Impact of Oral Carbohydrate Beverages on Well-Being Prior to Cesarean Section”

Adam Wendling, MD

1. “A Low Cost Task Trainer for Open Chest Cardiac Massage Training”

Jonathan Wakim

Fourth-year resident Dalya Elhady, MD, won first place overall with original research on intraneural injection at the conference held May 3–5 at Opal Sands Resort in Clearwater Beach, FL. Second place went to UF second-year resident Adam Chadwick, MD, who presented two literature reviews, one about laryngospasm in pediatric and adult patients and another about perioperative spinal cord stimulator management.

UF sent 30 residents to the conference, which offered more than 60 residents from across the Gulf Atlantic region the opportunity to present their research to their peers in a low-key atmosphere. While UF sent a large contingent of residents as well as faculty members, the judging was conducted equitably among schools.

Assistant professor Sean Kiley, MD, who has led UF residents at GAARRC since 2014, said the conference is one of only a handful that offers such a supportive and interactive atmosphere. Many residents develop their first research paper out of work they presented there, he said.

“We believe in allowing the residents to be able to present their scientific and clinical research in an environment that is non-threatening and that is also in an audience of their peers,” Dr. Kiley said. He credited Timothy Morey, MD, chair of the department, who received an award for research as a resident at GAARRC in 1996, and the education office for supporting the conference.

Dr. Elhady said the conference supports “a culture of research” that furthers UF’s tradition of academic excellence. “GAARRC provides an excellent avenue for residents to become actively involved in research with varying levels of experience,” she said.

And it allows residents to forge relationships with mentors and appreciate advancing the profession, she said, crediting her mentor, assistant professor Kiki Nin, MD, for introducing her to the joint study with researchers in Spain that she presented.

Elhady and Nin’s research involves the use of a new injectate marker that was deliberately injected into median and popliteal nerves in cadavers to study its spread under light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.

Purposeful injection into nerves is generally thought to be harmful, but the findings from this study show that purposeful injection of the marker into nerves may not necessarily disrupt nerve structure and that the location of the injected marker was consistently found in areas that would not cause neurological complications, Dr. Elhady said. The research will require further study for potential clinical application.

Catherine Dietrich, MD, a third-year resident who took first place in the case reports category, participated in the care of the patient described in her report, titled “When Two Arms Cannot Agree: A Case Report of Incidentally Found Subclavian Steal Syndrome.” She described having a difficult time determining why she was getting different blood pressure readings on the patient’s left versus right arm. While imaging the brain, neurosurgeons noticed an anomaly in one of the patient’s arteries that explained the difference.

“I found the case interesting because I was able to explain the variation in vital signs based on what the surgeons discovered,” Dr. Dietrich said.

Dr. Kiley said it was important to select a desirable venue that awarded the event respect. And with ocean views in every room, the choice could hardly have been better: “The sunsets were awesome,” he said.

It was also important to make it fun. Andrew Pitkin, MBBS, MRCP, FRCA, gave the keynote lecture, titled “Under Pressure,” about cave diving. He adhered to Dr. Kiley’s instructions: “I told him I want his keynote speech to be 99% fun and 1% anesthesia-related,” Dr. Kiley said. “And he nailed it.”

Next year, assistant professor Basma Mohamed, MBChB, will take over from Dr. Kiley as the faculty lead.

“I am really excited to be part of the residents’ academic development in that capacity,” she said, adding that the focus going forward will be encouraging more programs to attend and potentially adding educational activities and workshops to the agenda.

Next year’s GAARRC will be hosted by Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL.

Our Winners

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