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The Insider: Fall 2026 Issue
Message from the Chair
Dear Alumni and friends of UW APM,
Welcome to the Fall 2026 edition of The INSIDER!
As always, this issue highlights the people, accomplishments, and initiatives that make our department such a remarkable place to learn, work, and discover.
Among the most important updates you’ll read in this edition of The INSIDER is the appointment of Dr. Casey Quinlan as our new residency program director. A graduate of our own residency program (chief resident, class of 2019) and a respected clinician-educator, Dr. Quinlan brings deep institutional knowledge and a personal commitment to training the next generation of anesthesiologists. I look forward to working alongside her as she leads our residency program into its next chapter.
We are also proud to celebrate the achievements of our trainees. This year, 100% of our CA-1 residents passed the BASIC Examination on their first attempt, with five residents scoring among the top 5-10% nationally. These accomplishments reflect the dedication of both our residents and the faculty who mentor them.
You’ll also read about important developments across our department missions, including the launch of our CASCADES 2026 live POCUS workshop this November, leadership under Dr. Ian Slade at Harborview Medical Center’s new Ninth and Jefferson Building (NJB) operating rooms, and the appointment of Dr. Kate Gentry as our interim vice chair for community building and belonging. This is just a glimpse of the many accomplishments and activities of our faculty, trainees, and staff since our spring update – we have so much more to share in the pages that follow!
To our alumni and friends, thank you for your continued partnership. Your engagement and support are helping shape the future of our department and ensuring our community remains strong for generations to come. I encourage you to stay connected by sharing your news, participating in departmental events, and exploring the many opportunities to support our missions.
As we leave summer behind and step into the fall season, I hope you’ll take a moment to grab a warm cup of tea, sit down in a comfy chair, and enjoy our newest edition of The INSIDER.
Sincerely,
Burkhard
G. Burkhard Mackensen, MD, PhD, FASE, FSCAI
Allan J. Treuer Endowed Professor & Chair
Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine
University of Washington
Leadership updates
Explore more faculty and trainee news, including select research publications, on our Recent Highlights page.
Meet Peter von Homeyer, our new division chief of cardiothoracic anesthesiology (available soon!)
Watch Dr. Mackensen’s interview with Dr. von Homeyer about his return to the Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine, his vision for the cardiothoracic division, and why the Pacific Northwest feels like returning to home.
Katherine Gentry to lead department’s Community Building & Belonging Council as interim vice chair
Learn more about Dr. Gentry and her commitment to co-creating a welcoming environment where all members can succeed.
After careful succession planning, Dr. Casey Quinlan steps into role of residency program director
Dr. Quinlan, who began her training in the program as an intern in 2015, assumed the role of residency program director on July 1. She is an assistant professor of pediatric anesthesiology at Seattle Children’s Hospital and most recently served as associate residency program director.
Featured articles
Deepak Sharma honored with Teacher of the Year/Lifetime Educator Award
This September, Dr. Sharma received the Society for Neuroscience in Anesthesiology and Critical Care (SNACC) Teacher of the Year/Lifetime Educator Award during the organization’s annual meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina. The international recognition caps a year of educational leadership for our vice chair of faculty affairs and development.
Designed to meet the increasing demand for clinicians with specialized expertise in transcatheter procedures, we have launched a new Interventional Echocardiography & Anesthesiology (IEA) Fellowship Program at UW Medical Center – Montlake.
Introducing our 2026-2027 fellows
Meet the 22 physicians and three research fellows joining the department this year across six of our fellowship programs.
Celebrating the career and retirement of Gary Walco
Our department had the distinct honor of hosting the Association of University Anesthesiologists (AUA) 2026 Annual Meeting last weekend, bringing 140 colleagues from across the country to our campus. Our department liaison Dr. Deepak Sharma, with the support of Department Chair Dr. G. Burkhard Mackensen and members of our department staff, organized a highly successful event with many memorable highlights.
Special guest sighting
This summer, Dr. Mackensen had the pleasure of introducing Dr. Frederick W. Cheney, our beloved former department chair, to the Laura Cheney Chair in Anesthesia Patient Safety, Dr. Andrea Vannucci!
In the news
The brain’s own opioids help guide purposeful action // Michael Bruchas, PhD — UW Medicine Newsroom
Brain signals help regulate reward-seeking // Michael Bruchas, PhD — UW Medicine Newsroom
Your sleep supplement might also help with chronic pain // Daron Vandeleur, MD — Health.com
Nerve tissue offers insights into chronic neck pain // Michele Curatolo, MD, PhD — UW Medicine Newsroom
Upcoming events
Registration open for CASCADES POCUS Workshop, November 7
The University of Washington Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine is proud to lead the first CASCADES Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Workshop, taking place Saturday, November 7, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Harborview Medical Center’s WWAMI Institute for Simulation in Healthcare (WISH).
Your gift makes a difference
Large or small, your financial contributions play a critical role in the work of the Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine as we advance our research, innovate clinical care, and train the next generation of anesthesiology and pain medicine specialists. Consider a gift today!
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