Meet the Residents

Welcome to the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care at Saint Louis University. We are delighted by your interest in our residency program. We would like to highlight why completing the next phase of your training at SLU is a unique and fulfilling experience in the heart of a beautiful city.  

The breadth of clinical training offered at Saint Louis University is unmatched and prepares our residents for independent practice following graduation. As an active Level 1 trauma center, our residents quickly gain experience and expertise in advanced resuscitation and caring for high-acuity patients, both in the operating rooms and intensive care units. Our hardworking residents make learning from many of our distinguished faculty an enjoyable experience.

As a clinical base year intern, you will rotate through several months of medicine and surgical subspecialties. Of note, our intern year includes five months rotating within the anesthesiology department. This includes pre-anesthesia clinic, the anesthesiology critical care service, developing health care administration skills in our practice management course and our June OR boot-camp month which will fully prepare you for your transition into the OR. These months will allow you to form bonds not only with your anesthesiology colleagues, but also develop interdepartmental relationships with other surgical subspecialty residents. 

The majority of your clinical anesthesia years will be spent in the new SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital ORs. You will build a strong academic and procedural foundation through the early, broad exposure to many diverse cases. Our ever-evolving curriculum allows for flexibility to meet the needs of each resident as they develop throughout their clinical years. 

Our robust academic curriculum has many moving parts, including morning keywords, weekly didactic lectures, journal clubs, grand rounds, morbidity and mortality conference, hands on ultrasound workshops, oral board prep, and simulation lab sessions. Many of our residents travel to and present at national anesthesia conferences, as well as subspecialty conferences. Also of note, these academic endeavors are funded by the department. Our education curriculum will help you build an excellent knowledge foundation to effectively take advantage of the medically complex cases offered here at Saint Louis University. 

We are fortunate to have a new, state of the art hospital as our main clinical site. SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital will serve as your home for the majority of residency. Other facilities for training are all within the St. Louis metro area including: SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital (next door to Saint Louis University Hospital), SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital, John Cochran VA Hospital and Mercy Hospital St. Louis.

Anesthesiology residency at Saint Louis University not only guarantees a strong clinical education, but also a tight knit departmental family that genuinely cares about your well-being. Monthly department-sponsored socials around the city embody our commitment to fostering a cohesive work community. Our campus is situated close to downtown St. Louis, the national award-winning Forest Park, and many of the unique neighborhoods in the St. Louis area. Whether you are interested in family fun, nightlife, food, music, or sports, St. Louis has exciting options for everyone.

Ultimately, our anesthesiology residency will give you a strong, balanced and supportive environment to gain superior clinical skill and knowledge that will lay the foundation for any career path you choose to pursue. 

We look forward to meeting you!

Navneesh Purewal, M.D., and Derek Chung, D.O.
Chief residents

Where They Went

2024 Graduates

Fellowships:

• Cardiothoracic anesthesia, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
  Cardiothoracic anesthesia, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
  Chronic pain, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 

Academic:

• SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital, St. Louis (four graduates)

Private Practice:

• Vacaville, California
• Hudson, Florida
• Indianapolis

2023 Graduates

Fellowships:

• Cardiothoracic anesthesia, University of Alabama - Birmingham
• Cardiothoracic anesthesia, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Chronic pain, Montefiore/Albert Einstein University, New York
• Chronic pain, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
• Chronic pain, University of Iowa, Iowa City
• Chronic pain, University of Utah, Salt Lake City
• Pediatric anesthesia, University of Kansas - Childrens' Mercy, Kansas City, Missouri

Private Practice:

• Oklahoma City
• Provo, Utah
• Redding, California