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University of Nebraska Medical Center
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Critical Care

The Critical Care Division in the UNMC Department of Anesthesiology educates the next generation of critical care leaders in a supportive and nurturing environment. Through UNMC's clinical partners, the division delivers state-of-the-art care to critically ill patients from across the region.

Research includes large outcomes studies, multi-center randomized controlled trials, and translational research. Research mentorship for fellows and junior faculty is provided by senior faculty, including the department chair and the vice chair for research, both of whom  are members of the Critical Care Division.
 
Our faculty members work through UNMC's clinical partners to provide collaborative, comprehensive care for a wide variety of patients – including from cardiothoracic, vascular, cardiology, ECMO, surgical oncology, obstetric, otolaryngology and other services.
 
Many members of our division serve in national leadership positions, as well as in leadership within UNMC's primary clinical partner, Nebraska Medicine. 
 
Our division has a long history of providing critical care and leadership within the internationally known Nebraska Biocontainment Unit. Through the biocontainment unit, physicians in our division provided direct care for Ebola patients in 2014 and for COVID patients in 2020.

Critical Care fellows during rounds

Critical Care Anesthesiology Fellowship

The Critical Care Anesthesiology Fellowship provides training and mentorship to future critical care anesthesiologists to allow them to excel clinically and become leaders in education and research. Get details about the program and meet our current fellows.

Leadership

Daniel W. Johnson, MD, FCCM

Division Chief, Critical Care Anesthesiology, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
Associate Fellowship Director, Critical Care
Professor
Medical Director, Cardiovascular ICU, Nebraska Medicine
Associate Medical Director, Nebraska Biocontainment Unit

Daniel W. Johnson, MD, FCCM, headshot

Faculty

Amanda Arnzen, MD

Assistant Professor, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
Critical Care Anesthesiologist, Nebraska Medicine

Amanda Arnzen, MD, headshot
Karsten Bartels, MD, PhD, MBA

Robert Lieberman Endowed Chair of Anesthesiology
Vice Chair, Research, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
Professor with Tenure
Critical Care Anesthesiologist, Nebraska Medicine
Cardiothoracic Anesthesiologist

Karsten Bartels, MD, PhD, MBA, headshot
Joseph Baus, MD

Assistant Professor, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
Medical Director, PreOp/PACU, Nebraska Medicine
Section Head, Trauma and Advance Airway Management
Critical Care Anesthesiologist

Joseph Baus, MD, headshot
Stephen C. Brannan, MD

Assistant Professor, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
Critical Care Anesthesiologist, Nebraska Medicine
Cardiothoracic Anesthesiologist

Stephen C. Brannan, MD, headshot
Lucas E. Deschenes, MD

Assistant Professor, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
Critical Care Anesthesiologist, Nebraska Medicine
Cardiothoracic Anesthesiologist

Lucas Deschenes, MD, headshot
Erin Etoll, MD

Assistant Professor, Department of Anesthesiology
Committee Chair, Clinical Competency Committee for the CCA Fellowship
Critical Care Anesthesiologist, Nebraska Medicine

Erin Etoll, MD, headshot
Zahid Iqbal, MD

Assistant Professor, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
Medical Director, Perioperative Evaluation and Care Clinic, Nebraska Medicine
Critical Care Anesthesiologist

Zahid Iqbal, MD, headshot
Michelle-Anne Iverson, DO

Assistant Professor, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
Critical Care Anesthesiologist, Nebraska Medicine

Michelle-Anne Iverson, DO, headshot
Steven J Lisco, MD, FCCM, FCCP

Myrna Newland, MD, Endowed Professor of Anesthesiology
Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, UNMC College of Medicine
Chief Academic Officer, Nebraska Medicine

Steven J. Lisco, MD, FCCM, FCCP headshot
Joseph Pawlowski, MD

Associate Director, Residency Program for Performance and Wellbeing, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
Assistant Professor
Section Head, Neuro Anesthesiology, Nebraska Medicine
Critical Care Anesthesiologist

Joseph Pawlowski, MD, headshot
Sean Rajnic, MD

Assistant Professor, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
Critical Care Anesthesiologist, Nebraska Medicine

Sean Rajnic, MD, headshot
Jim N. Sullivan, MD

Associate Professor, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
Medical Director, Werner ICU, Nebraska Medicine

Jim N. Sullivan, MD, headshot
Dennis Thiel, MD

Assistant Professor, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
Critical Care Anesthesiologist, Nebraska Medicine
Cardiothoracic Anesthesiologist

Shaun Thompson, MD

Director, Critical Care Anesthesiology Fellowship Program, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
Director, Media
Associate Professor
Medical Director, ECMO, Nebraska Medicine
Critical Care Anesthesiologist

Shaun Thompson, MD, headshot
Levi J. Zehr, MD

Assistant Professor, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
Critical Care Anesthesiologist, Nebraska Medicine

Levi J. Zehr, MD, headshot