Dr. Bartels is anesthesiology’s inaugural vice chair of research

When Karsten Bartels, MD, PhD, was a high-school graduate in Germany, one year of military or civil service was required by law. Dr. Bartels elected to work as the German equivalent of a paramedic technician — a position that transports highly-skilled physicians from the hospital to life and death emergencies in the field.

“I was 18 years old and driving physicians around in fast, German cars with lights and sirens,” he said. “It was an ideal job.”

It was there that Dr. Bartels first learned to intubate and place IVs in patients. He established rapport with the anesthesiologists he transported, and, on his last day of civil service, was invited to tag along on an emergent helicopter ride.

“That day I knew I was going to be an anesthesiologist,” Dr. Bartels said.

Between then and now, Dr. Bartels has acquired a whopping seven advanced degrees in areas of anesthesiology, research and business. He believes adamantly in working hard, constantly improving yourself and serving your community.

“There is no finish line,” he said. “It’s about doing what you are passionate about and being an apprentice all of your life. The impetus of being the best you can be is pushing everyone else to achieve the best they can. That’s why I’m in academic medicine.”

When Dr. Bartels got the call inviting him to become a professor and the first-ever vice chair of research in UNMC’s Department of Anesthesiology, he was pulling weeds at an organic farm in Western Kansas with his wife. They were on vacation. After their original vacation plans fell through, they opted to pull the plug on technology and metropolitan living and instead connect with the earth, service and rural living.

“We waited to fill this role until we knew we had the perfect candidate,” said Steven J. Lisco, MD, chair of the UNMC Department of Anesthesiology. “Dr. Bartels was the obvious choice because of his outstanding clinical and research career. We are looking forward to his leadership and vision as we grow our research program.”

Dr. Bartels officially joined the department on April 1. He aims to build an already successful and funded research division into a national leader with impact across the entire translational research spectrum. He brings a passion for mentorship and encourages that culture within the department.

“I knew this was a very dynamic department that went from humble beginnings to a full-fledged clinical powerhouse with every fellowship under the sun,” he said. “The resources available at UNMC were a huge reason I came here and will give me the leverage to achieve our goals. That amplifies everything.”

Dr. Bartels’ wife, Lena Mayes, MD, is a pediatric anesthesiologist and will join Children’s Hospital & Medical Center faculty in the summer after their 10-year-old son, Wolfie, completes school.