Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland

Pediatric Anesthesiology at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital (BCH) Oakland continues to provide safe, efficient, and high-quality perioperative care to the diverse communities of Oakland and the greater East Bay. As the East Bay’s only Level 1 pediatric trauma center, BCH Oakland remains a critical resource for children requiring specialized surgical, anesthetic, and procedural care.

In 2025, Pediatric Anesthesiology at BCH Oakland continued to expand both its clinical footprint and faculty growth. Faculty provide anesthesia care across operating rooms, interventional radiology, MRI, CT, procedural sedation, pediatric cardiac surgery, pediatric pain management, and the preoperative evaluation clinic. The team supports care at multiple East Bay sites, including BCH Walnut Creek, helping improve access for patients and families across the region.

We continued to grow, with three new pediatric anesthesiology faculty members expected to join in 2026, bringing the total faculty to fifteen. This growth will further strengthen our ability to meet increasing clinical demand, support perioperative operations across East Bay sites, and expand access to specialized pediatric anesthesia care.

2025 also marked the continued development of pediatric pain services in the East Bay. Under the leadership of Dr. Caro Monico, BCH Oakland has expanded its pediatric pain capabilities, including interventional pain services for children with complex perioperative and chronic pain needs.

Education remains a core mission of the specialty. BCH Oakland faculty continue to play an important role in teaching and mentoring medical students, residents, fellows, and other trainees. Faculty provide bedside teaching, lectures, simulation, and mentorship while maintaining a strong commitment to clinical excellence and the development of future leaders in pediatric anesthesiology. BCH Oakland also serves as an important training site for learners across the Bay Area, particularly in Level 1 pediatric trauma operations, airway management, vascular access, and the perioperative management of complex pediatric patients.

With continued growth in clinical programs, faculty recruitment, pediatric pain services, regional outreach, and education, Pediatric Anesthesiology at BCH Oakland remains committed to meeting the evolving needs of children and families throughout the East Bay and beyond.

Taran Sangari, MD, MBA
Vice Chair and Chief of Pediatric Anesthesia
Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland