Announcing Vice Chair of Education, Kristina Sullivan, MD

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Kristina Sullivan, MD as vice chair of Education for the Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care.

Dr. Sullivan is an outstanding clinician educator and nationally recognized leader in anesthesiology education whose career has been dedicated to advancing excellence across the continuum of medical education. She earned her medical degree from Georgetown University before completing residency training in Internal Medicine at Stanford University and residency in Anesthesiology at UCSF, followed by fellowships in Critical Care Medicine and Cardiac Anesthesiology at UCSF.

Since joining the UCSF faculty in 2007, Dr. Sullivan has held numerous educational leadership roles within our department, including Director of the Anesthesia Internship, Associate Program Director for the Anesthesia Residency, Residency Program Director, and Associate Chair for Education. She also serves as UCSF Graduate Medical Education Director for Education and Assessment. Nationally, she has been an active leader in the Society for Education in Anesthesia, the Society of Academic Associations of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, the American Board of Anesthesiology, and the AAMC Western Group on Educational Affairs. Her longstanding commitment to medical education has been recognized through her appointment as the Sol Shnider Endowed Chair for Anesthesia Education and her induction into the Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators.

As vice chair of Education, Dr. Sullivan will provide strategic leadership for the department’s educational mission across undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education. Her responsibilities will include:

• Providing strategic oversight for the department's educational programs across the learner continuum.
• Supporting the recruitment, development, mentorship, and retention of clinician educators.
• Advancing competency-based medical education, assessment, and innovative approaches to learner development.
• Leading the thoughtful integration of emerging educational technologies, including artificial intelligence, to enhance teaching and learning.
• Partnering with educational leaders across the department to strengthen curricula, promote educational scholarship, and expand opportunities for learners and faculty.
• Fostering a culture of educational excellence, innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
   

Dr. Sullivan’s vision builds upon our department’s strong educational foundation while positioning us to lead nationally in competency-based education, faculty development, educational scholarship, and the responsible integration of emerging technologies into medical education. Her collaborative leadership, deep institutional knowledge, and commitment to mentorship will help ensure that our educational programs continue to thrive and prepare the next generation of anesthesiologists.

We would also like to extend our gratitude to Dr. Manny Pardo for his outstanding leadership and service in this role. Finally, we thank Dr. Marla Ferschl and the other members of the search committee for their thoughtful efforts throughout the selection process.