The UNMC Department of Anesthesiology recently gathered to celebrate the hard work, perseverance and accomplishments of the 2025 resident class and graduating fellows.
The annual graduation banquet, held May 31 at the Omaha Country Club, began with a social hour and dinner, followed by a program of awards, recognitions and congratulations.
Department chair Andrew Patterson, MD, PhD, and resident program director, Andrea Dutoit, MD, opened the evening with welcome remarks. Post-graduation plans for each resident and fellow were announced, and annual departmental honors were presented, including Teacher of the Year Awards, which recognize faculty who have gone above and beyond in providing an excellent educational experience for residents and fellows.
“Our faculty serve as mentors, motivators and role models, providing residents and fellows with the tools and confidence to navigate their careers,” Dr. Dutoit said.
This year’s recipients were:
- CBY Teacher of the Year – Jayme Dowdall, MD (ENT)
- CA1 Teacher of the Year – Andrew Maresch, MD
- CA2 Teacher of the Year – Sean Karre, MD (Omaha VA Hospital)
- CA3 Teacher of the Year – Cale Kassel, MD
- Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Teacher of the Year – Stephen Brannan, MD
- Critical Care Medicine Anesthesiology Teachers of the Year – Dan Johnson, MD, and Dan Kalin, MD (UNMC Emergency Medicine)
- Pain Medicine Teacher of the Year – Redgy Fuller, DO
This year, the Brad Paulson Memorial Award – given to an outstanding medical student pursuing a UNMC residency in anesthesiology – went to Trevor Daubert.
The department also recognized chief residents Jane Goodson, MD, and Paul Harding, MD, for their leadership and year of service to the department.
“They’ve not only been the schedule makers and problem solvers but are champions for our entire community. They’ve helped shape the direction of our program, with thoughtful input into our revenue development,” Dr. Dutoit said. “We had the largest recruitment season this department has ever seen, matching 16 in last year’s match. They led with empathy, supported those around them and advocated for what matters most to make our department stronger.”
Each year, the residency program recognizes residents who achieved academic excellence by performing in the top 25% of trainees nationally by year of training on the annual anesthesiology in-training examinations in February. Certificates of Academic Excellence were awarded to the following:
Class of 2028 – CBY
- Timothy Colwell, MD
- Melanie Kaiser, MD
- Saad Khan, MD
Class of 2027 – CA1
- Tyler Austin, MD
- Ifunanya Ejikeme, DO
- Christopher Keenan, MD
- Ian South, MD
- Abigail Tesnohlidek, MD
Class of 2026 – CA2
- Hayden Brodersen, MD
- Zachary Egr, MD
- Cameron Evans, MD
- Robert Guidangen, MD
- Jennie Keum, MD
- Sara Linza-Moscati, DO
- Alec See, DO
- Noah Svec, MD
Class of 2025 – CA3
- Jeremy Payne, MD
- Zachary Schell, MD
- Taylor Ziegler, MD
Pain Medicine
- Leith Hobbs, DO
Critical Care Anesthesiology
- Nicholas Linares, DO
Dr. Dutoit congratulated the graduates for their clinical and academic excellence, as well as their overall attitude, leadership, perseverance and camaraderie, saying, “This achievement reflects years of ongoing learning, dedication, perseverance and profound personal and professional growth. I offer my heartfelt congratulations. Your commitment to excellence, leadership and spirit of collaboration has been inspiring.”
The department presented each graduate with a diploma, a monogrammed blanket and a framed word-collage with praise from mentors and colleagues.
Graduating residents, and their post-graduation plans, are as follows:
- Lauren Costello, MD – Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellowship, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
- Nathan Goergen, MD, PhD – Faculty, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
- Jane Goodson, MD – Faculty, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
- William (Brett) Guthmiller, DO – Private practice, Orange City Area Health System, Iowa
- Paul Harding, MD – Faculty, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
- Gary LaCroix, MD – Faculty, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
- Blair Mack, MD – Critical Care Fellowship, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
- Jeremy Payne, MD, MBA – Private practice, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha
- Zachary Schell, MD – Private practice, University of Missouri at Capital Region Medical Center
- Elizabeth Ternent-Rech, DO – Pediatric Anesthesia Fellowship, Oregon Health & Science University
- Taylor Ziegler, MD – Critical Care Fellowship, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Graduating fellows, and their post-graduation plans, are as follows:
Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology
- Tyler Abarca, MD – Private practice, Midwest Physician Anesthesia Services, Columbus, Ohio
- Scott Breeden, DO – Faculty, department of anesthesiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Christopher Konkel, DO – Private practice, U.S. Anesthesia Partners, Las Vegas, Nevada
- Jaimi Philip, MD – Private practice, St. Peter’s Hospital, Albany, New York
- Megan Rolfzen, MD – Faculty, Cardiac Anesthesiology and Research Fellowship, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Critical Care Medicine Anesthesiology
- Wesley Burdiek, MD – Faculty, UNMC Department of Anesthesiology
- Timothy McNamara, DO – Critical Care and Emergency Medicine, AdventHealth, Orlando, Florida
Pain Medicine
- James Bolduc, DO – Private practice, Interventional Pain Medicine, Orlando, Florida
- Leith Hobbs, DO – Pain medicine physician, Unity Health, Searcy, Arkansas
- Dan Nicholls, MD – Interventional pain and general anesthesia, Ivinson Memorial Hospital, Laramie, Wyoming