Meet the Program Directors

Charles A. Napolitano, M.D., Ph.D.

I was born in Providence, Rhode Island, the second of two sons of Carl and Julia Napolitano, first generation Italian-Americans. My father was a successful custom furrier and businessman who wanted his children to pursue education and not continue in the family business; my mother supported the family in every aspect and both watched their sons pursue advanced degrees in science and medicine. My wife of almost 40 years, Maria Castro, Ph.D., and I are the proud parents of two sets of fraternal twins. I attended Brown University for my undergraduate education and obtained a doctorate and medical degree from Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University. I entered medicine following the defense of my doctoral dissertation, completion of a post-doctoral fellowship, and entry into the ranks of junior faculty in search of a more immediate and more satisfying way to contribute to those around me. I attended the University of Florida for both my core Anesthesiology residency training and fellowship in CT Anesthesia.

I have been at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) since 1996 and have been involved with resident education as a Co-Residency Director and CT-Anesthesia Fellowship director during portions of the past two decades. Since 2008, I have served as Program Director and recently have been appointed Vice-Chair of Education and Faculty Development for the Department of Anesthesia at UAMS. Additional administrative experience has included ten years of service as the Chief of Anesthesia at the John McClellan VA Hospital with the Central Arkansas Veterans Hospital System. I have enjoyed keeping up with colleagues and former residents over the years and was President of the Anesthesia Alumni Association of Florida (2010-2012). My clinical and research interests have been in Cardiothoracic Anesthesia, an area of interest that has stemmed from my doctoral and post-doctoral years exploring aspects of cardiac physiology, biophysics, and biochemistry. I continue to serve as the Director of the adult cardiothoracic anesthesia division, a position I have had since 1998, and am known by the residents rotating through CT-Anesthesia for hosting monthly cardiothoracic journal clubs featuring my homemade pizzas.

Charles A. Napolitano, M.D., Ph.D.