Jill Mhyre, M.D., Director of Obstetric Anesthesia and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Anesthesiology, has been appointed to serve as Chair of Anesthesiology effective July 1.
Dr. Mhyre will succeed W. Brooks Gentry, M.D., who has decided to step down in order to focus more of his time on research and academic mentorship. The transition will enable Dr. Gentry to focus more closely on his role as Principal Investigator on the ground-breaking, National Institute on Drug Abuse-funded clinical studies for the anti-methamphetamine medications he has been working with colleagues to develop. In addition, Dr. Gentry will remain a member of the clinical faculty at UAMS, facilitate research education for departmental faculty, fellows and residents, and develop greater research collaborations for the department via work with the UAMS Translational Research Institute.
“Dr. Mhyre is known internationally for her work to improve the safety of obstetric patients,” Interim Dean Christopher Westfall, M.D., said in his March 14 announcement to the faculty. “She is a proven academic physician and leader who will advance all missions of the College of Medicine and UAMS. She will be a tremendous addition to our leadership.”
Dr. Mhyre was recruited to UAMS as an Associate Professor in 2013. She has served as Director of Obstetric Anesthesia since 2014 and as Vice Chair for Research since 2015. In 2016 she was invested as the inaugural Dola S. Thompson, M.D., Professor of Anesthesiology. She is being promoted to the rank of Professor, effective July 1.
Dr. Mhyre received her medical degree at Stanford University in 1999. She interned at Duke University and continued her training at the University of Michigan Health System, where she completed her residency in anesthesiology and research fellowships in the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program and the National Institutes of Health’s Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health Program.
She joined the faculty at the University of Michigan Health System, serving as Director of Obstetric Anesthesiology Research from 2006 to 2013 and as Director of Quality Improvement for Anesthesiology in 2012-2013.
Dr. Mhyre’s research focuses on maternal patient safety with specific areas of interest in maternal mortality, severe obstetric morbidity, perioperative and peripartum cardiopulmonary resuscitation, regionalization of peripartum care for women with significant co-existing disease, and systems solutions to improve communication and safety on labor and delivery units.
She is the Executive Section Editor for Obstetric Anesthesia for Analgesia & Anesthesia, Editor of the International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia, and Associate Editor of Chestnut’s Obstetric Anesthesia Principles and Practice. Earlier roles included Chair of the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology Patient Safety Committee, Chair of the National Partnership for Maternal Safety Subcommittee on Vital Sign Triggers, and the journal liaison for the Society of Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology.