Where Are They Now?

The Department of Anesthesiology has always had such wonderful people who have contributed to make it what it is today. Let's find out what some of our colleagues and friends who have moved on are doing now and how UMMC played a role in their careers and lives. If would like to be featured in future articles of the newsletter, please e-mail Sara Robertson at smbrobertson@umc.edu. We would love to hear from you!

Arvind Chandrashekar, M.D.
Residency Class of 2019

Tell us about what you have been doing since you graduated from the residency program. What does your anesthesia practice look like? How did UMMC prepare you for your current career?
After I graduated from Anesthesiology Residency and Pain fellowship at UMMC, my wife and I moved to Memphis where I took up an academic Anesthesia job at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center/ Regional One Health. This is my 6th year of working here and it has been a wonderful experience so far. Regional One Health happens to be one of the busiest trauma centers in the nation and training at UMMC was an excellent preparation to tackle the real world. I felt well prepared and confident from day one of working here, and I owe it to the training at UMMC. I currently serve as the Program Director for the Anesthesiology Residency Program here as well as the Program Director for a newly formed Trauma Anesthesia Fellowship. I have been the Director of the acute and chronic pain services for the past four years. I attribute these responsibilities and roles to the excellent training and guidance during Residency! Memphis has been special to me since my wife and I had both our kids, Aria(4) and Riaan(1) during our time here. If I’m not at work, I make the most of spending every minute with my kids.

What did you enjoy most about being a resident in this program?
I had a wonderful group of co-Residents who had each other’s back. I loved the training experience overall including the autonomy, acuity of cases and the staff.

If you could give any advice to our current trainees, what would it be?
Make the most of every opportunity to learn and improve on your skills. If you’re at UMMC as an Anesthesiology Resident, you’re already on the right path. Just trust the process and you will be ready to practice independently once you graduate.

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Cliff Adams, M.D.
Residency Class of 1995

Tell us about what you have been doing since you graduated from the residency program. What does your anesthesia practice look like? How did UMMC prepare you for your current career?
My first interview out of residency was with Rankin Medical Center in Brandon. I got the job and practiced there for two years. Next stop was with Physicians Anesthesia Group at St. Dominic’s Hospital which was quite a bit busier and much more challenging. Hearts, neuro, OB etc. Stayed there for 16 years. Had an opportunity to get out of call and the hospital setting in 2011, so I gave Mississippi Vein Institute a shot. I am presently half owner now and will finish my medical career there. Most of what I do there is ablate refluxing veins and treat spider veins. I had no idea in the beginning that there was such a need and how much venous insufficiency could negatively affect a person’s life. Having done anesthesia made the move to treating veins a lot easier because of my ability to access veins that was acquired during my anesthesia years. This all started with my UMMC residency which I owe a lot credit to.

What did you enjoy most about being a resident in this program?
I enjoyed the people and staff that were associated with the UMMC anesthesia program. Some of them are still my close friends.

If you could give any advice to our current trainees, what would it be?
My advice to a new anesthesia resident is to work hard and soak up all the info that you will have access to at UMMC and I assure you will be prepared for anything that comes up in your career!