Colleagues,

I am honored and pleased to announce that Promil Kukreja, M.D., Ph.D., CMQ, FASA, will serve as our inaugural Vice Chair for Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine in the UAB Heersink School of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine.

Dr. Kukreja has excelled in promoting our tripartite mission in teaching, research, and clinical excellence. He is well known in the department as a consummate clinician, award-winning teacher, and highly productive clinical researcher. Prior to his new appointment, he served multiple leadership roles including director of Trauma and Acute Care Anesthesia (2021-present) and fellowship director for Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine (2014-present). As a professor, he has received the Teacher of the Year award for the last three years and been voted as a Top 10 Teacher by our residents every year since 2009. He has also established a robust clinical research platform – leading his team to publish an unprecedented 25 articles in the last two years (uninterrupted by the stress of COVID on our clinical practice) and mentoring more than 50 residents for their senior projects, a requirement and huge satisfier for our residency program.

At the national level, Dr. Kukreja serves as the Regional Anesthesia section editor for the Current Anesthesiology Reports journal. He is also actively involved in the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, serving on the Research committee and Carl Koller Research Grant committee.

He joined UAB in 2009 after completing his residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin where he received the prestigious John P. Kampine Award for the best graduating resident. Prior to his residency, he completed a Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmacology at Tulane University.

Dr. Kukreja has a vision to promote Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine to become recognized as a top program in the nation. His goal is to integrate research and innovation into training so that residents and fellows can effectively contribute to our specialty. He is also a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in order to ensure enhanced innovation and departmental excellence.

With a great sense of optimism, I congratulate Dr. Kukreja and ask that you join me in welcoming him to his new role.

Sincerely,
Dan E. Berkowitz, M.D.
Alfred Habeeb Professor and Chair