Seema P. Deshpande

Seema P. Deshpande, MBBS, is Associate Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and serves as both the Director of the Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Fellowship Program and the Interim Vice Chair for Faculty Development.

Education & Training:

• 1992 MBBS – Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Belgaum, India
• 1997–1998 Internship (Preliminary Medicine) – Deaconess Hospital, St. Louis, MO
• 1998–2001 Residency & Chief Residency – Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, MO
• 2001–2002 Fellowship in Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology – Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO

Research Focus: Dr. Deshpande’s clinical and scholarly work centers on peri-operative care of adult patients undergoing cardiac, thoracic, vascular and transplant surgery. Additional expertise includes anesthesia for electrophysiology procedures and quality-improvement initiatives aimed at optimizing postoperative pain control and reducing extubation times after lung transplantation.

Recent Publication Themes: Her 2022-2023 publications address cutting-edge topics such as reverse Takotsubo cardiomyopathy during liver transplantation, building professional communities for women in cardiothoracic anesthesiology, regional block strategies for cardiac surgery analgesia, and the paradoxical relationship between FIBTEM clot firmness and transfusion requirements in coronary bypass patients.

Scientific Awards & Honors:

• Fellow of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (FASA) – 2024
• WICTA Distinguished Service Award – 2023
• WICTA Professional Coaching Award – 2020
• Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching – 2017
• Peter E. Krucylak Prize (Best Resident in Cardiothoracic Anesthesia) – 2000

Advising & Educational Leadership: While specific student names are not listed, Dr. Deshpande has directed the Cardiac Rotation for anesthesiology residents since 2007, chaired the Clinical Competency Committee for the cardiothoracic fellowship (2013-2019), and currently leads the fellowship program. She contributes to national education as an American Board of Anesthesiology examiner, question author for the Adult Cardiac Anesthesiology Exam, and frequent moderator for ASA and SCA annual meetings.

Labs & Teams: Within the University of Maryland Department of Anesthesiology, she collaborates on ongoing quality-improvement initiatives in lung transplant recipients and co-developed a departmental protocol for intraoperative management during electrophysiology procedures. She is an active member of multiple institutional committees including the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Antiracism (IDEA) Taskforce and the Graduate Medical Education Clinical Learning Environment Review group.