Sherif Afifi

Sherif Afifi serves as Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Department of Surgery (Organ Transplantation) at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, with clinical practice centered at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. His expertise spans cardiac/thoracic/transplant anesthesia and critical care medicine, supported by extensive postgraduate training at premier institutions.

Educational background includes:

• MD, Cairo University, Egypt (1987)
• Clinical & Research Fellowship, Duke University Medical Center (1989)
• Residency & Fellowship, Cleveland Clinic Foundation (1994)
• Internal Medicine Residency, SUNY University Hospital (1991)
• Anesthesiology Residency & Cardiothoracic Fellowship, Cleveland Clinic (1993)
• Critical Care Medicine Fellowship, Cleveland Clinic (1994)
• National Board of Echocardiography Certification (1999)

Research focuses on breathing control mechanisms, perioperative metabolic regulation, and resuscitation science, with significant contributions to healthcare quality, pharmacology, and medical education systems. His work integrates clinical practice with educational innovation in graduate medical training and respiratory care accreditation standards.

Recent publications demonstrate expertise in cardiothoracic pathophysiology (pulmonary hypertension, ventricular interdependence), critical reflex phenomena (trigeminocardiac reflex), and neurocritical complications (hypoglycemia effects post-subarachnoid hemorrhage), reflecting his dual specialization in anesthesia and critical care.

Major recognitions include:

• Nathan Smith Davis Service Society Membership (2018)
• Global Tracheostomy Collaborative Induction (2015)
• International Critical Care Knowledge Assessment Task Force (2015)
• Multiple Visiting Professorships across 12 institutions (2014)
• ACGME Fellowship Program Re-accreditation Leadership (2011)
• Presidential Citation, Society of Critical Care Medicine (1999)
• Consecutive Best Teacher Awards (2003-2004)

As Anesthesiology Critical Care Fellowship Director, he achieved program re-accreditation without citations (2011) while maintaining top patient satisfaction scores. Educational leadership includes curriculum design for graduate medical education and respiratory care accreditation systems, evidenced by editorial roles in critical care resources.

Current professional engagement spans AAMC Advisory Committee (2020-present), SCCM Tele-ICU Committee (2020-present), and editorial leadership as Editor-in-Chief for Benchmark Health Publishing, with ongoing instruction for SCCM's Fundamentals of Critical Care program since 1997.