Peter Rock, M.D., M.B.A., a nationally known expert in anesthesiology and critical care medicine, has been named the Dr. Martin Helrich Professor and Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. Rock has also been named Chief of Anesthesiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center. These new appointments became effective December 1, 2006.

Dr. Rock comes to Maryland from the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, where, since 1999, he has been a professor of anesthesiology and medicine and vice chair of the Department of Anesthesiology. He has also served as the medical director of Respiratory Care at UNC Hospitals.

“Dr. Rock’s intellectual curiosity, superb teaching skills, clinical mastery and managerial excellence will extend the tradition of dynamic leadership in our Department of Anesthesiology,” says E. Albert Reece, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Maryland and Dean of the School of Medicine. “He is a dedicated researcher with a proven track record for generating research funding from the National Institutes of Health and other agencies. He will be an important leader in our pursuit of excellence in medical education, research, patient care and service.”

Jeffrey A. Rivest, President and Chief Executive Officer of the University of Maryland Medical Center, says, “Anesthesiology plays a crucial role in caring for our surgical and critical care patients, especially with our growth in patient volumes and our investments in sophisticated operating room and intensive care technology. Because of Dr. Rock’s extensive experience and leadership in the field of anesthesiology, he will be an important addition to our excellent group of clinical leaders.”

Dr. Rock received his bachelor’s degree from the Johns Hopkins University and his medical degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He completed a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine and a residency in anesthesiology, also at Hopkins. From 1986 to 1995, he was on the faculty of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in the departments of medicine and anesthesiology. In 1995, he joined the faculty of the Washington University School of Medicine as professor of medicine and anesthesiology and he served as chief of the Barnes Hospital Division of Anesthesiology. He received a master’s degree in business administration from Washington University’s Olin School of Business.

Dr. Rock says he was drawn to the University of Maryland’s Department of Anesthesiology because of its tradition of leadership in the field. “I intend to continue the department’s dedication to high quality, efficient perioperative care,” says Dr. Rock. “I hope to recruit the best residents and train them to be excellent anesthesiologists and physicians, as they are the future of the specialty. I also want to help the department make even greater contributions to the specialty of anesthesiology in the areas of patient care, education and research.” Dr. Rock adds, “Faculty development and mentoring are other areas I intend to focus on.”

Dr. Rock is a highly regarded medical educator whose research interests include acute lung injury, septic shock, pulmonary circulation, perioperative myocardial ischemia, medical informatics and postoperative respiratory complications.

Dr. Rock succeeds M. Jane Matjasko, M.D., who retired as chair of anesthesiology last year.