Celebrating the Retirement of Dr. Barbara Van de Wiele

By Maxime Cannesson, MD, PhD

 

The UCLA Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine celebrated the retirement of Dr. Barbara Van de Wiele, MD, who concluded more than 30 years of extraordinary service to the department, on July 1, 2026.

 

Originally from the East Coast, Dr. Van de Wiele came west after medical school and a research fellowship at Columbia University to complete her surgical internship, anesthesiology residency, and pediatric anesthesia fellowship at UCLA. Her decision to remain as faculty led to one of the most enduring and impactful careers the department has ever known.

 

From 1996 to 2018, Dr. Van de Wiele served as Director of the Neurosurgical Anesthesiology Division, providing exceptional leadership as her team delivered highly specialized care for patients undergoing some of the most complex procedures in medicine, including endoscopic pituitary surgeries, brain tumor resections, and awake craniotomies for epilepsy. Her reputation drew visiting scholars and clinicians from around the world, who returned home carrying her teachings and the advanced techniques they had witnessed firsthand.

 

In 2002, Dr. Van de Wiele became Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs. One of her first assigned projects, in her dual roles as Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs and Director of Neurosurgical Anesthesiology, was coordinating the anesthesia care for the separation of craniopagus conjoined twins Teresita and Josie Alvarez. The 23-hour surgery, which took place in August 2002, captured the world’s attention.

 

In 2013, Dr. Van de Wiele became Executive Vice Chair—the department’s second-highest leadership role—a position she held for five years before being called upon to serve as Interim Chair from 2018 to 2020. During that critical period of transition, which included the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, she led with steadiness, clarity, and grace. Faculty were retained. Talented new clinicians and residents were recruited. Research efforts continued. And when the pandemic overturned clinical operations and tested the spirit of everyone in the department, Dr. Van de Wiele never wavered. She remained committed, motivated, and poised, giving her colleagues strength and hope when they needed it most.

 

In 2020, she transitioned to Vice Chair for Faculty Affairs, and it was in this role that her passion for mentorship found its fullest expression. What began with a simple survey of junior faculty, asking about their mentoring experiences and needs, grew into a department-wide transformation. Under her guidance, mentorship evolved from an informal practice into a structured, reliable system of support, with standardized expectations, practical tools for career planning, and a shared culture in which every faculty member is guided and connected throughout their career. She personally ensured that no faculty member went without a mentor, stepping in herself whenever needed to provide continuity of guidance.

 

The leaders who shape the department today are, in no small part, a reflection of Dr. Van de Wiele’s investment in them. She has guided countless colleagues into key leadership positions, and her influence extends far beyond her own accomplishments.

 

It is entirely fitting, then, that Dr. Van de Wiele has been honored with the DAPM Distinguished Legacy in Leadership and Mentorship Award, recognizing a career defined by generosity, vision, and an unwavering commitment to the success of others.

 

In lasting tribute to her foundational role in shaping the department’s mentorship culture, the DAPM Mentor of the Year Award for late-career faculty will henceforth bear her name: the Barbara Van de Wiele Mentor of the Year Award. The inaugural recipient of this honor is Dr. Michael Ferrante—a most fitting first honoree.

 

The UCLA Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine congratulates Dr. Van de Wiele on an extraordinary career and wishes her a retirement filled with joy, rest, and everything she has so richly earned.