Rachel Kuandal, Maryland, was appointed Director of the Liver Transplant Fellowship, just two years after joining the UNMC Anesthesiology faculty.
Dr. Allyson Hascall, head of multispecialist anesthesiology, said Dr. Kuandar's passion for education, clinical excellence and complex patient care is uniquely positioned to lead the program.
Dr. Quandahl joined the faculty in 2023 after completing his residency and liver transplant fellowship at UNMC.
“Participants who have had liver transplants are some of the most complicated patients to care for,” Dr. Kuandar said. “What excites me most about this role is shaping a programme that prepares peers to not only meet and thrive in that challenge.”
The program accepts one peer per year, allowing for intensive mentorship and tailored learning.
Dr. Quandahl describes the ideal liver transplant fellow as someone with deep clinical knowledge, advanced technical skills, and the ability to make quick and confident decisions at high moments. But beyond procedural mastery, she said she hopes the fellow graduates from something even more permanent.
“My goal is that anyone who trains in our program is very confident in the future work they pursue,” she said.
Looking ahead, Dr. Quandahl is already exploring opportunities to expand and innovate the program. With growing interest among dual-training track residents, such as combining transplant anesthesia with heart or ICU training, she envisions more integrated options for fellows whose interests are across disciplines.
Dr. Quandahl said the unique strength of the program is the powerful pediatric training provided in addition to adult liver transplant cases, including liver transplants, small intestinal transplants, multi-purpose transplants and intestinal rehabilitation surgery.
“We are one of the few centres in the country that perform multi-purpose transplants on a daily basis,” said Dr. Quandahl. “These are extremely complex cases and provide an unparalleled training experience.”
Dr. Haskol congratulated Dr. Kuandar on her new role and noted that since she began, she has been active on the education side of the department and is currently co-director of the rotation of anesthesiology students.
