Medical College of Wisconsin
CTSICores SearchResearch InformaticsREDCap

CURRICULUM VITAE

Catherine M. Drexler MD
Associate Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Division of Clinical

OFFICE ADDRESS:
Froedtert Hospital
9200 W Wisconsin Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53226
Email: cdrexler@mcw.edu

EDUCATION:
09/1979 - 05/1983 B.S.N., University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Nursing
09/1986 - 08/1988 Diploma, Milwaukee County Medical Complex School of Nurse
08/1991 - 05/1995 M.D., Medical College of Wisconsin

POSTGRADUATE TRAINING AND FELLOWSHIP APPOINTMENTS:
07/1995 - 06/1996 Transitional Year Intern, St. Luke's Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI
07/1996 - 06/1999 Resident, Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals, Milwaukee, WI

MILITARY SERVICE:
None

FACULTY APPOINTMENTS:
10/01/2008 - 06/30/2022 Assistant Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Obstetric Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
07/01/2022 - Present Associate Professor, Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226

ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS:
11/2005 - 08/2008 Secretary, St. Mary's Anesthesia Associates/Metropolitan Anesthesiologists, S.C., Milwaukee, WI

EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS:
05/01/2016 - 05/31/2020 Coordinator CA2/3 Didactics, Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin
05/2017 - 08/01/2022 Associate Program Director, Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8700 W. Wisconsin Avenue, 8700 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53226

HOSPITAL STAFF PRIVILEGES:
07/1999 - 08/2000 Anesthesiology, St. Luke's Medical Center, 2700 W. Oklahoma Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53215
09/2000 - 09/2008 Anesthesiology, Columbia-St. Mary's Hospitals, Central Credentials, 4425 Port Washington Road, Glendale, WI 53212
04/2008 - 09/2008 Anesthesiology, Watertown Memorial Hospital, 125 Hospital Drive, Watertown, WI 53098
10/2008 - Present Anesthesiology, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, 9200 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53226
10/2008 - 06/2020 Anesthesiology, Obstetric Anesthesiology, Ascension-St. Joseph's, 5000 W. Chambers St., Milwaukee, WI 53210
03/2012 - 04/2020 Anesthesiology, Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin, 9000 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53226

SPECIALTY BOARDS AND CERTIFICATION:
Board Certified
Issue DateExpiration
Anesthesiology/Maint. of Certification
04/2000
12/2030
   
Licensure
Number Issue DateExpiration
Physician/Surgeon
37984-020
07/1995
10/31/2021
    

AWARDS AND HONORS:
06/19/2020 David C. Warltier M.D. Ph.D. Teacher of the Year Award, Chosen by the 2020 graduating class of residents, awarded at resident graduation

MEMBERSHIPS IN HONORARY AND PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES:
01/1995 - Present Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society (AOA) (Member)
07/1996 - Present Milwaukee Society of Anesthesiologists/Society of Milwaukee Anesthesiologists (Member, Past President)
07/1996 - Present Wisconsin Society of Anesthesiologists (Member, Past Board Member)
08/1996 - Present American Society of Anesthesiologists (Member)
12/2008 - Present Society for Obstetric Anesthesiology and Perinatology (SOAP) (Member, Committee Member)
03/2010 - Present Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSIH) (Member)
03/2010 - Present Society for Education in Anesthesia (SEA) (Member)

EDITORSHIPS/EDITORIAL BOARDS/JOURNAL REVIEWS:
Journal Review
08/01/2014 - Present MedEdPORTAL
Ad-Hoc Reviewer
2020 - Present Anesthesia & Analgesia Case Reports

LOCAL/REGIONAL APPOINTED LEADERSHIP AND COMMITTEE POSITIONS:
01/2001 - 12/2001 President, Milwaukee Society of Anesthesiologists
03/2002 - 02/2004 Member Board of Directors, Wisconsin Society of Anesthesiologists

NATIONAL ELECTED/APPOINTED LEADERSHIP AND COMMITTEE POSITIONS:
04/2000 Member, Task force to formulate terms of Educational Membership for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists and Anesthesiologists' Assistants, American Society of Anesthesiologists
05/2017 - 2018 Member, Legacy Committee, recently dissolved and replaced with Past Presidents Committee, Society of Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology
05/2017 - 05/2020 Member, Photographer, Media, Society of Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology
01/30/2020 - Present Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology(MOCA) test item writer for "MOCA Minute" questions, American Board of Anesthesiology

INVITED LECTURES/WORKSHOPS/PRESENTATIONS:
International
Drexler C., Poster: Parturient with Benign Intracranial Hypertension and Lumbo-peritoneal shunt for Cesarean delivery: Plan B, Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP) Annual Meeting, Miami FL, 05/2018
Jessica Rock MD, Cathy Drexler MD, Sarah Hall MD, Thrombocytopenia of Known Origin? EDTA-Dependent Pseudothrombocytopenia in a Patient with Type 1 VWD and Pre-Eclampsia, Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP) Annual Meeting, Miami FL, 05/2018
Catherine M. Drexler, Poster: "Retained...and Ineffective...Labor Epidural.", Society for Obstetric Anesthesia & Perinatology (SOAP), Phoenix AZ, 05/01/2019 - 05/05/2019
 
National
Ellinas H, Ellinas E, Henry A, Kula A, Drexler C, When an Armed Trainee Takes his Life in your Workplace: What can that tell us about Active Shooter Protocols, Wellness and Caring for Each Other, Society for Education in Anesthesia, Louisville, KY, 04/2018
 
Regional
C.Drexler, PBLD: Spinal Cord Stimulators & Labor Analgesia, Wisconsin Society of Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting, Elkhart Lake, WI, 09/2018
 

COMMITTEE SERVICE:
Medical College of Wisconsin
08/2010 - 07/2011 Member, Standardized Teaching Assessment and Resources (STAR) Center Committee, Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin
12/2010 - 08/01/2022 Member, Residency candidate interview committee, Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin
02/15/2014 - 2015 Committee member, Residency milestones group, Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin
2014 - Present Member, Program Evaluation Committee (PEC), Obstetric Anesthesia, Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin
2015 - 2016 Committee Member, Division Chief Search Committee, Obstetric Anesthesia, Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin
2015 - 2018 Member, Clinical Competence Committee (CCC), Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin
2016 - 2021 Member, M.B.A. Candidate Interview/Selection Committee, Master's Anesthesiologist Assistant Program, Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin
2017 - 2022 Chair, Program Evaluation Committee, Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin
08/21/2019 - 2021 Chair, Wellness Committee, Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin
 
Hospital
01/2010 - 06/2015 Obstetric Anesthesiology Representative, Anesthesia Care Professional Review Committee, Obstetric Anesthesiology, Anesthesiology, Ascension-St. Joseph's
 

MCW TEACHING ACTIVITIES:
Medical Student Education
10/2008 - Present Teaching faculty to M4 students during OB Anesthesiology and Womens' Health Electives
03/2009 - 03/2011 Taught part of Clinical Exam and Reasoning (CER) course to M2 students, guiding them in writing and presenting history and physican exam findings
09/2009 - 09/2014 Taught technical skills to M3 students using manikins and models in STAR Center
01/2013 - 09/2014 As part of newly-instituted Discovery curriculum, I mentor M-1 student weekly in a clinical setting, giving guidance on history/exam skills and assigned topics
 
Resident and Fellow Education
10/2009 - 2020 Teaching faculty in Standardized Teaching Assessment and Resources (STAR) center simulator. Role includes writing and facilitating scenarios for anesthesiologists, conducting debriefings, and evaluation/feedback of resident performance.
06/2010 - Present Conducted annual board review for M2 and M3 residents, subspecialty of obstetric anesthesia
10/2010 Presented case conference for Department of Anesthesiology, "Initial Management of Burns"
04/2011 - Present Faculty advisor for yearly Transition to Practice weekend retreat for M-2 residents, discussed the private practice of anesthesiology
04/2012 Presented case conference for MCW Department of Anesthesiology: "Local anesthetic dosing and prevention of toxicity in obstetrics."
06/2013 - 06/2017 Leading discussion on Professionalism/Conflict resolution for MCW housestaff orientation
08/15/2013 - 05/30/2014 Project leader for team of 4 residents working on Quality Improvement project; SCIP measure of maint. of normothermia with Cesarean deliveries
04/09/2014 CA-2/3 lecture on the History & Scope of Anesthesiology Practice
07/01/2015 - 06/03/2016 Faculty Advisor for CA2 QI project: improving timeliness of discontinuing epidural catheters after delivery at FBC
07/2016 - 06/2018 Manage "Learning Communities" program, in which faculty volunteers host group of CA1 residents several times during CA1 year to help mitigate first year stresses.
2016 Departmental Case Conference: presented case of magnesium sulfate overdose and moderated discussion
 
Postdoctoral Fellow Education
09/01/2014 - Present Education of fellow in obstetric anesthesiology, in several formats, including lecture, discussion, and simulation.
 
Community/Lay Public
2017 "What You Should Know About Post-Spinal Headache" information sheet for obstetric patients after accidental dural puncture during epidural placement
 

EXTRAMURAL TEACHING:
Graduate Student Education
03/2017 - 2021 Medical College of Wisconsin Masters in Anesthesiology Assistant Program, Present lectures and test questions to student Anesthesiology Assistants
 
Resident and Fellow Education
10/2008 - Present Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals, Teaching faculty to anesthesiology residents and fellow(s) on OB rotation. Role includes giving talk or leading discussion on related content monthly. Also work with residents in main O.R. setting.
2016 - 2020 Medical College of Wisconsin Anesthesiology Department, Write and administer subspecialty (obstetric) mock oral board exams to senior anesthesia residents 3-4 times annually
10/18/2017 Medical College of Wisconsin Dept Anesthesiology, Organized and led CA1 workshop on aspects of obstetric anesthesia
2017 Ascension - St. Joseph, Presenter: Grand Rounds: The Parturient with Intracranial Lesion
04/2018 - 2020 Medical College of Wisconsin Dept of Anesthesiology, Created "Discover Mil-WALK-ee", a program of leading walks in Milwaukee area parks with goal of promoting wellness and collegial relations between residents and faculty outside the O.R.
 
Continuing Medical Education
09/2009 Wheaton-Franciscan Healthcare-St. Joseph's, Presenter, Grand Rounds, Postpartum Headache
11/2010 - 03/2011 Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, Planning and participation in multidisciplinary drill on response to postpartum hemorrage, Froedtert Birth Center
05/2011 Wheaton-Franciscan Healthcare-St. Joseph's, Presenter, Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology Grand Rounds, Neurologic Complications after Childbirth
05/2012 Wheaton-Franciscan Healthcare-St. Joseph, Presenter, Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology Grand Rounds, "Let's Move: Walking Epidurals"
09/2015 - Present Medical College of Wisconsin Department Anesthesiology, Faculty for Simulation for Maint. of Cert. in Anesthesiology (MOCA)
05/31/2018 Ascension St. Joseph Hospital, Grand rounds for obstetric faculty and trainees, discussed practice updates, emphasis on responsible opioid use in parturients
 
Community/Lay Public
06/2011 Wheaton-Franciscan Healthcare-St. Joseph, Posted for online blog by Wheaton-Franciscan Healthcare organization on timing of epidural placement during labor
 

MCW STUDENTS, FACULTY, RESIDENTS AND CLINICAL/RESEARCH FELLOWS MENTORED:
Medical Students
01/2013 - 06/2013 Nicholas Wright, Faculty Mentor for Discovery Curriculum, Medical College of Wisconsin
01/01/2014 - 12/31/2014 Kara Kaplan, Faculty Mentor for Discovery Curriculum, Medical College of Wisconsin
 
Residents
09/2010 - 06/2013 Hajera Tajer, M.D., Faculty Mentor, Medical College of Wisconsin
07/2011 - 06/2013 Juan Vega, M.D., Faculty Mentor, Medical College of Wisconsin
07/2011 - 07/2013 Melinda McFarland-Kennedy, M.D., Faculty Mentor, Medical College of Wisconsin, Dr. McFarland chose to do Obstetric Anesthesiology Fellowship
03/2012 - Present Maria Muravyeva, M.D., Faculty Mentor, Medical College of Wisconsin, Dr. Muravyeva lacked familiarity with U.S. medical system and was placed on probation during her PGY 1 year, at which time I was appointed as her mentor. Dr. Muravyeva very successfully mastered the U.S. medical system, including the social and cultural differences, and went on to complete a fellowship in Obstetric Anesthesia and join our faculty.
 

PROGRAMMATIC DEVELOPMENTS:
Educational Programs
Resident
2017 - 2018 Spearheading change in CA 2 & 3 didactic education, from lecture format to combination of PBLD and online content and quiz questions in response to resident feedback identified on ACGME survey.
02/2019 - Present "Question of the Day": Daily board-type questions are created and emailed to residents and archived
 
 
 
 

COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES:
04/2001 Attended American Society of Anesthesiologists Legislative Conference, Washington, D.C. Met with legislators representing Wisconsin and the Secretary of Health & Human Services to discuss issues affecting Medicare beneficiaries nationwide.
01/2011 - 01/2013 Attended Wisconsin Society of Anesthesiologists (WSA)annual Legislative Conference, Madison, WI. Met with legislators to discuss issues affecting anesthesia care in Wisconsin.
 

CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION:
11/2010 Completed courses "Nuts and Bolts of Simulation Technology" and "Fine-Tuning Your Debriefing", Behling Simulation Center, State University at Buffalo, NY.
02/2011 Attended Society of Education in Anesthesia (SEA) teaching workshop, St. Louis, MO.
04/2012 Attended Society of Education in Anesthesia (SEA) spring meeting, Milwaukee, WI.
01/2013 - 04/2013 Received education and practice opportunities in "Crucial Conversations" aimed at improving communication in critical situations or conversations.
04/30/2013 - 05/02/2013 Attended SEA Spring Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT. Attended pre-meeting training course for simulation instructors who are preparing to run Maint. of Cert. in Anesth. (MOCA) courses at their home institutions, which included course logistics, scenario development, and debriefing skills.
11/18/2013 - 11/21/2013 Baylor Health Care System-sponsored "Current Topics in Anesthesia: Obstetrical Anesthesia Update"
05/09/2017 - 05/14/2017 Attended Society of Obstetric Anesthesiology and Perinatology Annual Meeting, Bellevue, WA
05/09/2018 - 05/13/2018 Attended 50th annual meeting of the Society of Obstetric Anesthesia & Perinatology (SOAP).
05/01/2019 - 05/05/2019 Attended 51st annual meeting Society for Obstetric Anesthesia & Perinatology, Phoenix AZ.

MENTORED RESIDENT MARC PRESENTATION:
04/2015 - Present Mentored Dr. M.Muravyeva on a MARC presentation on elective cesarean delivery in patient with developmental venous anomaly. Dr. Muravyeva received a 1st place for her presentation.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
10/01/2014 - 09/30/2015 Gold Faculty Humanism in Medicine group: Bimonthly meetings of small group with aim of increasing humanism as a component of professionalism. Subjects include giving feedback and helping to develop empathy in trainees.
05/2019 Participated in multidisciplinary "TeamSTEPPS" training with obstetricians and Labor & Delivery nursing staff. Training consisted of simulation to improve communication skills and the implementation of Team Huddles during the workday.


BIBLIOGRAPHY
Refereed Journal Publications/Original Papers
1. Staunton M, Drexler C, Dulitz MG, Ekbom DC, Schmeling WT, Farber NE. Effects of hypoxia-reoxygenation on microvascular endothelial function in the rat hippocampus slice. Anesthesiology 1999 Nov; 91(5):1462-9.
2. Schmeling WT, Ganjoo P, Staunton M, Drexler C, Farber NE. Pretreatment with dexmedetomidine: altered indices of anesthetic depth for halothane in the neuraxis of cats. Anesthesia & Analgesia 1999; 88(3): 625-32.
3. Staunton M, Drexler C, Schmid PG 3rd, Havlik HS, Hudetz AG, Farber NE. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase mediates halothane-induced cerebral microvascular dilation. Anesthesiology 2000; 92(1): 125-32
4. Novalija J, Diaz CD, Drexler C. Simulation of a patient with severe aortic stenosis undergoing emergency abdominal surgery. Simulation in Healthcare 2011; 6(4): 250-4.
5. Boettcher BT, Muravyeva M, Kuo C, Drexler C, Pagel PS. Anesthetic management of a parturient with Stiff person syndrome for urgent cesarean delivery. International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia 2016;27:85-8.
 
Books, Chapters, and Reviews
1. Habibi S, DREXLER C. (Chapter 102) Angioedema and Urticaria in J.Atlee (Ed) Complications in Anesthesia, 2nd ed. Saunders Elsevier, Philadelphia PA 2007.
2. Drexler C, Chapter 130, Angioedema and Urticaria, in Complications in Anesthesia, 3rd ed, Fleisher LA & Rosenbaum SH editors, Elsevier, Philadelphia PA, 2018.
3. Kula AO, Drexler C. Umbilical Cord Prolapse. In: Minehart R, Daly J, Nixon H eds. Obstetric Anesthesia: A Problem-Based Learning Approach. New York, NY: Oxford University Press USA. (Forthcoming)
 
Non-Refereed Journal Publications/Original Papers
1. Drexler, C. STAR Center simulation scenario: "Local Anesthetic Toxicity: Intralipid Rescue" for use in resident training, 2010.
2. Drexler, C. STAR center simulation scenario: "Intraoperative Recall following Cesarean Delivery" for use in resident training, 2011.
3. Video: "Pre-anesthetic Interview for Labor Epidural" as part of OB rotation teaching materials.
 
Non-Peer Reviewed Educational Products
1. Drexler, C. STAR Center simulation scenario: "Brainstem Anesthesia after Retrobulbar Block" for use in resident training, 2013.
 
Database, Video, or Other Research/Clinical Contributions
1. Video for residents and student anesthesiology assistants: Spinal Placement
2. Video for residents and student anesthesiologists assistants: Epidural Placement