Professional Background

Dr. Mitzel is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Kansas Health System. Within the department she works as member of the Pediatric anesthesia, Obstetrics, Pre-assessment clinic, as well as Multi-specialty anesthesia teams. Dr. Mitzel provides services within the main hospital within the Bell and Cambridge towers, Radiation Oncology, as well as multiple different ambulatory surgery centers associated with KU throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area including Indian Creek and KU MedWest.

Dr. Mitzel’s pursued her undergraduate education in Fort Collins, CO at Colorado State University and received a degree in Psychology/Pre-Medicine. Her medical training began in Phoenix, Arizona where she completed her medical school at Midwestern University. She then went to Tucson, Arizona to finish her Anesthesiology Residency. After graduating from her residency, her love for children lead her to pursue a fellowship in pediatric anesthesia which she completed at Vanderbilt University. Ultimately Dr. Mitzel’s love of pediatric anesthesia and of teaching lead her to pursue a career in academic medicine.

In 2012, Dr. Mitzel was recruited to become a “Jayhawk” and moved to Kansas City. Since that time she has been deeply involved in promoting and standardizing the education curriculum within the sub-specialty area of pediatric anesthesia at KU. The platform she initiated is labeled “Pediatric pearls” and is taught by the pediatric anesthesia physicians to the residents and other learners. She also is involved in simulation, and runs two simulation projects each year for the residents on pediatric pre-operative evaluation and laryngospasm. Dr. Mitzel has also served as an instructor for PALS or Pediatric Advanced Life Support for the past seven years. She also has created and instructed a course for the PACU nursing staff on the management of the pediatric airway which she labeled “Pediatrics in the PACU” and which she administers quarterly. Furthermore, her love for teaching influenced her to become involved with the School of Medicine where she has served as an instructor for the medical school in their case based collaborative learning since the inception of the program.

Within the last years Dr. Mitzel has become increasingly involved in physician leadership and wellness opportunities. She has completed leadership certificate programs through the medical school “Med:Ed 101-teaching for Doctors” as well as “LEAD certification” within the department of anesthesia. Both programs focused on intra and interpersonal effectiveness within the field of medicine, leadership, and teaching. Additionally, she is involved in the Women’s Empowerment Leadership initiative through the Society of Pediatric Anesthesia/SPA.

• BS, Psychology, Colorado State University , Fort Collins, Colorado
• DO, Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, Arizona
• Internship, Internal Medicine , St. Joseph's Hospital , Phoenix, AZ
• Residency, Diagnostic Radiology , University of Illinois-Peoria , Peoria , IL
• Residency, Anesthesiology , University of Arizona , Tucson , AZ
• Clinical Fellowship, Pediatric Anesthesiology , Vanderbilt University , Nashville , TN