Congratulations to Seema Deshpande, MBBS, FASA, Associate Professor and Program Director of Cardiothoracic Fellowship, for being awarded the 2025 Mackenzie/Imle Mentoring Prize!

The Mackenzie/Imle Prize is awarded annually to “outstanding faculty members demonstrating excellent mentorship with positive impact on professional development and career advancement in one or more of the following areas: clinical medicine, research, local and regional service, and teaching.” 

After careful deliberation, the selection committee has awarded the 2025 Mackenzie/Imle Mentoring Prize to Seema Deshpande, MBBS, FASA, Associate Professor and Program Director for our Cardiothoracic Fellowship.

Dr Deshpande completed her residency in Anesthesiology at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in Saint Louis, MO, followed by a fellowship in Cardiothoracic  Anesthesiology at Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis.  She subsequently served as faculty at Washington University School of Medicine for 2.5 years and then at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine for over a year, before joining our Department as faculty in 2007. 

Dr. Deshpande has been honored locally (Golden Apple Award in 2017 for Excellence in Teaching) and nationally (Women in Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology – WICTA), with both Professional Coaching and Distinguished Service Awards.  Having served initially as Associate Program Director in 2017-2019, and now, as Program Director for our highly subscribed Fellowship in Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology, Dr. Deshpande has mentored numerous generations of medical students, residents, and fellows. Throughout her career, she has distinguished herself as a selfless mentor for our trainees and many of our faculty, with a resolute commitment to outstanding patient care and exemplary education.                                             

The Department will formally celebrate Dr. Deshpande’s award in the coming months at a Grand Rounds presentation.  

We want to thank Dr. Colin Mackenzie and his wife, Christina Imle, for their ongoing support of this prestigious award named in their honor. Please join the department in congratulating Dr. Deshpande on this prestigious award!

Congratulations, Dr. Deshpande, on this well-deserved award!