Grace Lim, MD, MSc, MBA, has been named chair of the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, & Pain Medicine Anesthesiology in the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah, effective February 28, 2026.
As chair, Lim will lead the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, & Pain Medicine across its clinical, academic, and research missions. She will provide strategic direction for perioperative services, support high-quality, reliable clinical operations, guide the department’s research and education priorities, and support faculty development, recruitment, and retention. Working in close partnership with University of Utah Health and Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine leadership, Lim will advance patient-centered clinical excellence, strengthen the department’s national profile, and promote a collaborative culture of innovation, education, and perioperative care delivery.
“Dr. Lim is an exceptional clinician–scientist and leader whose work spans anesthesiology, perioperative medicine, and pain care, with a deep commitment to women’s and maternal health,” said Kristina Callis Duffin, MD, interim dean of the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine. “Her national leadership presence, funded research portfolio, and passion for education align perfectly with University of Utah Health’s mission to deliver outstanding patient care, advance discovery, and train the next generation of physicians. We are thrilled to welcome her to Utah.”
Lim joins University of Utah Health from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC, where she served as Professor of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine and Chief of the Division of Obstetric & Women’s Anesthesiology, leading anesthesiology services within a large, integrated academic health system. She completed her medical training through the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s BA/MD program, followed by an anesthesiology residency and obstetric anesthesiology fellowship training at Northwestern University. She also holds a Master of Science in Clinical Research and an executive MBA in health care, reflecting a strong foundation in both clinical and academic medicine as well as health system leadership.
Lim’s research centers on peripartum pain management, mental health, and perioperative outcomes. She has led NIH- and PCORI-funded research initiatives and publishes extensively in top peer-reviewed journals, contributing influential work that has shaped clinical practice and national guidelines. Lim is an award-winning educator and mentor, holding numerous visiting professorships at prestigious academic medical centers across the country. She currently serves as President-Elect of the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology and a Reviewing Editor for Anesthesiology.
“I am honored to join University of Utah Health at a moment of meaningful clinical and academic growth,” Lim said. “It is a privilege to serve the rapidly expanding communities of the Salt Lake Valley and the Mountain West and to contribute to building a health system designed for the region’s future. I look forward to working alongside the exceptional faculty, clinicians, and trainees across the department and health system to advance clinical excellence, to prepare the next generation of leaders, and to drive transformative discovery through research, innovation, and entrepreneurship—all grounded in a strong commitment to patient-centered care.”
Lim succeeds Talmage D. Egan, MD, who has served as chair of the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, & Pain Medicine since 2015. During his tenure, the department expanded significantly in support of the growth of University of Utah Health, strengthened its research portfolio, and advanced new clinical training programs.