Dr. Stephan Schwarz obtained his primary medical degree from the University of Göttingen/Germany, where he also completed a postgraduate research doctorate in medicine. In 1995, he came to Vancouver/Canada to pursue a PhD in Pharmacology & Therapeutics under Drs. Ernie Puil & Bernard MacLeod at The University of British Columbia (UBC). This was followed by completion of a residency in anesthesia as well as the Royal College of Physician and Surgeons of Canada Clinician Investigator Program (CIP). In 2004, he became member of the anesthesia staff at Vancouver’s St. Paul’s Hospital, where he subsequently was appointed Anesthesia Research Director, a role which he served for three terms. Simultaneously, he was appointed as Associate Professor in the UBC Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics, where he was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor in 2011, and Professor in 2017.
 
In 2014, Dr. Schwarz was awarded UBC’s endowed Dr. Jean Templeton Hugill Chairship in Anesthesia. Since then, he has served as Director of the UBC Hugill Anesthesia Research Centre, a collaborative initiative within the UBC Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics under the aegis of the Hugill Chairship. A passionate lecturer, Dr. Schwarz has been an invited speaker at many national and international conferences and has won numerous research and teaching awards; in 2017, he was awarded a UBC Killam Teaching Prize, UBC’s most prestigious award in recognition of excellence in education.
 
Dr. Schwarz has been a member of the Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society (CAS) since 1996 and has served on the CAS Research Advisory Committee, the CAS Grant Adjudication Subcommittee, and the CAS Ethics Committee. He was appointed to the Editorial Board of the Canadian Journal of Anesthesia in 2014 and has served as the Journal’s Editor-in-Chief since January 1, 2021.
 
Research Interests:
Using in vitro and in vivo laboratory techniques as well as clinical studies, Dr. Schwarz’ research explores the neuropharmacology of anesthesia and analgesia and aims to build bridges between bench and bedside. A particular area of focus has been local anesthetic pharmacology.
 
Clinical Interests:
General Adult Anesthesia; Regional Anesthesia; Ambulatory Anesthesia; Perioperative Medicine