UNC Department of Anesthesiology proudly announces that Associate Professor of Anesthesiology James H. Jones, MD, has been chosen as the department’s 2026-2027 Okinawa Chubu Hospital Visiting Professor (Okinawa, Japan), facilitated by the University of Hawaii Postgraduate Medical Education Program. Every fiscal year, this 
visiting professor program extends the opportunity worldwide for distinguished faculty to engage in clinical teaching, resident education, and scholarly exchange with physicians and trainees in Japan. Dr. Jones will serve as the department’s first Visiting Professor in this exchange program.
Okinawa Chubu Hospital is internationally recognized for its strong tradition of clinical education and academic exchanges with U.S. institutions. As UNC Anesthesiology’s Director of Undergraduate Medical Education, Dr. Jones’ dual advanced degrees (M.S. – Evidence-Based Health Care / Applied Health Sciences & Informatics) and background in clinical epidemiology, biostatistics, and outcomes research equip him with a strong foundation of knowledge to share with peers and learners at Okinawa Chubu Hospital.
As a one-week Okinawa Chubu Hospital Visiting Professor, Dr. Jones will deliver a comprehensive series of nine lectures focused on perioperative medicine, anesthesiology education, patient safety, and innovation in healthcare delivery.
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The evolution of anesthesiology in the United States from operating room specialty to perioperative medicine
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Preoperative risk assessment and optimization strategies
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Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) pathways and perioperative quality improvement
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Predictive analytics and artificial intelligence in perioperative medicine
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The learning health system and use of clinical data to improve surgical care
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Monitoring depth of anesthesia and prevention of intraoperative awareness
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High-yield anesthesiology board review cases
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Multimodal analgesia and opioid stewardship
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Perioperative crisis management and simulation-based training
UNC Anesthesiology Chair Ted Sakai, MD, PhD, MHA, FASA, noted: “The Department congratulates Dr. Jones on this exceptional honor and looks forward to the continued growth of the academic relationship between UNC and Okinawa Chubu Hospital.”