Get to know BWFH’s new Chief of Anesthesia: Q&A with Costin Negroiu, MD

Don’t Miss a Beat recently sat down with Costin Negroiu, MD, Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital’s new Chief of Anesthesia, to learn more about him, his first impressions of his new role and his goals for his department.

Q: Where were you born and raised?

A. I was born and raised in a small town about 60 miles north of Bucharest, Romania’s Capital. I had the life changing experience to grow up to my teenage years in a Communist country where people’s individual rights and freedom of expression where virtually non-existent and truthfulness was a distorted concept. That probably affected me through the course of my whole life, as I learned to stay honest to what I believe in and listen to and value people’s opinion. Every year, I would spend most of my summer vacation at my grandparents’ house in the countryside and that instilled in me an everlasting love for nature and outdoor activities. I emigrated to United States at the age of 25 together with my wife Andreea, whom I met in medical school. We both got involved in medical research at University of Maryland in Baltimore and later I completed my anesthesia training at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. That was the time when my son Matei, who’s just started high school this year, was born. We soon moved to Massachusetts as my wife started training in medical oncology at Boston Medical Center, where she remains as staff. My daughter Mara was born shortly after, and we’ve been living in Newton since.

Q: What or who inspired you to pursue a career in medicine?

A. My dad was a veterinary advance practice nurse, working independently in an area where he was the only available provider to care for sick animals. I would often watch him examine and even help perform small procedures and his knowledge, self-sufficiency and that extra sense that only comes with experience made a mark on me forever. But the real pillar of the house was my mother, a strong and selfless woman who sacrificed everything and took no push back until both of her kids made it through medical school.

Q: What interested you about the Chief role here at BWFH?

A. My main inspiration is actually the group that I lead—they’ve been my colleagues and second family for over nine years now. Maybe it’s our medical specialty, where often we are faced with stressful situations and you rely so much on your teammates, that creates strong and durable connections.

Q: So far, how are you liking your new role?

A. I am still in my very first months of this new role, but I feel the weight and responsibility that comes with this leadership position. People often will come to me expecting I have all the answers, but I just try to use my best judgment and ask questions when the answer is not easily apparent.

Q: What are your short- and long-term goals for your department?

A. The short-term goal is to overcome the challenges of the new social and economic reality of the past few years where everything that was norm before changed so drastically. The long-term goal is to build in my department a working environment where people feel accomplished and valued, where we take pride in our work, show compassion for our patients and build lifelong relationships with our colleagues.

Q: What types of things do you like to do outside of work?

A. We are a very active and outdoorsy family. We hike a lot. I’ve climbed a few peaks in the White Mountains Presidential Range with my family when the kids were quite young. We paddle board, we go camping and I street bike and mountain bike. My wife loves bird photography and often I join her and help carry her heavy gear. My son loves tennis and he’ll challenge me to a game while my daughter enjoys horseback riding and fencing. In the winter we ski. I am the kind of person that thinks about next season skiing in the middle of the summer.

Published 9/30/22