
Rita Agarwal MD
Pediatric Anesthesiology, Pediatric Pain Medicine, Regional Anesthesiology
Professor (Clinical) of Anesthesiology
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725 Welch RdPalo Alto, CA 94304
Phone+1 650-497-8000
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Summary
- Dr. Rita Agarwal is an anesthesiologist in Palo Alto, CA and is affiliated with Stanford Health Care. She received her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine and has been in practice 30 years. She also speaks multiple languages, including Farsi. She specializes in pediatric anesthesiology, pediatric pain medicine, and regional anesthesiology and is experienced in administration of general anesthesia, epidural anesthesia, caudal anesthesia, patient controlled anesthesia, and pediatric anesthesiology.
Education & Training
University of ColoradoFellowship, Pediatric Anesthesiology, 1990 - 1991
Baylor College of MedicineResidency, Anesthesiology, 1987 - 1990
Baylor College of MedicineInternship, Transitional Year, 1986 - 1987
Baylor College of MedicineClass of 1986
Texas A&M UniversityBA, 1979 - 1982
Texas A&M UniversityBachelor's, 1979 - 1982
Certifications & Licensure
CO State Medical License 1992 - 2027
CA State Medical License 2014 - 2026
TX State Medical License 1988 - 2025
American Board of Anesthesiology Anesthesiology
American Board of Anesthesiology Pediatric Anesthesiology
Awards, Honors, & Recognition
- Fellow of the American Society of Anesthesiology American Society of Anesthesiology, 2018
- Fellow of the American Society of Anesthesiology ASA, 2018
- Honor's Program Texas A&M University
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Publications & Presentations
PubMed
- Why Do Deaths and Catastrophic Injury From Anesthesia in the Dental Office-Based Setting Still Occur?Sangeeta Kumaraswami, Shital Patel, James Tom, Rita Agarwal
Journal of Clinical Anesthesia. 2025-11-14 - Harassment and Burnout in Academic Pediatric Anesthesiology.K Karisa Walker, Srijaya K Reddy, Nina Deutsch, Rita Agarwal, Nancy L Glass
Paediatric Anaesthesia. 2025-11-01 - 2 citationsSubstance Use Disorders in Adolescents and Young Adults: History and Perioperative Considerations From the Society for Pediatric Pain Medicine.Jamie M Kitzman, Veronika V Mesheriakova, Amber N Borucki, Rita Agarwal
Anesthesia and Analgesia. 2024-12-01
Journal Articles
- Anesthesia for Pediatric Chest TraumaAgarwal R, Seminars in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia, 1/1/2002
- Anesthesia for Pediatric Chest TraumaAgarwal R, Seminars in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia, 1/1/2002
- Improvement of Intraoperative somatosensory Evoked Potentials by KetamineAgarwal R, Roitman KJ, Stokes MA, Paediatric Anaesthesia, 1/1/1998
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Books/Book Chapters
Abstracts/Posters
- Current Practices in the Management of Post-dural puncture headaches: results of an SPA Sanctioned SurveyAgarwal, R, Pediatric Anesthesiology, 1/1/2014
- Management of an immune deficient child with epiglottitis, meningitis, thrombocytopenia and DIC.Hansen, J, Schwartz, L, Agarwal, R, Pediatric Anesthesiology, Las Vegas, NV, 1/1/2013
- Management of an immune deficient child with epiglottitis, meningitis, thrombocytopenia and DICHansen, J, Schwartz, L, Agarwal, R, Pediatric Anesthesiology, 1/1/2013
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Lectures
- Opioids Through the Ages: Caring for Children and Families in the Wake of the Opioid CrisisNational Conference & Exhibition 2019 - American Academy of Pediatrics - New Orleans, LA - 10/25/2019
- Teenager with SMA, chronic pain, addiction issues, presents for surgery1/1/2014
- PBLD: Clothesline Injury to Neck with Transected Trachea and Cervical Neck Injury1/1/2014
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Other
- How Do We Treat Pain in the Era of the Opioid CrisisRita Agarwal, KevinMD
https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2019/10/how-do-we-manage-pain-in-the-era-of-the-opioid-crisis.html
online - 10/2/2019 - Opioids Pain and SurgeryRita Agarwal, CSA on line first
http://www.csahq.org/news/blog/detail/csa-online-first/2019/09/10/opioids-pain-and-surgery
California Society of Anesthesiology - 9/10/2019 - Harassment of Women in Medicine : we are all in this togetherRita Agarwal, Kevin MD
https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2018/02/harassment-women-medicine-together.html
2/10/2018 - Join now to see all
Authored Content
- ASA Shows Us the Future of Conferences in a Not-Quite-Post-COVID-19 WorldOctober 2021
- Medication Was Designed to Treat Not HarmJuly 2020
- Medication Was Designed to Treat Not HarmJuly 2020
- opmed.doximity.comApril 2019
- opmed.doximity.comApril 2019
- 'You Need Help but Not from Us': A Poem on BurnoutMarch 2019
- 'You Need Help but Not from Us': A Poem on BurnoutMarch 2019
- AAP Responds to FDA Warning on Anesthesia use in Children1/7/2017
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Press Mentions
Substance-Use Disorders in Young PatientsDecember 9th, 2024
Guidelines Suggest Naloxone Dispensing with Pediatric OpioidsOctober 9th, 2024
Opioid Prescribing for Acute Pain Management in Children and Adolescents in Outpatient Settings: Clinical Practice Guideline Part 1October 8th, 2024- Join now to see all
Committees
- President, Society for Pediatric Pain Medicine 2019 - Present
- Chair, California Society of Anesthesiology Committee on Professional and Public Communication 2017 - Present
- Board of Directors, Society for Pediatric Anesthesia 2006 - 2014
- Board of Directors, American Academy of Pediatrics Pedialink Editorial Board
Professional Memberships
- Fellow
- Member
- Member
- Society for Pediatric AnesthesiaMember
- Society for Pediatric Pain MedicineMember
Other Languages
- Farsi
External Links
- Society for Pediatric Pain Medicinehttps://www.pedspainmedicine.org
- California Society of Anesthesiologyhttp://www.csahq.org
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