Clare H. Ridley, MD

2023 Dean’s Impact Award Recipient

As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded in 2020, Clare H. Ridley, MD, was appointed as the director of the Surgical COVID Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in the 8200 ICU in recognition of her excellent clinical leadership. Under this appointment, she has played a vital role in collaborating with the hospital and ICU nursing leadership to ensure an outstanding quality of care to critically ill patients, including many impacted by COVID-19. Despite increasing demands brought on by the pandemic, she continued to exceed expectations as the director of heart and lung transplant anesthesiology and as associate medical director of the CTICU. Throughout her career, Ridley has shown initiative in ensuring a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion — challenges that have been made all the more vital due to the impacts of COVID-19. Through her work as a PIA SAFE champion, Ridley underwent 10 weeks of training to become a trusted resource and ally for her colleagues. In this role, she provides support and guidance to her peers experiencing conflicts, microaggressions or negative behaviors. She also conducts meaningful research with a focus on teamwork training and safety outcomes in the CT operating rooms.