Dr. Elizabeth A. Bales, M.D. is a board-certified anesthesiologist with a clinical focus in acute pain management, perioperative optimization, and patient advocacy. With over 15 years of experience in adult and pediatric anesthesia, she has served as a physician leader in operating rooms across Southern California, combining her expertise in anesthesiology with a lifelong dedication to service and public health​​.

Dr. Bales completed her undergraduate and medical education at Loyola University of Chicago, graduating with honors from both programs. She trained initially in a categorical surgical at USC before transitioning to anesthesiology, where she served as Chief Resident at the University of Southern California. During her residency, she published research on low FiO₂ ventilation in the prevention of sepsis, later featured in Burns journal​.

A passionate global health advocate, Dr. Bales has completed over a dozen international medical missions as a pediatric anesthesiologist with Operation Smile, Rotaplast International, and the Flying Doctors of Mercy. Her early fieldwork in Ghana and Bolivia, including a Regan Fellowship, ignited her lifelong commitment to underserved populations​.

Dr. Bales has held leadership roles at numerous hospitals, including Placentia Linda Hospital and Anaheim Regional Medical Center, serving as Regional and Acute Pain Director. Currently, Dr. Bales works at various surgical centers throughout Orange County, balancing her clinical practice with family life and pursuing new professional interests​.

She is also the founder of The Hydration Room, a pioneering IV therapy clinic launched in 2013 to deliver outpatient hydration and nutritional support—one of the first of its kind in Orange County. Dr. Bales has remained committed to health equity and is now expanding her expertise by pursuing a Master’s in Public Health, with a focus on elder care and patient-centered healthcare navigation​.

A sought-after speaker and educator, she has contributed to continuing medical education for nursing staff and serves as a mentor to women in medicine through the LBMD Mentorship Program. Dr. Bales embodies the Jesuit values instilled in her early training—treating not just disease, but the illness as experienced by each patient.