Rafael Victor Miguel, M.D.

Rafael Victor Miguel, M.D, 62, of Tampa, passed away February 25, 2018 in Miami, Florida. He was born July 1, 1955 in Havana, Cuba to Victor Miguel and Aurora Miguel. Dr. Miguel attended Miami-Dade Community College and continued his education at Facultad de Medicina Univerdidad de Cadiz in Cadiz, Spain. He then moved to complete his Anesthesiology Residency at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana from 1981 to 1984. July of 1984, Dr. Miguel held a private practice of Anesthesiology at Tampa General Hospital. About a year later he became an Assistant Director of Anesthesia for the Main Operating Rooms at Tampa General Hospital. He was also Chief of Anesthesiology at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa, Florida, from April 1987 to June 2003. For many years, Dr. Miguel was a Professor and Department Chairman of Anesthesiology at the University of South Florida. In 2009 he became Medical Director of the Pain Medicine Program at Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Systems in Sarasota, Florida. From July 2009 to December 2014, Dr. Miguel was the president and CEO of Brandon Pain Medicine, Inc. At the time of his passing, Dr. Miguel was a Professor and Medical Director of Anesthesiologist’s Assistant Program at Nova Southeastern University in Tampa and an Adjunct Professor for the Pain Department of Neurology at the University of South Florida’s College of Medicine.

Dr. Miguel was activity involved with the American Medical Association, American Society of Anesthesiologists, American Society of Regional, Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, Florida Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, Florida Academy of Pain Medicine, Florida Medical Association, Florida Society of Anesthesiologists, Hillsborough County Medical Association, International Anesthesia Research Society, Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia, Society for Pain Practice Management. His committee memberships included the State of Florida Board of Medicine, American Society of Anesthesiologists, Florida Society of Anesthesiology, Florida Medical Association, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology University of Florida, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, and the FL Society of Interventional Pain Physicians.

Dr. Miguel also received many honors during his career. He is listed in Academic Keys Who’s Who in Medical Sciences Education, 2001-Present; Biltmore’s Who’s Who 2005-Present, Consumers Guide America’s Best Physicians 2004 and 2005; FSA Presidential Award, 2004; Florida Society of Interventional Pain Physicians Award for Outstanding Achievement, 2008; Listed as one of “Best Doctors in America” 2005-Present; Castle-Connolly America’s Top Doctors; FSA Distinguished Service Award, 2013; and the FSIPP Award for Lifetime Dedication to Pain Medicine, 2014.

He is survived by his wife, Diane Dombrowski; daughters, Sara Mia and Ava Olivia Miguel; brothers, Victor Miguel and Ignacio Victor Miguel, and many aunts, uncle, cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents Victor Miguel and Aurora Miguel. A visitation will be held on Thursday, March 1 from 6pm - 9pm with a prayer service at 7pm, Blount & Curry - MacDill, 605 S. MacDill Ave. A second visitation will be held on Friday, March 2 from 12 pm- 1pm at Blount and Curry – MacDill, with a funeral mass to follow at Christ the King Catholic Church at 2pm.