very ASA NEWSLETTER reports how knowledgeable and dedicated anesthesiologists are advancing the science and practice of anesthesiology. Since the specialty is broad — encompassing operative and perioperative care as well as critical care and pain medicine — anesthesiologists work broadly. This breadth extends to their personal and public lives, and thus the ASA NEWSLETTER also reports how anesthesiologists are advancing the general interests of society.

The “Spotlight On” column, introduced in 2001 by the Committee on Communications, has illuminated the outstanding personal achievements of seven individuals [Table 1], in addition to several collectively as responders to the September 11 tragedy. “Anesthesiology In the News,” a feature emphasized recently, briefly describes noteworthy, publicly reported accomplishments of anesthesiologists. During the past two years, “Anesthesiology In the News” has included 135 reports. Members are invited to identify more worthy individuals and reports and forward them to Brittny Dziadula at b.dziadula@asahq.org.

Documenting the broad involvement and many accomplishments of anesthesiologists is good for the specialty. For many years, anesthesiology residency training programs have attracted outstanding students. They have emerged predictably as high-achieving physicians. Their life activities tell stories of excellence that reflect well on all anesthesiologists. Collectively, they document anesthesiologists as among the best and brightest.

Safe delivery of anesthesia care is our core mission; worthy second ones include professional citizenship, community involvement and personal development. Such public service and activities make the world better.

Following are some noteworthy activities of anesthesiologists aside from their usual patient care. These represent only a few of the many stories worth telling.

Institutional Service: Physicians often select anesthesiologists for leadership positions because of their many talents and broad experiences. Rodney C. Osborn, M.D. (Peoria, Illinois) thus serves as president of the Illinois State Medical Society. Rebecca J. Patchin, M.D. (Loma Linda, California) and Joseph P. Annis, M.D. (Austin, Texas) serve as Trustees of the American Medical Association.

Most anesthesiologists help their institutions through service on committees that improve efficient functioning and help their professional societies through active participation to promote better health care. Edward D. Miller, M.D. (Baltimore, Maryland) serves as both dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and chief executive officer of Johns Hopkins Hospital, ranked number one in the country by U.S. News and World Report.

Overseas Service: People in some areas, especially in third-world countries, have limited access to advanced surgery and anesthesia care. Many anesthesiologists volunteer, at personal expense, to help care for them. Two such individuals are Mark A. Singleton, M.D. (San Jose, California) and Charles Bowen, M.D., Ph.D. (St Louis, Missouri). Dr. Singleton, a pediatric anesthesiologist, volunteers with Interplast, traveling a couple times each year to other countries to help with cleft lip, burn scar and other plastic surgical operations in children. He has worked in several countries in Africa, Asia and Central America. Figure 1 shows Dr. Singleton with a patient in 2007 in Bamako, Mali.

Figure 1. Mark A. Singleton, M.D. in Bamako, Mali.

Dr. Bowen travels overseas three or four times per year and has participated in approximately 30 trips to mission hospitals in Haiti, Honduras and Ecuador. He organizes and supplies these trips in part through his volunteer service as the U.S. medical director of the Wings on Hope Charity Air Ambulance. Figure 2 shows Dr. Bowen in Milot, Haiti, with a child before she underwent surgery for bilateral club feet.

Figure 2. Charles Bowen, M.D., Ph.D. in Milot, Haiti.

Political: Several anesthesiologists have won election to public office. Kyle L. Janek, M.D. (Austin, Texas) has served 12 years in the Texas House and Senate and currently chairs the Texas State Senate Subcommittee on Emerging Technologies and Economic Development. He inspired his partner, John M. Zerwas, M.D. (Austin, Texas), who won election to the Texas House of Representatives in 2007. Sam L. Page, M.D. (St Louis, Missouri) has served in the Missouri House of Representatives for six years and is a leading candidate for lieutenant governor. Andrew P. Harris, M.D. (Baltimore, Maryland) has served in the Maryland Senate for eight years, three years as minority whip, and is currently a leading candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland.

Arts and Literature: Michael F. Roizen, M.D. (Cleveland, Ohio) has authored several very successful books, including RealAge: Are You as Young as You Can Be?, You: Staying Young and You: The Owners Manual, which sold more than 2.7 million copies. Miles Dinner, M.D. (New York, New York) is a concert pianist, who performs annually at the Postgraduate Assembly in Anesthesiology before the Robertazzi Memorial Panel. He feels blessed to be able to combine his musical passion with a career in anesthesiology and keeps a piano in his New York Presbyterian Hospital office, where he practices occasionally between cases. Dr. Dinner keeps up with the full range of piano literature, from the Baroque to such contemporary composers as Bartok and Boulez, and he is currently organizing a blues-based band. Figure 3 is a studio picture of Dr. Dinner.

Figure 3. Miles Dinner, M.D., at the keyboard.

Military: Paul J. Teiken, M.D. (Hummelstown, Pennsylvania), now in civilian private practice, earned a Bronze Star and two Air Medals during Desert Storm for his service with the 101st Airborne Infantry. Several anesthesiologists have won Bronze Stars for their brave and heroic actions since September 11, 2001. For instance, Craig McFarland, M.D. (San Antonio, Texas) was awarded one with a V-device, which denotes valor above the call of duty while under direct enemy fire.

Business: Many anesthesiologists lead businesses that improve the delivery of anesthesia care. Chester A. Phillips III, M.D. (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) developed the CompuRecord electronic anesthesia record and now consults for Philips, which markets the system. Theodore H. Stanley, M.D. (Salt Lake City, Utah) has founded six medical companies, including the Zars, Anesta and NeuroAdjuvants corporations. Zars develops products designed to administer pain-killing drugs through the skin. Anesta was bought by Cephalon, which now markets Actiq, the primary drug of Anesta. Sales of Actiq since 2000 have exceeded $2.5 billion.

Athletics: Jenny B. Thompson, M.D., one of the most decorated Olympians in history, is now an anesthesiology resident at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. She won 12 Olympic medals, including eight golds, while representing the United States in the 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004 summer Olympics. She held world records in the women’s 100-meter freestyle, 100-meter butterfly and individual medley. Dr. Thompson volunteers for Swim Across America, an organization that raises money for cancer research.

Several other anesthesiologists have had successful athletic careers and now mentor the athletic development of others. Roger A. Cook, M.D. (Great Falls, Montana), for instance, played quarterback on college and professional football teams. Sorin Brull, M.D. (Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida) played professional tennis before becoming an anesthesiologist.

Legacy: These anesthesiologists are carrying on traditions of achievement. In 1963, Thomas F. Hornbein, M.D. (Seattle, Washington) was the first person to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, by the west slope. During the Vietnam War, Ronald D. Miller, M.D. (San Francisco, California) conducted research on massive blood transfusions of critically wounded soldiers that identified the importance of a platelet count of 50,000. For performing this research, so vital to patient care, in a war zone, he was awarded a Bronze Star with a V-device. Also during the Vietnam War, J. Kent Garman, M.D. (Palo Alto, California) served as a flight surgeon with the First Marine Air Wing and won a Marine Corps Air Medal for 25 combat air missions and a Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V.

These current and past stories of anesthesiologists are enduring examples of excellence and service, inspirations for all and evidence that our specialty includes the best and brightest.

Robert E. Johnstone, M.D., is Professor of Anesthesiology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia.