The Society has a variety of mechanisms for this form of recognition. The Distinguished Service Award is the highest honor and is presented yearly at the only plenary session of the ASA Annual Meeting. This year, Harry H. Bird, M.D., will receive the award. M.D. At the House of Delegates meeting, the Section on Annual Meeting will present awards to the best scientific exhibits. Through the decades since the introduction of the practice of anesthesiology, some unique individuals have contributed significantly to the science of anesthesiology.
Explanations vary for each of the individuals.
Some sought recognition so aggressively that they were rejected. Others had personalities so controversial that they were ignored. The list could be very long. The ones chosen are the favorites of the WLM Committee on Publicity, which I chair. I recognize that the choices were arbitrary, and we may have left out your favorite.