It is an extremely important distinction in our profession, one we must make to every patient with every encounter and at every opportunity. We need to expose the public to the world of anesthesiology one patient at a time. The survey covers a broad range of surgical and other specialties but leaves out our specialty the specialty that probably contributes highly to the success of the other specialties at all of the hospitals in the survey. Again, this is an area for improvement in educating the public. Starting with the editors and continuing right down through the readership, this omission is an opportunity for anesthesiologists and ASA to start a campaign of public awareness and education as to what we do and why every patient deserves a doctor of anesthesiology for their care.
Life happens here.
Accessed October 25, 2000. John A. Jack Cooley, M.D., is an anesthesiology resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland. All rights reserved.