ASRA Pain Medicine Update

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, celebrated annually in May, was established to honor the contributions and influence that Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders have played in the United States’ shared history.

The United States observance was initially established in 1978 by President Jimmy Carter, with the first 10 days of May denoted as Pacific/Asian American Heritage Week. In 1992, the observance was extended to the full month of May. Commonly referred to as Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Month, the federal designation expanded to include Native Hawaiian communities in 2021, renaming it Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage (AANHPI) Month.

In this special feature, we spotlight three esteemed anesthesiologists in a Q&A format who share their experiences, insights, and perspectives as members of the AANHPI community, shedding light on their journeys in pain medicine and beyond. But first, we start with an essay that reflects on AANHPI Month from a new graduate who will be starting residency this summer.

(Click on each doctor's name to read their individual piece.)

Laura Le, MD

Resident
New York, NY

Jinlei Li, MD, PhD, FASA

Yale University School of Medicine
New Haven, CT

Ireana Ng, MB ChB, FRCA

University of Washington
Seattle, WA

Bryant Tran, MD

University of North Carolina

Chapel Hill, NC