Cite as: Ip V. Editor’s corner: bidding farewell to a great year and much to look forward in the next for ASRA Pain Medicine News. ASRA Pain Medicine News 2024;49. https://doi.org/10.52211/asra020124.002.

It has been a fantastic year in 2023, and the New Year is going to be brilliant! In the lunar calendar, 2024 is the year of the dragon which, in Chinese culture, represents health and strength. I’d like to wish everyone a prosperous New Year! Regarding strength, I believe strength can be built through collaboration. As we begin our exciting collaborative journey with all our sister societies, our first introductory article written by both our president, Dr. David Provenzano, and the ESRA past president, Dr. Thomas Volk, marks the first collaborative piece, so be sure to check it out. We are also joining hands with our neighbor in Canada, the Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society Regional Anesthesia Section, and a brief introductory piece can also be found in this issue. In this edition of the ASRA Pain Medicine News, we have much in store, and as outlined in the President’s Message by Dr. Provenzano. It has been a busy year for our ASRA Pain Medicine community with hosting a very successful Fall Meeting, initiating collaboration with the sister societies, working together with ASA on important issues relevant to most members, and finishing with a very informative Substance Use Disorder Symposium.

The first edition in 2024 is jam packed with information about the upcoming meeting chaired by Dr. Ki Jinn Chin from Toronto, Canada. The theme of the meeting is “Precise, Practical, Personalized, and Patient-Centered,” which is relevant to all with its focus on how to improve patient care through individualized connection. Please join us at our 49th Annual Regional Anesthesiology and Acute Pain Medicine Meeting being held March 21-23 in sunny San Diego. For me, attending the annual meetings not only gets me up to date on the current literature and practices and improving the care that I provide for my patients, but it also gives me a chance to reunite with my friends and meet new people. And, don’t miss the Annual Meeting Celebration, so make sure you get a ticket. Of course, there are also other opportunities to network throughout the meeting, so have a look at the program. Furthermore, I find these meetings inspiring with the award recipients sharing their tips and pearls of the journey to success. You can get a glimpse of the Gaston Labat Award and the Distinguished Service Award recipients’ journey to success right here in this February edition.

February 3rd was National Women Physicians Day and our Women in Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine SIG produced an infographic that was published on the ASRA Pain Medicine website to celebrate the day. If you haven't already, please check it out here.

In this edition, you can also read about the fantastic fellowship experience of Dr. Alcibiade in Ghana, sponsored by ASRA Pain Medicine. This is a great opportunity to get involved in global health early in your career, learn about medicine in countries with different health care systems and resources, and most important of all, learn about different cultures and political perspectives. 

While on the topic of resources, we are fortunate enough to be experiencing technologies in the 21st century where virtual reality is being recognized as an important tool for teaching and providing therapy to benefit our patients through non-pharmacologic means. Check out two interesting articles on using virtual reality and incorporating it into patient care.

How can an ASRA Pain Medicine News edition be complete without a POCUS article? This month’s topic is transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), which I find very relevant and highly recommend to anyone who would like to understand TEE or to those who would just like to refresh their memory. This article includes beautiful images and videos; it’s very informative indeed!

As always, please send your comments and ideas to asraeditor@asra.com, and I will see you in March at the 2024 Spring Meeting in sunny San Diego!