Feb 1, 2023, 08:33 AM by Vivian Ip, MBChB, MRCP, FRCA

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Time flies, and I cannot believe it is the year 2023! Furthermore, there is so much to celebrate this year for our ASRA Pain Medicine family. Dr. Louis Gaston Labat founded the original American Society of Regional Anesthesia in 1923, and the field has grown to become one of the largest leading professional sub-specialties. For this reason and more, there are so many reasons to join us this spring at the 48th Annual Regional Anesthesiology and Acute Pain Medicine Meeting at the Diplomat Beach Resort, in Hollywood, FL. As mentioned in Stephen Haskins’ article, the theme of this year’s meeting is “A century of innovation and a future of inclusivity.” The program looks jam-packed with innovative topics and discussions, as well as celebrations of our field’s history and past leaders.

 

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There are so many reasons to join us this spring at the 48th Annual Regional Anesthesiology and Acute Pain Medicine Meeting.

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In this issue of the ASRA Pain Medicine Newsletter, we have interview pieces with this year’s Gaston Labat Award winner, Dr. Suresh Santhanam, as well as the Distinguished Service Award winner, Dr. Edward Mariano. These interviews really dive into their journeys to success and how the people they’ve met over the course of their careers have shape their interests and achievements.

Following up from our opioid crisis theme in the November issue, we have articles from our chronic pain colleagues on transition pain services and how IV lidocaine can be used safely and effectively to reduce chronic postoperative pain. The perioperative management of buprenorphine also provides us with some tips and pearls on the optimal treatment of these challenging patients.

Another important article for our current and future trainees looking for the fellowship programs is the fellowship match article outlining the process and the journey. Of course, the topic of wellness is extremely important and timely, especially because most of us are faced with burnout from clearing the surgical backlog stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, together with the diminishing workforce, resulting in an increased clinical commitment and reduction in academic time. There is an article on wellness in this edition to highlight the importance of introducing wellness concepts in medical school so that these skills can be carried over into residency and the attending years.

Other articles in this edition include a review in the analgesic regimens in cesarean section and a “POCUS Spotlight” that provides tips and pearls in subcostal ultrasound. As always, please email me at ASRAeditor@asra.com with your ideas and comments. Feel free to stop and chat if you see me at the spring meeting in Florida in April - I would really like to hear from you!