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ASA NEWSLETTER
 
 
July 1998
Volume 62
Number 7
 

Emery A. Rovenstine Memorial Lecture: Francis M. James III, M.D., to Present 'Who Will Lead Us?'

John R. Moyers, M.D., Chair
Section on Annual Meeting



The Emery A. Rovenstine Memorial Lecture will be presented this year by Francis M. James III, M.D., at the ASA Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida. His lecture "Who Will Lead Us?" will be delivered on Monday, October 19 at 11:15 a.m. in the Orlando/Orange County Convention Center. The lectureship honors Emery A. Rovenstine, M.D., distinguished anesthesiologist who was Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology, New York University Medical Center, and Director of Anesthesia at Bellevue Hospital, a Past President of the ASA and recipient of the Society's 1957 Distinguished Service Award and a founder and Past President of the American Board of Anesthesiology.

Dr. James attended Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Hahnemann Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He completed his internship at Philadelphia General Hospital followed by a stint in the United States Air Force. The following year he began his residency training in anesthesiology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. After one year as an instructor in the Department of Anesthesia at Pennsylvania, he moved to what would become his home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. There, he became an assistant professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at the Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University (now the Wake Forest University School of Medicine). Dr. James has spent a very productive and enriching career at Wake Forest, rising quickly to the rank of Professor and becoming Head of the Section of Obstetric Anesthesia after having served as Professor and Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology from January 1, 1983, until June 30, 1998. For three years, he also served as Associate Chief of Professional Services at the North Carolina Baptist Hospital. His residency program is considered to be at the very top of those in the United States, and he was recognized as an exemplary department chair. Many of his former residents are leaders in academic anesthesia, in the private sector and department chairs themselves.

Dr. James has chaired and served on numerous committees within his medical center and has been active in his county and the North Carolina Medical Society. He has served and chaired many of the committees of the American Society of Anesthesiologists. In addition, he has functioned in a leadership role in many of the other societies that are important to anesthesiology where the members value his vision, counsel and high ethical standards. For example, he has been President of the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology, the Society of Academic Anesthesiology Chairs, the Association of University Anesthesiologists and the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research. He is a Fellow of the Faculty of the Royal College of Anaesthetists (Great Britain). As was Dr. Rovenstine, Dr. James is a Director and currently Secretary/Treasurer of the American Board of Anesthesiology. He serves on the Executive Committee of the American Board of Medical Specialties and is a past chair of the Residency Review Committee for Anesthesiology.

Numerous departments have invited Dr. James as a Visiting Professor, several where he has been a distinguished lecturer. Other recognitions include Alumnus-of-the-Year Award from the Hahnemann University School of Medicine and the Distinguished Faculty Service Award from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He has been recognized on four different occasions by his medical school for teaching excellence.

His scholarly activity has centered around obstetric anesthesia where he is recognized internationally for his expertise. He has given numerous presentations throughout the world and published many abstracts and journal articles on anesthesia for obstetrics. He is the co-editor of the textbook Obstetric Anesthesia: The Complicated Patient. He is recognized as a scientist, educator and author through 25 years of work in the field. Those who know Dr. James are aware that he has been active in community activities as well. Taking his civic responsibilities seriously, he has served on the Board of Directors of the YMCA in Winston-Salem, the Board of Elders of his church, as Chair of the Board of Trustees and on the Board of Visitors of Salem Academy and College, as President of the Alumni Council of his alma mater, Swarthmore College, on the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and on the Board of Directors of United Way in Winston-Salem.

Dr. James' remarkable record of accomplishments, excellence and achievement in our specialty combined with his character and integrity make him a most-fitting person to honor Dr. Rovenstine and to deliver this distinguished lecture.


John R. Moyers, M.D., is Professor of Anesthesiology, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa.
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