ASA September 2004 Newsletter

After significant preparation, deliberation and motivation, the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER) Board of Directors voted recently to approve several landmark programs to better serve the needs of anesthesiology researchers, practitioners, mentors, educators and patients.

The FAER Board members are:

Officers:

The precedent-setting decisions made by the board include adding a mentorship award as part of the Research Training Grant, facilitating the creation of the Academy of Anesthesia Mentors, approving the start of a Medical Student Fellowship Program in 2005, launching new Fund Development Programs focusing on specific research areas and approving the funding of nine new research and education projects with a budget of $940,000.

Adding a Mentorship Award as Part of the Research Training Grant: The board voted to add a $40,000-per-year Mentorship Award for individuals serving as mentors to the FAER/ASA Research Training Grant awardees. This will bring the total for the RTG awards starting in January 2005 to $255,000 over two years, $175,000 to the researcher and $80,000 to the mentor.

For more details on this program and other FAER research programs, visit <www.faer.org>.

Creation of the Academy of Anesthesia Mentors: A FAER subcommittee, chaired by John P. Kampine, M.D., has led to the establishment of an Academy of Anesthesia Mentors. This group will meet for the first time as an independent entity at the October 2004 ASA Annual Meeting on Friday in Las Vegas, Nevada. The group was formed to recognize and foster the efforts of scientific and educational mentors who have and will continue to enrich their trainees and the profession of anesthesiology.

Medical Student Fellowship Program: Beginning in 2005, FAER will recruit and sponsor up to 10 medical students for approximately 10 weeks to gain exposure to and basic experience in the field of anesthesiology. It is expected that these students will be recruited for summertime activities and housed in medical academic centers for their training.

Fund Development Initiatives: The FAER board voted to create four new initiatives focusing on developing new relationships and increasing fund development efforts in geriatrics, pain medicine, pediatrics, and trauma and critical care medicine. Each board member will actively participate on at least one of these new programs and will use his/her skills and influence to increase funding and attention to the research and education needs of their respective areas. FAER will continue to solicit, score and fund research programs in all areas of anesthesiology, but funding for these specific areas will be supplemented by these development initiatives. Details on how other ASA members and groups can help with these efforts will be forthcoming.

New Awards Granted: The FAER board was pleased to receive the report from the ASA Committee on Research that had reviewed and scored 30 applications for FAER support. The FAER board approved the funding of nine new projects with a total budget expenditure of $940,000. There were several additional proposals deemed worthy of funding, but resources were not available. FAER is currently committed to spending at least $1.5 million on research and education grants for 2004 and will review another series of applications in October from the August submissions. Look in future issues of the ASA NEWSLETTER for the announcement of these new award recipients.

FAER continues to be grateful for the support offered by ASA as well as individual members and support organizations. Additionally FAER extends its appreciation to the family of John D. “Jack” Michenfelder, M.D., a tribute to whom appeared in the July 2004 ASA NEWSLETTER (page 46). Donors to the Michenfelder Memorial will be recognized in a separate section of our 2004 annual report.

First FAER Golf Fundraiser Tees Up Annual Event

On July 12, 2004, FAER organized and operated the first ever FAER Lunch, Golf, Reception fundraiser in Rochester, Minnesota. This initial effort attracted 45 participants and raised a modest amount of money. Plans are under way to shape this event into an annual celebration of progress in anesthesiology research. For information on how you can help support FAER on this initiative, please call the FAER office at (507) 266-6866.

FAER 2003 Annual Report Soon to Be Available for Distribution
FAER will soon be sending out its 2003 annual report to various constituencies. Included in the report are details of new activities, supporters’ names, financial condition and future plans. Those scheduled to receive a copy include individual FAER donors, corporate supporters, FAER and ASA board members, component societies, corporate and foundation prospects, current and past grant recipients and members of all FAER and ASA committees. If you would like additional copies, please call the FAER office.

New Staff
Due to employee turnover and expanding services, FAER has hired two new employees. Mary M. Schrandt has joined FAER as Associate Director. Mary comes to FAER after a distinguished career at the Mayo Clinic with broad administrative responsibilities in the department of anesthesiology. Mary will absorb many of the tasks previously assigned to Kerry Todd, who has moved on. Additionally Mary will play a key role in FAER’s marketing efforts.

Nathan D. Grunewald joins FAER in the new position of Manager of Information Technology. Nathan’s responsibilities include all FAER Web sites, Internet activities and maintenance of the FAER database. Nathan joins FAER from the nonprofit organization Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation where he was Coordinator of Operations. Coincidentally Nathan’s wife, Courtney, will begin school at Mayo in the nurse anesthesia program.

Mary and Nathan have critical roles in supporting and implementing FAER’s much expanded fund development efforts.

Erratum: Duke Tarheels?

The NEWSLETTER staff wishes to inform the readership that Duke University has not moved to Chapel Hill, as readers were led to believe in the August 2004 NEWSLETTER. In the FAER awards article on page 40, Frederick W. Lombard, M.B., Ch.B., was correctly listed at Duke University, but Duke was incorrectly listed as residing in Chapel Hill. Duke is, of course, in Durham. Our sincerest apologies to Dr. Lombard and Blue Devils and Tarheels everywhere.