y proclamation of the ASA President at the ASA Annual Meeting (see box below), we have embarked on a yearlong celebration to commemorate the humble beginnings of the first professional organization of physicians dedicated to the safety and well-being of patients undergoing anesthesia. The theme of the centennial is “A Century of Advancing Patient Safety.”

Eight physicians and one medical student held an organizational meeting on October 6, 1905, creating the Long Island Society of Anesthetists in New York. Growing interest in anesthesiology and the desire for recognition as an organized specialty of medicine prompted this organization to expand nationally, evolving into the American Society of Anesthesiologists, which again this year topped record-high numbers in membership.

Throughout this new year, there will be special activities, commemorative publications and many opportunities for reminiscing as well as planning for the future. The centennial celebration will culminate with a 100th Anniversary Gala during the ASA Annual Meeting this October in New Orleans, Louisiana. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be there when ASA begins the next century of its mission to advance the specialty and promote the safety of all surgical, obstetric and pain patients.

In addition, you can show your support of your medical society by displaying the ASA100 logo proudly in your institution. Here are just a few of the ways to do that:

1. Centennial poster. A limited number of ASA centennial posters will be printed and made available to all ASA members by next month. Each member will receive one complimentary copy by mail. Additional copies will be available through the ASA Communications Department on a first-come, first-served basis. The poster will chronicle the advances of ASA through the last 100 years against the backdrop of what was occurring in the United States and the world during the last century.

2. Personalized lab coats. For this year only, ASA is offering a line of high-quality ASA100 lab coats (in white or blue) for men and women in a variety of sizes. More important, each lab coat can be personalized with the physician’s name and institution. This would be the perfect way to show your medical colleagues your pride in and support of the specialty of anesthesiology. To order, go the ASA Web site <www.ASAhq.org> and click on the “ASA100: A Century of Advancing Patient Safety” button to access the ASA100 Centennial Online Store.

3. Special ASA100 apparel. You don’t wear scrubs and lab coats all the time, so ASA also is offering a complete line of men’s and women’s name-brand dress shirts, polo shirts, outerwear and even casual t-shirts — all sporting the ASA100 logo. Each available item was handpicked for its quality, style and colors, and all are available at reasonable cost. Photos and descriptions of all items plus online ordering information are available through the ASA100 Centennial Online Store.

4. Personal accessories and collectibles. Don’t be the only one in your department left out of the celebration! How about a collectible coffee cup, a top-of-the-line commuter mug in chrome, copper or stainless, or a desk caddy with pen to grace the top of your desk at home or at the hospital? A customized ASA100 Sensa gel pen, designed by NASA (writes upside-down and even under water!), also has been issued specially for this year’s centennial celebration. Available only through the ASA100 Centennial Online Store.

5. ASA100 lapel pin. If you attended this year’s ASA Annual Meeting, you received a complimentary lapel pin designed with the ASA100 logo. But that pin was just for the kickoff meeting, and a new lapel pin has been designed featuring the ASA color seal with the lighthouse, ship’s pilot wheel and ASA’s motto of “Vigilance.” This ASA100 pin is sure to be a collectible and will be issued for this year only.

Watch for more information about these special items and other centennial news in future issues of the ASA NEWSLETTER and on the ASA Web site.