John P. Kampine, M.D., Ph.D., Chair
Academy of Anesthesiology Mentors
Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research

Myer H. Rosenthal, M.D., Immediate Past Chair
Board of Directors
Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research

he Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER), joined by an increasing number of anesthesiology department chairs and others in academic anesthesiology, has been extremely concerned over the insufficient level of anesthesia research originated from our anesthesia programs. It has become quite evident that anesthesiology’s share of national competitive funding as measured by data from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a specialty is far below that which should be expected. Examination of NIH funding over the past several years to 2003 demonstrates a growth in its research budget of more than 16 percent annually as anesthesiology’s share increased less than 1 percent, receiving only 0.3 percent of available NIH research funds. With the annual budget of NIH, beginning with 2004, increasing at a far lower rate of 2.5 percent and with 2005 at 1.99 percent and 2006 at 0.88 percent, the anesthesiology community is in jeopardy of even further erosion of research support. One of the critical indicators of the vital role of academic anesthesia as a major component of anesthesiology as a medical specialty is the continued quest for new knowledge that expands our ability to provide the best care for our patients. Further evidence of the critical state of anesthesia research and research training is found in examining the numbers of academic anesthesiology training programs receiving NIH funding. Of the 128 programs approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, only 54 received any funding in 2004, with 19 of those receiving only one or two grants. Furthermore, of the 1,322 NIH training grants awarded in 2004, only 10 were received by anesthesiology departments.

Recognizing the need for improved academic research productivity, FAER organized an internal advisory committee in 2002 to provide information on mentoring and how FAER could promote and enhance the activities of mentors with regard to the academic career development of anesthesiologists in research and education. The committee consisted of Alex S. Evers, M.D., Simon Gelman, M.D., Ph.D., John P. Kampine, M.D., Ronald D. Miller, M.D., and Ronald G. Pearl, M.D., Ph.D., and was chaired by Dr. Kampine. During the course of several meetings, the committee recommended to the FAER Board of Directors that career development awards (FAER Research Training Grants) given to mentored awardees be accompanied by a stipend awarded to the recipient’s mentor through the mentor’s department with the stipulation that the mentor be provided identifiable time for mentoring the FAER awardee. This recommendation was approved and is now incorporated into the FAER Research Training Grant.

The committee also recommended that an organization be established consisting of mentors whose contribution to the academic development of anesthesiology trainees is recognized to be at the highest level. The Academy of Anesthesia Mentors was established in 2004. The objective of the Academy is to recognize those individuals who, through their activities as mentors, have made important contributions to the development and advancement of academic anesthesiologists in the areas of research and education. An additional objective is to promote the activities of mentoring among others in the specialty of anesthesiology with the goal of increasing academic activities in research and education and promoting the academic image of anesthesiology. At the present time, membership includes 30 individuals representing 19 academic departments. At its next meeting, topics to be covered will include membership, bylaws, organizational activities and short-term versus long-term goals.

Although much additional effort must be made to improve the current levels of academic productivity in our specialty, it is hoped that the initial steps identified above will begin to provide the impetus and enthusiasm for the progress that is so vital to the future growth of our medical specialty.

John P. Kampine, M.D., Ph.D., is Professor of Anesthesiology and Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Myer H. Rosenthal, M.D., is Professor of Anesthesiology, Medicine and Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.