SA has committed to a strategic plan of expanding the types and range of continuing medical education (CME) courses that it makes available to anesthesiologists. We recognize that our members have extremely busy practices but seek quality CME programs that are conveniently available. Accordingly, we plan to take full advantage of the Internet to bring high-quality CME to your local office and homes.

Our Annual Meeting is ASA’s premium CME event, and many anesthesiologists do their very best to attend each year. Practice demands, however, do not allow most to attend our Annual Meeting. Because of this, the Committee on Outreach Education and the Committee on Annual Meeting Oversight have jointly developed an exciting new CME program titled “Annual Meeting Highlights.”

This Internet-based program should be available to members in January 2007 and will include approximately 15 hours of CME credit. The following presentations are planned:

The Patient With Sleep Apnea Syndrome for Ambulatory Surgery: Girish P. Joshi, M.D.

The Epidemic of Metabolic Syndrome and Implications for Perioperative Medicine and Organ Protection Strategies: Robert N. Sladen, M.B. (moderator)

What Is the Metabolic Syndrome and What Can We Do About It?: Judy R. Kersten, M.D.

Advances in the Management of Perioperative Hypertension: Manuel L. Fontes, M.D.

Renal Insufficiency and Failure-Prevalence, Prevention and Treatment: Mark Stafford-Smith, M.D.

Mechanical Ventilatory Support in 2006: Getting the Most From the Ventilator: Michael A. Gropper, M.D., Ph.D.

Perioperative Care of the Patient With Acute CNS Injury: Susan Black, M.D. (moderator)

Brain Trauma: Audreé A. Bendo, M.D.

Cervical Spine: Susan Black, M.D.

Fluid Management: Donald S. Prough, M.D.

Depth of Anesthesia: Clinical Applications, Awareness and Beyond: Daniel J. Cole, M.D., and Karen B. Domino, M.D.

Current Controversies in Obstetric Anesthesia: William R. Camann, M.D.

Sedation/Analgesia for Diagnostic Procedures in Children Outside the Operating Room: Richard F. Kaplan, M.D.

Spinal Cord and Peripheral Nerve Stimulation for the Treatment of Pain: Allen W. Burton, M.D.

No Blood, No Pus, No Pain — Avoiding Hemorrhagic, Infectious and Neurologic Complications Associated With Regional Anesthesia: James R. Hebl, M.D., (moderator)

No Pus — Avoiding Infectious Complications: Dr. Hebl

No Blood — Avoiding Hemorrhagic Complications: Terese T. Horlocker, M.D.

No Pain — Avoiding Neurologic Complications: Joseph M. Neal, M.D.

Clinical Information Resources in the Operating Room: Keith J. Ruskin, M.D.

2006 Emery A. Rovenstine Memorial Lecture: We Are What We Make: Jerry Reves, M.D.

2006 Annual Meeting Plenary Session: Vulnerability of Pulmonary Capillaries in Health and Disease: John West, M.D.

The 2006 Annual Meeting Highlights CME program is an Internet-based production using audio recordings of contributors’ Annual Meeting presentations plus lectures slides.

Contributors also will provide follow-up materials for further, optional study. The subscriber will be able to sign up for the entire program or any specific presentation he/she chooses. CME credit may be requested upon completion of a short post-test and course evaluation.
 
Again, please look for this program to appear in January 2007.

Daniel J. Cole, M.D., is Professor of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, and Chair, Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona.

Rebecca S. Twersky, M.D., M.P.H., is Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology and Vice-Chair for Research, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center-Brooklyn, and Medical Director, Ambulatory Surgery Unit, Long Island College Hospital, Brooklyn, New York.