MEETING PROGRAM
Friday, October 16, 2026
San Diego Convention Center
All times are listed in Central Time.
| Time | Room | Session Title | Speaker(s) |
| 0630-0930 | Registration | ||
| 0700-0815 | Continental Breakfast / Visit Exhibits | ||
| 0730-0815 | Non-CME Breakfast Symposium |
Sponsored by Vertex Pharmaceuticals | |
| MEETING STARTS | |||
| 0730-0815 | VA Anesthesia Chief’s Breakfast | Informal, a couple of topics/allow for open topics by attendees (appx 10 people) | |
| 0815-0820 | BREAK | ||
| 0825-0840 | USSA/AVAA/TAS Welcome |
Houman Amirfarzan, MD President, Association of Veterans Affairs Anesthesiologists Jason R. Gillihan, MD, MBA President, Trauma Anesthesiology Society CAPT Corry “Jeb” Kucik, MC USN President, Uniformed Services Society of Anesthesiologists |
|
| 0840-0855 | ASA Welcome and Opening Remarks | Patrick Giam, MD, FASA President, American Society of Anesthesiologists |
|
| 0900-0945 | Opening Keynote: Every Anesthesiologist’s Most Important Professional Goal: Retirement | John Capacchione, MD | |
| 0945-1015 | Activating the Brain's Arousal Systems to Reverse Drug-induced Unconsciousness | Ken Solt, MD | |
| 1015-1045 | BREAK | ||
| 1045-1115 | USAF SOF Surgical Unit Experiences | Ryan Parker, MD, PhD | |
| 1115-1145 | Pediatric Trauma | Katherine Slogic, MD | |
| 1145-1215 | Best Abstract Awards & Presentations | ||
| 1215-1300 | LUNCH | ||
| 1230-1315 | Non-CME Lunch Symposium | Sponsored by Pacira | |
| 1315-1335 | Ready, SET, Go!: Emergency Surgical Cases Expedited Through a Protocol and Simulation | Jessica L Feinleib MD, PhD, FASA, CHSE Medical Director of Simulation VACTHS Co-Chair Code Committee VACTHS Staff Anesthesiologist VACTHS VHA OOORAM Course Director Assistant Professor, Yale School of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology |
|
| BREAKOUT SESSIONS START | |||
| USSA BREAKOUT SESSION | |||
| 1340-1455 | State of Specialty – Specialty Leader Panel | Michael S. Patzkowski, MD, MHA, FASA Colonel, Medical Corps, US Army Anesthesiology Consultant to the US Army Surgeon General OTSG, Falls Church, Virginia Chair, Department of Anesthesia Brooke Army Medical Center, JBSA/FSH, Texas Associate Professor of Anesthesiology Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland Mark Cheney Maureen “Mo” Higgs, MD, FASA CDR MC (FMF/SWMDO) USN Staff Pediatric Anesthesiologist Chair Department of Anesthesia Perioperative and Pain Medicine Navy Anesthesiology Specialty Leader Clinical Associate Professor of Anesthesia, Uniformed Services University Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command, Portsmouth Mark Cannon, MD CAPT, MC (FMF), USN Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology/ Critical Care MEDHOLD Medical Director REDCOM SD |
|
| 1455-1500 | BREAK | ||
| 1500-1530 | Advancing Prolonged Field Care: Ultrasound-Guided Triage and Feedback Training in Modern Combat Environments | LT Terence (TC) Byrne | |
| 1340-1400 | [AVAA BREAKOUT SESSION] Field Advisory Board (FAB) Update |
Kay B. Leissner, M.D., Ph.D. Chief, Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine Service VA Boston Healthcare System Associate Professor, Boston University School of Medicine VISN 1 Chief Anesthesiology Consultant Chair, Anesthesiology Field Advisory Board U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs |
|
| 1400-1420 | ASA: Working With AVAA to Ensure the Highest Level of Anesthesia Care for Veterans | Nora Matus Director, Congressional & Political Affairs American Society of Anesthesiologists |
|
| 1420-1445 | BREAK | ||
| 1505-1535 | AVAA Business Meeting | ||
| TAS BREAKOUT SESSION | |||
| 1340-1425 | TAS Board of Directors Meeting | Jason R. Gillihan, MD, MBA - President Meera Gangadhaarn, MD - Vice President Justin Knittel, MD - Secretary/Treasurer |
|
| 1425-1500 | TAS Abstract Presentations | Balbino Lopez, MD - Meeting Co-Chair | |
| 1500-1505 | BREAK | ||
| 1505-1535 | Trauma Fellowship Directors Meeting | Dr. Raj Nathwani - University of Washington Program Director, Trauma Anesthesiology Fellowship | |
1535 - 1545 |
[BREAKOUT SESSIONS END] BREAK |
||
| 1545-1615 | Damage Control Resuscitation | Justin E Richards, MD Associate Professor Department of Anesthesiology University of Maryland School of Medicine Division of Trauma Anesthesiology R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center Baltimore, MD |
|
| 1615-1645 | Vasopressor Usage in Trauma Patients | Thomas E. Grissom, MD, MSIS, FASA, FCCM Professor, Department of Anesthesiology R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center University of Maryland School of Medicine Baltimore, MD Trauma Section Editor, Anesthesia & Analgesia Vice Chair, ASA Committee on Trauma and Emergency Preparedness |
|
| 1650-1720 | CLOSING KEYNOTE - Pre-hospital Anesthesia | Luke Banks | |
| 1720-1730 | Joint Military Annual Academic Meeting Conclusion |
Raffle prize, thank you Uniformed Services University (USU) National Teaching Award presentation |
|
| 1730-1830 | Happy Hour | ||
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the Uniformed Services Society of Anesthesiologists and the Association of Veterans Affairs Anesthesiologists and the Trauma Anesthesiology Society. The American Society of Anesthesiologists is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM.
Statement of Need
As the only military component society of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), the USSA represents and serves the unique needs and interests of uniformed anesthesiologists. Its purpose is to serve as a networking and educational platform for all branches of the service. The USSA fosters professionalism, education, and the exchange of ideas through its annual meeting with deployed service members practicing anesthesia in harm’s way.
Target Audience
Anesthesiologists, residents, and medical students who are currently serving in the armed forces, employees of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other practitioners interested in military anesthesiology, critical care, trauma, and practice improvement.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this activity, participants will be able to:
Disclaimer
The information provided at this activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical judgment of a healthcare provider relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient’s medical condition.
Disclosure Statement
The American Society of Anesthesiologists remains strongly committed to providing the best available evidence-based clinical information to participants of this educational activity and requires an open disclosure of any potential conflict of interest identified by our faculty members. It is not the intent of the American Society of Anesthesiologists to eliminate all situations of potential conflict of interest, but rather to enable those who are working with the American Society of Anesthesiologists to recognize situations that may be subject to question by others. All disclosed conflicts of interest are reviewed by the educational activity course director/chair to ensure that such situations are properly evaluated and, if necessary, mitigated. The American Society of Anesthesiologists educational standards pertaining to conflict of interest are intended to maintain the professional autonomy of the clinical experts inherent in promoting a balanced presentation of science. Through our review process, all American Society of Anesthesiologists activities are ensured of independent, objective, scientifically balanced presentations of information. Disclosure of any or no relationships will be made available for all educational activities.
The following speakers and/or planning committee members have indicated that they have relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose:
| Name | Type of Relationship | Company |
All other planners, faculty and staff have reported no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose.
Please follow these directions to access the course, claim your credits, complete the program evaluation(s) and print your certificate:
To retrieve a username or password, enter your email address at: https://www.asahq.org/member-center/forgot-password.
Note: Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation. All credits for the meeting must be claimed by Dec. 31, 2026. You will NOT be able to claim credits after this date.
This activity is supported by in-kind donations from: None.
Date of last update: May 27, 2026
