As anesthesiologists, one of our biggest concerns is and always will be relieving pain. This will never change, but the strategies we employ to manage our patients’ pain continues to evolve.
As the pain literature grows, we continue to learn more about the importance of minimizing physiologic stressors during surgical procedures using non-opioid, multi-modal pharmacologic … [Read more...] about Patient Safety and Comfort Will Always Be Our Concern
By Jeffrey Green, MD, FASA
President, Virginia Society of Anesthesiologists
and Marie Sankaran Raval, MD
President-Elect, Virginia Society of Anesthesiologists
Leadership Messages
Patient Safety and Comfort Will Always Be Our Concern
Creation of an Acute Pain Service at the VA in Richmond, Virginia: Aims and Outcomes
By Brooke Albright-Trainer, MD, FASA
Acute Pain Physician, Anesthesiologist, and Intensivist
Central Virginia VA Health Care System
Richmond VA

Special thanks to contributions from Robert Trainer, DO; Allen Ha, PharmD; Mercy Orikogbo, RN; and Diane Ibanez, RN.
The Hunter Holmes McGuire VAMC cares for veterans with the most significant and life-threatening disease burden across the VHA system. Our VA in Richmond is one of only a few VA facilities across the nation that has a true dedicated Acute Pain Service … [Read more...] about Creation of an Acute Pain Service at the VA in Richmond, Virginia: Aims and Outcomes
By Brooke Albright-Trainer, MD, FASA
Acute Pain Physician, Anesthesiologist, and Intensivist
Central Virginia VA Health Care System
Richmond VA
We’re Not as Diverse as I Thought
By Jeffrey Green, MD, FASA
VSA President

When I first started residency in anesthesiology, I thought it was a pretty diverse medical specialty. I was one of only a couple of white males in my residency class. There was also nearly 50% female representation.
I assumed this was the norm for anesthesiology. This was quite a change from the surgery residency program where I started my training which was almost entirely … [Read more...] about We’re Not as Diverse as I Thought
By Jeffrey Green, MD, FASA
VSA President
Mitigate Unconscious Bias to Increase Diversity & Inclusion in Our Specialty
By Brooke Trainer, MD, FASA
Editor, VSA UPDATE

“Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.”
—Verna Myers, diversity advocate.
Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) in our political organization is especially important in order for our specialty of Anesthesiology to thrive.
This past July 2020, the ASA Joint Committee Roundtable had a conversation on D&I where they discussed the need to … [Read more...] about Mitigate Unconscious Bias to Increase Diversity & Inclusion in Our Specialty
By Brooke Trainer, MD, FASA
Editor, VSA UPDATE
Balancing Competing Goals: Protests during a pandemic
By Brooke Trainer, MD, FASA
VSA UPDATE Editor

It’s hard to see the forest for the trees. These are uncertain times we are facing and many of us are inundated with worry. We worry over whether we will fall ill, when we will see our family and friends again, when we will recoup lost income, whether we will have enough PPE, whether racial disparities will improve, and whether this strife and unrest in society will … [Read more...] about Balancing Competing Goals: Protests during a pandemic
By Brooke Trainer, MD, FASA
VSA UPDATE Editor