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Lecture/Presentation/Talk

Anesthesia at Stanford: Stanford's Contributions to an Emerging Medical Specialty

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In person and online.  Open to the public. Registration required. Light refreshments to follow.

The story of the anesthesia service at Stanford is one of many firsts. 

In 1909, Caroline Palmer, MD founded a modern, all-physician anesthesia department at the Cooper Medical College, the predecessor of Stanford's Medical School, creating a model for other hospitals in the country. William Neff, her successor, later established California’s first university anesthesiology residency training program. After the medical school moved to Palo Alto in 1960, John Bunker chaired one of the country's first independent anesthesiology departments, building it into a world-class center for teaching, research and clinical care. Practice and technology innovations continued apace, with developments in infant and neonatal anesthesia and computational monitoring and analysis among many other areas.

In his talk, Jay Brodsky, Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Emeritus, will discuss the milestones of this important Stanford history and highlight the many contributions Stanford anesthesiologists made during the period 1909-1972 to this emerging and critical medical specialty.

This program is co-sponsored by the Stanford Historical Society, the School of Medicine, and the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine.

Photo of Jay Brodsky

Jay B. Brodsky is a retired anesthesiologist who worked at the Stanford University School of Medicine from 1977 to 2021. During his Stanford career, he served as Chief of Multi-Specialty Division (OR Anesthesia), Medical Director of Post-Anesthesia Care Units, Medical Director of the Operating Rooms, and Associate Medical Director of Perioperative Services. 

Brodsky received his bachelor’s degree from City College of New York in 1967 and his medical degree from State University of New York in 1971. He completed his residency at the Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School, from 1972 to 1975. Before joining the Stanford Department of Anesthesiology, he served in the military from 1975 to 1977.

He is the author of several medical textbooks on thoracic anesthesia and anesthesia for morbid obesity, as well as non-clinical books that are humorous looks at serious problems. His latest books, The Early History of Anesthesia at Stanford (1909-1972), Anesthesia at Stanford - The Larson Years (1972-1982), and Anesthesia at Stanford (1983-1992) describe the people and accomplishments of the anesthesia department at Stanford.

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Banner photo courtesy of Lane Library, Stanford Medical History Center.

 

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