At the most recent SOCCA Annual Meeting, it was my privilege to present the SOCCA Distinguished Service Award and the Hilmar Burchardi Award to two well-deserving SOCCA members. Below are transcripts from my presentation of these awards.

An important and exciting role for Critical Care Anesthesiologists is the development and utilization of new tools and therapies to treat patients with severe, life-threatening injuries. It seems as though every time I round in the ICU, I encounter something new in one or more of my patients.

As a Critical Care Anesthesiologist, do you ever wonder what to say when the nurse asks you what blood pressure you want to target? Or do you ever wonder if all the effort you have put into resuscitating your patients is successful? Are you confused about how to use new and novel technologies to measure end-organ perfusion? Then you definitely need to attend this panel at the upcoming SOCCA 2019 Annual Meeting and Critical Care Update.

Many of us grew up in an era prior to the rise of social media and the continuous 24/7 availability that technologies provide (or inflict) on us. As a Critical Care Anesthesiologist, I work to provide the best care to my patients and social media may provide me with an opportunity to learn about new research and to interact with my peers and peer researchers in a more rapid and effective manner.

As Critical Care Anesthesiologists, we are responsible for diagnosing organ dysfunction, treating various pathologies, coordinating care with consultants and nurses, and communication with patients and their families. We support patients and families through the phases of illness and recovery, and, at times, we shepherd them through palliation and changes in goals of care.

Welcome to the SOCCA 2018 Annual Meeting and Critical Care Update, a meeting I am confident you will find rewarding with many valuable takeaways and networking opportunities. The members of the SOCCA Committee on Education, Drs. Adam S. Evans, Sheila Pai Cole, and Peter Von Homeyer, have developed a cutting-edge education program, addressing the latest advances in critical care and investigating the most pressing issues in anesthesiology.

The attendees of the SOCCA Annual Meeting will have the opportunity to take advantage of a special Aligned Meeting and SOCCA Focus on Critical Care Day on Saturday, April 28, complimentary as part of their registration fee. Thought leaders in anesthesiology will present a wide selection of robust education sessions, highlighting pioneering topics in anesthesia and celebrating advances in education, science, research and the art of anesthesiology.