Central Line by American Society of Anesthesiologists - a podcast series for the anesthesia community

To celebrate the diversity of our specialty, and get real about the challenges we still face, Dr. Striker spoke with Dr. Antonio Hernandez-Conte about the many ways his identity has shaped his experiences in anesthesiology. Listen in as Dr. Hernandez-Conte discusses where he has, and hasn’t, felt welcome; what anesthesiologists should know about the LGBTQ community; and why speaking up matters.

Dr. Grant Lynde joins Dr. Striker to discuss Quality Improvement and Benchmarking. Listen in as Dr. Lynde talks about Emory’s Quality Improvement initiatives, the role of sustainability, the power of data, the value of team building, the evolution of benchmarking, what he’s learned from failure, and more.

Join Dr. Adam Striker in conversation with Dr. Steve Shafer, Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at the Stanford University Medical Center and Editor-in-Chief of the Monitor, ASA’s perioperative health care news publication. With changes to the Monitor rolling out, Dr. Shafer shares his plans, goals and information on what to expect. Tune in to learn more about the Monitor...

ASA tackles the subject of wellness in this May 14th Town Hall. Learn how to describe wellness challenges associated with COVID-19, recognize the impact prolonged pandemics can have on health care workers, identify wellness resources, and adopt organizational strategies to foster well-being. Recorded May 14, 2020.

ASA and ACHE partner for a Town Hall meeting to address strategies for restarting and expanding elective surgery. Listen in as our experts share information on how to evaluate the necessity of elective surgeries; discuss best practices for prioritizing patient and staff safety; summarize the most recent public health information; outline self-care practices; and address timelines and expectations....

Listen in as Dr. Adam Striker interviews Dr. Kraig de Lanzac about methods for growing leadership skills; the role of failure, age, and mentorship in lifelong learning; the advice he'd give  the community’s future leaders; and the value of difficult conversations. Recorded March 2020.

The most recent ASA Town Hall tackles COVID-19 with a host of experts. Listen in to learn about neuroanesthesia challenges during the pandemic,  anesthetic management of Acute Ischemic Stroke, anesthesia for electroconvulsive therapy, considerations for resuming elective surgery, and details of the economic relief package. Recorded April 23, 2020.

Listen in on ASA’s latest Town Hall, hosted by President Mary Dale Peterson, for presentations on ICU care for patients with hyper coagulation, techniques for treating respiratory failure, and precautions for OB care during the COVID-19 crisis. Recorded April 16, 2020.

Dr. Jane Moon, a critical care anesthesiologist and historian, joins Dr. Striker to discuss the history of the specialty, anesthesiology's early leaders, and the many ways the past informs the present. Join us for a peek inside the life and research of an anesthesiology historian, and find out how the Wood Library Museum helped her on the path. Recorded April 2020.

For ASA’s third Town Hall webinar, recorded April 2, 2020, anesthesiologists from New York discussed how colleagues in COVID-19 hotspots are combatting the virus. The second half of the Town Hall dealt with financial considerations, including billing options and resources available through the SBA and CARES ACT, as well as strategies ASA is exploring with Congress to ensure the specialty’s economi...

In this episode of Central Line, the ASA presents a set of educational recordings that outline COVID-19 patient care guidance related to ICU Ventilation and Pulmonary, ECMO, Gastrointestinal and Nutrition, Ethics, Endocrine and Steroids, and Cardiovascular and Neurology. The ASA developed these resources in collaboration with the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation, the Society of Critical Care M...

ASA President, Dr. Mary Dale Peterson, hosted a second Town Hall on March 26, 2020, featuring presentations on the do’s and don’ts of converting anesthesia gas machines into ICU ventilators, on best practices for collaborating with critical care teams to convert operating rooms to ICUs, and on the latest updates regarding N95 masks. Dr. Jerome Adams, United States Surgeon General, also dropped by...

On March 19, 2020, ASA brought together a panel of thought leaders to discuss the challenges COVID-19 poses to the specialty. The panel included representatives from ASA Committees on Critical Care Medicine, Equipment and Facilities, Occupational Health, Quality Management and Departmental Administration, Trauma Emergency and Preparedness as well as the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation. Listen...

Listen in on Dr. Striker’s discussion with Dr. Max Kelz, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Their wide ranging conversation touches on Dr. Kelz's research into how anesthetics work, his advice on securing grants, and his appreciation for the mentors that helped him on his journey.

Dr. David Martin, Chair of ASA’s Section on Education and Research, talks to Dr. Striker about anesthesiology and lifelong learning. Listen in as they shed light on certification requirements, discuss educational resources, and even bust a few myths about MOCA and more.

Listen in as ASA’s CEO, Paul Pomerantz, interviews ASA President, Dr. Mary Dale Peterson. The discussion touches on her journey to leadership positions at both the ASA and her hospital, her goals for the ASA, and the challenges and opportunities she expects the anesthesiology community to face in the coming years.

For ASA’s inaugural episode, Dr. Striker interviews Dr. Jerome Adams, the first physician anesthesiologist to serve as United States Surgeon General. Dr. Adams addresses the opioid epidemic, the growth of marijuana use, pathways to leadership, and more in this wide ranging interview.

Dr. Striker interviews Manuel Bonilla, Chief Advocacy Officer, about ASA’s federal advocacy efforts. Find out why advocacy matters, learn about ASA’s current priorities, and go inside ASA’s efforts to tackle issues like drug shortages with lawmakers in this episode of Central Line.


Central Line is the official monthly podcast from the American Society of Anesthesiologists, edited by Dr. Adam Striker. We'll bring together leaders in the field of anesthesiology for conversations that address challenges and opportunities vital to the field. We hope you'll join ASA to learn more about how the anesthesiology community is working to advance patient safety, the quality of care and...