We were fortunate to have hosted Dr. James Rathmell as our visiting speaker for the annual Donald W. and Marjorie Benson Lectureship, held June 13th, 2024.
Dr. Rathmell discussed “Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine: Successes, Threats, and Opportunities.” ( Watch Webcast)
Dr. Rathmell is the Enterprise Chair of Anesthesiology at Mass General Brigham and Professor of Anaesthesia at Harvard Medical School. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of Anesthesiology.
As always, we privileged to honor the legacy of Dr. Benson and were happy to have Dr. Rathmell join us.
Presented by:
James P. Rathmell, MD, MBA
Chair, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Leroy D. Vandam Professor of Anesthesia
Harvard Medical School
Grand Rounds take place in-person at 7 AM in Hurd Hall. Please check your ACCM email for Zoom link and password to watch the webcast live.
A Remarkable Man Honored
by a Remarkable Family
By all accounts, it would not be a stretch to characterize the late Dr. Donald W. Benson as a Renaissance Man. Family members and colleagues describe him as prodigious in an array of eclectic endeavors. He was a scholar, a doctor, a tenor, an inventor, and an artisan. He was extraordinarily talented, but extremely humble.
At Johns Hopkins Hospital, Dr. Benson was a highly esteemed Associate Professor of Anesthesiology from 1956 to 1974. His remarkable career encompassed many accomplishments—establishing a residency program in anesthesiology, inventing a positive-pressure ventilator, and developing a surgical intensive care unit, to name a few. Dr. John Ulatowski recognizes Dr. Benson as an extraordinary scholar and doctor and as a uniquely gifted technician and innovator.
Equally astounding is the fact that Dr. Benson’s entire family is eminently gifted and diverse. Mrs. Marjorie Benson, a former professional pianist who lives in Chicago, still plays the harpsichord that Dr. Benson built for her in the 1970s. Daughter Jane (SOM ’80), a pediatric radiologist at Johns Hopkins Hospital, is also a singer. Daughter Ruth is a dancer and choreographer in Boston, and son Brian has a doctorate in Population Dynamics from JHSPH and resides in England.
As a tribute to Dr. Benson’s unique legacy, the Benson family and devoted friends and colleagues continue to support the endowed Donald W. Benson Lectureship Series on Pain Medicine. The endowment, established while Dr. Benson was alive, was originally created to fund a library at Johns Hopkins Hospital. It has since evolved into a lectureship series that, according to Dr. Srinivasa Raja, Director of the Division of Pain Medicine, has allowed the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine to host prominent national and international scientists for the purpose of sharing current and future trends in areas of pain research. The endowment generously commemorates Dr. Benson’s devotion to education, innovation, and progress in the field of anesthesiology.
Upcoming Grand Rounds
- 7/11/2024: State of the Department
- 7/18/2024: Patient-Based Learning Discussion
- 7/25/2024: Quality Assurance Committee
- 8/1/2024: ACCM Department Photo
- 8/8/2024: Promotions Seminar (Internal)
- 8/15/2024: Patient-Based Learning Discussion
- 8/22/2024: Visiting Professor (Virtual)
- 8/29/2024: Quality Assurance Committee
Grand Rounds Webcast
Watch “The Research and Mentorship Legacy of Richard J. Traystman in ACCM” from our 2024 Richard J. Traystman, Ph.D. Endowed Lectureship.
Presented by:
Raymond C. Koehler, Ph.D.
Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine