President's Message - 2027
It is my pleasure to announce that membership with the Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society (CAS) for 2027 is now open! On behalf of our Board of Directors and the National Office, thank you for continuing to advance Canadian anesthesia and elevate patient care, as a vital part of our community.
As 2027 gets closer, we’re also approaching the halfway point in our 2025–2030 Strategic Plan. We are deeply proud of the many initiatives launched in the past two years to evolve our member benefits program according to your changing needs—and are excited for the developments scheduled for the year ahead.
Early Renewal Prize Draw
Members who renew by Monday, November 16 will automatically be entered into a draw to win one of three fantastic prizes. The winners will be announced in late November:
FIRST PRIZE:
Free registration for the 2027 CAS Annual Meeting (June 11–13 in Winnipeg)
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SECOND & THIRD PRIZE:
One of two Ultimate Dining Card Canada Gift Cards ($100 each)
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Our 2026 CAS Annual Meeting in Ottawa was a huge success, which saw a nearly 20% increase in registration for the conference or associated events compared to 2025. This year’s conference allowed us to expand and enhance new programs, including opening the annual call for content to all members, interactive CAS Expert Insights sessions offering Section 3 credits, and Ace It! A Prep Course for the Royal College Exam. Up to 18.75 hours of Section 1 credits and over 40 hours of Section 3 credits were available for in-person attendees, and member-exclusive recordings of two highlight sessions are available online. We can’t wait to connect with you at the 2027 CAS Annual Meeting in Winnipeg from June 11–13—be sure to save the date!
Ensuring that members can access a robust slate of Maintenance of Certification opportunities, which offer practical, highly relevant anesthesia education, remains core to CAS’ mission. Our nationally recognized Pinnacle Rounds and CAS SAMBA Ambulatory Anesthesia Collaborative Rounds continue to provide unique insights into complex clinical scenarios our peers have learned from. In 2026, we’re on track to deliver nearly 20 education activities (rounds, webinars, and CPD modules) that offer Section 1 or Section 3 credits—almost all of which are free for or exclusive to members.
The 2026 CAS Research Program offered an additional $95,000 in funding, which enabled us to present the first Environmental Sustainability Award and transition the BCAS Dr Pieter Swart Perioperative Research Award into an open operating grant. The Canadian Journal of Anesthesia—which provides CAS members with a free-year round subscription—is also routinely publishing and promoting outstanding studies related to emerging perioperative care challenges.
CAS continues our focus on engaging federal and provincial policymakers with physician-led strategies to reduce HHR shortages, drive adoption of safe, efficiency-led patient care models, and embrace green anesthesia best practices. This Spring, we met with Ontario’s Ministry of Red Tape Reduction to discuss recommendations for reducing barriers to cross-provincial practice for anesthesiologists serving under-resourced communities. Following the Annual Meeting, CAS took part in a Hill Day to strengthen relationships with parliamentarians and political staff and reinforce our position as a key advisor on issues facing the specialty. We’ve also expanded our ongoing public awareness strategy with the launch of the new Meet an Anesthesiologist interview series.
Our foundations, the Canadian Anesthesia Research Foundation (CARF) and the CAS International Education Foundation (CASIEF), have strategically expanded their work championing life-saving anesthesia research and patient care in low-resource countries. As we enter the new membership year, please consider donating to these organizations. Donation options will be included with your renewal form in the Member Portal.
Finally, I’d like to thank our extraordinary CAS section, committee, and subcommittee members for your tireless dedication. Whether you’ve been practicing anesthesia for decades, or are considering the specialty as a medical student, I invite you to share your feedback on how to strengthen CAS for the future with me directly at [email protected] or to contact [email protected].
I look forward to another transformative year with you as a part of the CAS community.
Dr. Jim Kim
CAS President