SNACC Teacher of the Year Award -
Nominating Criteria - Previous Recipients

Distinguished Teaching Award – Dr. John Drummond

The Society of Neurosurgical Anesthesia and Critical Care (SNACC) is an organization dedicated to improving the art and science of neurosurgical anesthesia, and the care of the critically ill, neurologically impaired patient. Critical to this mission is the recruitment and training of anesthesia residents, neuroanesthesia clinical fellows and neuroanesthesia research fellows. The contribution of those individuals who serve as teachers, mentors and role models to our specialty cannot be underestimated. In recognition of these contributions, the Society presents its Distinguished Teaching Award to those who have shown continued excellence in neuroanesthesia education.

The recipient of this year’s DTA has excelled in all of the criteria that the Society uses to assess the contribution that individuals have made to Neuroanesthesia as a sub-specialty, and to Anesthesiology in general.

Scientific Contributions

After completing his anesthesia residency at the University of Toronto, Canada, Dr. Drummond in 1980 was the McLaughlin Research Fellow at the University of California, San Diego. Thereafter, he obtained a Francis Parker Investigatorship also at UCSD, under the tutelege of Dr. Harvey Shapiro. Since that time, he has been the director of the Neuroanesthesia Research Laboratory at UCSD. He has been prolific and he has in excess of 130 peer reviewed scientific publications to his credit. This work has included contributions to basic neuroscience as well as clinical neuroanesthesiology.

Educational Contributions

He has authored 26 book chapters and review articles. With regard to the book chapters, these have become reference works that residents and fellows use as syllabus material. He has written numerous course syllabi for refresher course lectures and CME lectures that he has delivered across the world.

He has consistently been rated one of the very best clinical teachers at UCSD and has won the Facutly Teaching Award.

He has mentored 15 post-doctoral research (clinical and laboratory) fellows, many of whom have become successful investigators in their own right and who have served (or are serving) SNACC.

He is currently the Vice President of the Dannemiller Memorial Educational Foundation and is in charge of the development of the courses. In this capacity, he has had the opportunity to provide continuing education to a large number of individuals in neuroanesthesia. In recognition of his efforts, he was awarded the Francis J. Dannemiller Award for Excellence in Education, 2004.

Clinical Contributions

Dr. Drummond is recognized as a clinician of the highest order. He has been named to the Best Doctors in America on several occasions, and he is one of the few who has been selected as the Best Doctors in San Diego in four consecutive years.

Administrative Service

Dr. Drummond served as the Chief of the Anesthesia Service at VA Medical Center, SD from 1991 to 1997. Thereafter, he was appointed the Chair of the Department of Anesthesia at USCD from 1997-2004.

It is clear that Dr. Drummond has had a major impact on Neuroanesthesia education in this country and in the world. He has influenced medical students, residents, fellows and junior faculty. In this capacity, he has had an extensive influence on the care of the neurosurgical patient, and on the neuroanesthesia community. In recognition of this service to the field, the Board of Directors of SNACC present its Distinguished Teaching Award to Dr. John Drummond.