Stars are aligning at ANESTHESIOLOGY 2026
This year’s meeting brings education, entertaining and informative speakers, networking, and more to advance your patient care and practice.
Attendees of last year’s annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas, rated the event 4.75 out of 5 stars. That’s an impressive number, but there are always new ways to improve and enhance each meeting’s content. After a year of preparation and hard work, we hope to bring ANESTHESIOLOGY 2026 attendees a 5-star experience in San Diego.
With a more compact meeting, there’s more to do this year than ever before.
Prime Location
San Diego continues to be one of our most popular annual meeting sites. You don’t have to travel far to find world-class recreation and entertainment here. The La Jolla beaches are renowned the world over, the utterly unique Coronado Island (thought to be the inspiration for the Emerald City in the “Wizard of Oz”) is not to be missed, and several Michelin-starred restaurants are just a short trip away. Check the ASA website for comprehensive information on San Diego’s many attractions.
Education
This is why you’re here. ANESTHESIOLOGY 2026 offers 11 clinical tracks and delivers insights for anesthesiologists at every stage of their careers. Spend time learning about current research activities or exploring opportunities to advance your advocacy efforts. Be informed and inspired as you dive into the specialty's hottest topics, including NORA, leading-edge subspecialty anesthesia, patient blood management, physician well-being, workforce trends, POCUS, and new guidelines. The ANESTHESIOLOGY 2026 Program Planner offers detailed information on every session and is conveniently organized by day, clinical track, specialized topics, career stage, and more.
Featured Lectures
The Emery A. Rovenstine Memorial Lecture has been moved up on the schedule and will open the meeting at 8 a.m. on Saturday. Anesthesiology Editor-in-Chief James P. Rathmell, MD, will speak on “Reinvention, Stewardship, and the Making of an Anesthesiologist.” Dr. Rathmell's background in evaluating the safety and effectiveness of emerging therapies for acute and chronic pain, along with his dedication to educating current and future physicians, will inform his lecture, which will leave attendees with a deeper understanding of the many ways academic values sustain anesthesiology.
At 9 a.m., just after the Rovenstine Lecture, Dr. Will Flanary, a.k.a. “Dr. Glaucomflecken,” will give this year's keynote, titled “Humor and Humanity in Medicine.” Dr. Flanary is one of the most recognized healthcare figures in the nation, and he will share his experiences as a physician, humorist, thought leader, and patient, having survived both testicular cancer and cardiac arrest. His message is simple but profound — good people can do great things when working together.
At 8 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 19, Bruce D. Spiess, MD, will deliver the John W. Severinghaus Lecture, which he has titled “Revolutionary Research in Blood: The Vital Organ.” Dr. Spiess is considered one of the founding fathers of the patient blood management field. His talk will challenge the audience to consider the implications of blood as a regulator.
View the complete featured and plenary lecture lineup.
Networking
One-quarter of annual meeting attendees say the main reason they make the trip each year is for networking. There is simply no better opportunity to make connections than at the largest and most comprehensive anesthesia-related event in the world. The Exhibit Hall is the hub of our scheduled networking events.
On Saturday, the Exhibit Hall hosts the Career Fair (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.), Bite Break (noon-1:30 p.m.), and the new Engage and Connect Networking event (4-5 p.m.). Sunday's events include a second Career Fair (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.) and Bite Break (noon-1:30 p.m.).
And the final formal networking event, Morning Brew & Bites, takes place in the Exhibit Hall 10-11 a.m. on Monday. If you want to witness what the meeting’s networking opportunities have meant to past attendees, don’t miss the short video on the “Connect” portion of the annual meeting website.
We’re glad you’ve joined us in San Diego to learn, connect, and network. We’re confident you’ll leave feeling energized, informed, and better equipped to advance patient care in your practice.
