ASA 2025 in San Antonio, Texas, was my first major anesthesiology conference, and it absolutely did not disappoint. Starting with the keynote address, the atmosphere was charged, and the excitement was palpable. I was fortunate to be able to attend numerous refresher courses and expert panels hosted by leaders in the field, an invaluable educational experience as a CA-1. Suddenly, I was being taught by the authors of the journal articles that we discuss in journal club and the editors of the textbooks that sit on my desk. That alone would’ve made ASA worth attending. Watching the student and resident poster presentations reminded me that even in a field classically thought of as being less research intensive, the interest and opportunities are very much there if you’re willing to pursue them. Broadly speaking, this conference reinvigorated me as an anesthesiology resident with a desire to pursue an academic career.
What struck me the most, though, was the keynote address, which resonated deeply with me. My path to medical school was largely influenced by the book “When Breath Becomes Air” by Dr. Paul Kalanithi. Reading about his transition from physician to patient and the blurring of those lines solidified the decision within me to pursue medicine. I strived to embody the passion and love for patients that he demonstrated, even in his final months. During the ASA keynote, there was a quote (from Paul) shared by his wife, Dr. Lucy Kalanithi, “The deck is stacked, you will lose . . . And at the same time, you believe in an asymptote of perfection toward which you are ceaselessly striving.” As I looked out across the room at thousands of anesthesiologists, many with tears still streaming down their faces, I saw a collective body of people in agreement. Suddenly, conferences like ASA made sense. The refresher courses, the seminars, the special lectures, everyone in attendance was doing just that — believing in an asymptote of perfection and ceaselessly striving for it.
Throughout the conference, as I walked by various skills workshops and saw physicians with decades of experience still practicing, that quote replayed in my head repeatedly. This was my first ASA experience, but it will not be my last. Over the next few decades, my residency colleagues and I will transition from resident to lifelong learner, attending conferences like this and hoping to leave more skilled and knowledgeable than when we arrived.
As I leave ASA and return to residency training, I am eager to continue to chase this asymptote of perfection. The difference now, though, is that I fully realize that everyone around me is doing the same thing. Every case, every practice question, every ASA event moving forward inches me ever closer to that goal.
Nasir Hussain, MD, MSc, is Associate Program Director in the Department of Anesthesiology, The Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Hussain has no conflicts of interest to report.
Dr. Lucas Steele is an anesthesiology resident at Ohio State University Hospital. Dr. Steele was awarded a $1,000 stipend by the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research to attend ASA 2025 and present a research project.
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