President's Message

by Mark E. Nunnally, MD, FCCM
President, SOCCA
The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Volume 37 | Issue 1 | April 2026

Hello, SOCCA community!

Although we live in interesting times marked by extreme dialogue and divisiveness, we come together for things that matter. I feel that SOCCA is an organization that lets that happen. It is a place where we share ideas, build relationships, and grow as a community. We belong to its parts and its whole. We share this Society and its benefits.

SOCCA is well. We are small, we always have been, but keep a steady membership. We can still grow, so invite your friends. SOCCA has never offered so much for membership, and at an affordable price! We embrace a wide range of intensivists with different practices and perspectives. All of our governance, from working/interest groups to the Board, is available to full members.

It is a strong period for SOCCA. Our governance has improved with revised bylaws and new policies to direct activities. We boast an enviable level of engagement. Furthermore, our various working groups’ efforts are bearing fruit: Perioperative Resuscitation and Life Support (PeRLS) is becoming part of more clinicians’ repertoire, and it is now a resuscitation certificate option for many practices. SOCCA shares credit with the ASA Committee on Critical Care Medicine for this achievement. It is knowledge that can improve the care for patients in the perioperative setting. At this year’s IARS meeting, we have arranged an ECMO workshop; providing useful training at a time when demand is high and growing. Our program for the upcoming meeting looks great! We will have a dedicated room at the conference for all of our sessions. Come and join us.

SOCCA puts together a yearly calendar of offerings via the internet. Look for webinars, meetups, journal clubs, chats and many more. If you haven’t had a chance to look at our offerings, tune in sometime. Everything is available to all members.

I’ll highlight one big change on the near horizon that reflects the health of the Society. This next election cycle, executive positions (President, President-elect, Treasurer and Secretary) will go from 2- to 1-year terms. This move is a direct reflection of the Board’s enthusiasm for our engagement and available talent. Service on committees is a great path to leadership, so if you aren’t already involved, get involved.

May is fast approaching, so I hope to see you all at the IARS/SOCCA Annual Meeting in the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal. I’ve already mentioned the SOCCA program, but also look forward to great scientific content and excellent networking. We will also co-host the second annual Alan G. Sieroty Lecture with the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation. 

Looking to the future, it is my hope that SOCCA grows under its own guiding light. We are the home for anesthesia intensivists. We will grow it. We support research and education. Let’s continue to innovate our offerings, and think of the questions that will lead to new knowledge. We provide opportunities for leadership. Let’s nurture the early careers of those who will lead us in the years to come. SOCCA has always been a supportive and welcoming home for anesthesiologist intensivists. We have kept that vision while positioning ourselves as a modern professional society, and have done so making sure that all are welcome from our specialty community. Pass along the word - SOCCA is a great place to belong.