Beverley A. Orser
MD, PhD, FRCPC, FRSC

Today, Dr. Orser is the Chair of the Department of Anesthesia at the University of Toronto, a Professor of Anesthesia and Physiology at the University of Toronto, Co-Director of Research in the Department of Anesthesia at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and a practicing anesthesiologist.

Her dedication to IARS began as a member three decades ago and has flourished as she served on the Board of Trustees for the past 10 years including as Annual Meeting Program Chair and Secretary.

“I feel privileged to be able to give back to an organization that has done so much for patients and Canadians and international research,” said Dr. Orser. “Volunteering alongside the other members of the board of trustees has been one of the highlights of my career. I’ve learned so much and have been mentored and supported at every step of my journey. I am the first Canadian woman in this role, and as I see it, different perspectives will help empower our organization and strengthen our mission. Diversity has been, and will continue to be, an accelerator.”

Dr. Orser believes fervently in the core mandates of the IARS – the dissemination of research funds to promising researchers, creating programs and events to promote collaboration, mentorship, and education among its members, and publishing two prominent research journals, Anesthesia & Analgesia and A&A Practice. In addition to her FARA grant in 1995, her research and leadership contributions have been recognized widely by many other organizations, including with the Gold Medal from the Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society (2017), the first Canada Research Chair awarded to an anesthesiologist (2003) and recognition awards from the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland and the Peter Dresel Award in Pharmacology from Dalhousie University (2017). In 2013, she was inducted as a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.

From receiving these accolades herself to the considerable support granted to many of her University of Toronto colleagues by the IARS, Dr. Orser knows firsthand the significance of the organization’s work.

“I want to continue to do what the IARS does best, which is facilitate research through funding and collaboration. I’ve learned that even small amounts of funding can have a tremendous impact on a research program, and we want to grow the amount of funds we have for research,” Dr. Orser relayed. “The second priority is bringing the community together. The work happens in the labs and in the hospitals, but the IARS must continue to act as a catalyst and help facilitate that work.”

Additionally, she hopes her appointment will motivate others to volunteer their time and efforts to supporting other valuable causes. As a wife, mother, and grandmother, Dr. Orser is no stranger to balancing many priorities in her life, but finding the work fulfilling always helps. The outstanding support she receives from her family, colleagues at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and the University of Toronto, also plays a major role in her success.

“You get much more than you give in these positions. I encourage others to just start to reach out, ask questions, and send those links,” Dr. Orser said. “We are still climbing out of the pandemic, so we must be gentle on ourselves, but there’s tremendous excitement ahead in our field of anesthesia, pain medicine, and critical care.”