Dr. Wood’s AMA Ribbon

The local society of physician anesthetists that was formed in Long Island, New York in 1905 soon had members from coast to coast.  In 1912 it stepped onto the national stage.  In that year the group made its first attempt to gain recognition for the specialty from the American Medical Association (AMA).  In keeping with the trend toward organized medical specialties, by 1936 the group had evolved to become the American Society of Anesthetists (ASA.)  The undisputed leader in this transformation was Dr. Paul M. Wood (1894-1963).

Dr. Wood also led the campaign for recognition while anesthesiology remained subsumed under the AMA’s Section on Miscellaneous Topics.  He wore this ribbon when he served as Chairman of that Section’s session on anesthesia.   In 1937, together with Dr. Ralph Waters, he co-presented a proposal to the American Board of Surgeons (ABS) for the creation of an American Board of Anesthesiology that would be subordinate to the ABS.  In this manner, certification of anesthesiologists was accepted by the AMA in 1938.  The goal was reached in 1940, with the establishment of the AMA Section on Anesthesiology.  Dr. Wood served as Chairman of the new Section in 1943 and 1944.