The Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas has a rich history. It began in 1948, when Dr. M. T. "Pepper" Jenkins became Director of Anesthesiology, which was a division of the Department of Surgery.  Later, in 1955, Anesthesiology became a Department of Southwestern Medical School.

From 1948 to 1981, Dr. Jenkins served as Director and later the Margaret Milam McDermott Chair of Anesthesiology.  He made many contributions to the practice of anesthesiology and medicine in general, including being among the earliest proponents and investigators of the use of "balanced salt solution" in the perioperative period.  Dr. Jenkins received many honors, one of which was being the first anesthesiologist to receive the Distinguished Service Award of the American Medical Association.  For further details regarding his life and contributions, please visit the Jenkins Alumni Society web page, or refer to our Published history, Anesthesiology at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas: The First Forty Years, by Adolph H. Giesecke, M.D. 

Dr. Adolph H. "Buddy" Giesecke succeeded Dr. Jenkins in 1981.  Dr. Giesecke's years as Chairman were characterized by growth in the Department, including expansion into Zale Lipshy University Hospital.  His contributions to the field of anesthesiology were recognized in 2003 when he was presented with the TSA Distinguished Service Award.   Dr. Giesecke continues to serve as a key figure in the Department today.

Dr. Paul F. White served as the Department's Chairman from 1992 to 1993.  Under his leadership, the Eugene McDermott Center for Pain Management was established and the Department's name was changed from the Department of Anesthesiology to the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management, emphasizing our expanding role in this subspecialty field.  As a world-renowned academic researcher, the Department's capacity for research greatly increased during his time as Chairman and the Department continues to benefit from Dr. White's untiring contributions to research. 

In 1994, Dr. Dennis F. Landers assumed the role of Chairman after Dr. Edward R. "ERJ" Johnson (Alumni Professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Management, 1993-2004) served as Acting Chairman for over one year.  During his tenure, Dr. Landers devoted significant effort towards strengthening the residency program.  He prioritized resident education not only through improvements in the curriculum, but also by enhancing the clinical training experience.  Dr. Landers led the Department until his retirement in 2001.

The current Chairman and Holder of the Margaret Milam McDermott Distinguished Chair in Anesthesiology and Pain Management is Dr. William E. Johnston.  Dr. Johnston is the former Chief of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology and Vice Chairman of Academic Affairs at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.  Dr. Johnston has been a National Institutes of Health-funded researcher.  His success in leadership, research, and academic anesthesiology portends a great future for this Department. 

For information on the history of UT Southwestern, please visit Our History.