Volume 77 Number 2

Dr. Rebecca S. Twersky: A Pioneer in Ambulatory Anesthesia Safety (1955–2023)

Rebecca Twersky, M.D., MPH, FASA, affectionately known as Riki, grew up as the third of four children in an Orthodox Jewish household in Los Angeles. Her father, a Holocaust survivor, was a prominent rabbi, and her mother was daughter of a rabbi who had emigrated to the United States after World War I. Dr. Twersky’s upbringing emphasized strong moral values, a commitment to community service, and dedication to academic excellence. A high achiever, she graduated at the top of her class at an all-girls Yeshiva and began attending UCLA while still completing high school at the age of 15.

Initially, her father encouraged her to pursue a career as a medical technologist—but Dr. Twersky was determined to achieve more. Although there were no Orthodox female physicians in her community at the time, she was not deterred from pursuing her dream to become a world-renowned physician. She completed the medical technology program at Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn but worked for a number of years—often at two or more jobs a day—to save money to pay for medical school. In 1983, she graduated from SUNY Downstate College of Medicine, where as a student, she had fallen in love with anesthesiology, research—and David Schreiber, whom she married. She completed her residency at Mount Sinai School of Medicine before returning to SUNY Downstate as faculty.

In the 1980s, ambulatory anesthesia was growing increasingly popular, and Twersky seized the opportunity to build an outpatient anesthesia program at SUNY Downstate. Over her 30-year tenure, she served as the Medical Director of the Ambulatory Surgery Unit and Chair of the Institutional Review Board. She collaborated with such organizations as the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia (SAMBA), Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation, Department of Health, U.S. Food and Drug Administration—accrediting agencies including The Joint Commission and Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care to develop the ambulatory anesthesia protocols still in use today. Her efforts earned her recognition as an international pioneer in ambulatory anesthesia. Her proudest accomplishment was publishing the Ambulatory Anesthesia Handbook in 1995, which underwent a second edition in 2008.

Dr. Twersky joined Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer Center as Chief of Anesthesiology for the Josie Robertson Surgery Center in 2015, a state-of-the-art freestanding ambulatory surgery center with advanced technology and an extended recovery program. She played a leading role in creating workflows and running facility operations of this innovative facility.

“Another passion and achievement of Dr. Twersky’s was mentorship, particularly for medical students, junior faculty, and women in anesthesia. She served as a mentor for 76 students and trainees during her tenure. She was active on the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research, serving on the board of directors and several committees. Early in my career at MSK, Dr. Twersky took me under her wing and guided me through the important aspects of ambulatory surgery, leadership, and mentorship.”

– Kara Bartlett, MD, FASA, SAMBA

As a prolific researcher, Dr. Twersky focused on improving clinical outcomes in ambulatory surgery, including preoperative evaluation, patient selection, anesthetic techniques, and quality assurance. She published more than 80 peer-reviewed articles, 30 book chapters, and was interviewed by media outlets such as The New York Times and Fox5 News. She was a gifted speaker, with nearly 300 lectures delivered at the World Congress of Anesthesiologists, Euroanesthesia, ASA, SAMBA, Post Graduate Assembly (PGA), and several departmental grand rounds.

Dr. Twersky was deeply involved in professional societies, serving as a leader in the ASA, SAMBA, and New York State Society of Anesthesiologists (NYSSA) beginning in the 1980s. She served as a chair or member on almost every committee for those societies, including chair of the ASA Annual Meeting, ASA Taskforce on Sedation, General PGA Program Chair, and SAMBA Committee on OBA. She also served as SAMBA president from 1998-1999.

Twersky’s achievements earned her numerous accolades, including the SAMBA Distinguished Service Award in 2005 and the NYSSA Distinguished Service Award in 2020. Her legacy continues with the Dr. Rebecca Twersky Memorial Panel on ambulatory anesthesia at the PGA and the Dr. Rebecca S. Twersky Research Award, established by SAMBA and her family.

She was a trailblazer, an international leader in ambulatory anesthesia, and a champion of patient safety. Her life’s work helped shape ambulatory anesthesia into the respected specialty it is today. As a devoted woman of faith, family, and mentorship, she had profound influence on her mentees, patients, and colleagues alike. As she often said, “No is not an answer!”—a testament to her determination, resilience, and pioneering spirit.

Dr. Twersky’s husband, David, often comments that “Rebecca always made time for the children.” She rarely missed a child’s performance in school plays and events and always reviewed their difficult homework assignments. She coordinated the most memorable vacations to scenic beach resorts, most of the National Parks, and skiing trips to Colorado, Utah, and Vermont. Her love of life was infectious. Everyone around her felt the vibrancy of her spirit. Above all, Rebecca was a woman of immense faith and piety. She prayed twice a day and avidly listened and attended many lectures on Bible, Jewish law, and scriptures. Her erudition and in-depth knowledge of these subjects was staggering.

Dr. Twersky is survived by her husband, three children, numerous grandchildren, and countless mentees and colleagues who continue to honor her memory and legacy.

A special thanks to the Schreiber family for assisting in the authoring of this article.

Kara M. Barnett, M.D., FASA, SAMBA-F is director of anesthesia services, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Monmouth and chair of NYSSA Communications Committee.