Volume 78 Number 02

An Exemplar of Service and Mentorship

The New York State Society of Anesthesiologists is proud to recognize David J. Wlody, MD, FASA, and Professor of Anesthesiology at SUNY Downstate as the recipient of the 2025 NYSSA Distinguished Service Award, one of our society’s highest honors. Presented at the 79th Postgraduate Assembly in Anesthesiology, this award celebrates a career marked by extraordinary service to patients, to trainees, and to the entire profession of anesthesiology.

A Quick Snapshot

David grew up in Brooklyn, went to Harvard College, then medical school at the University of Vermont. He completed his anesthesiology training and obstetric anesthesiology fellowship at Washington University Medical Center in St. Louis before joining SUNY Downstate. David is at home whether on the streets of Manhattan or in the mountains of Maine, enjoying time with his wife, children and grandchildren. David appreciates music and art; loves the printed word; and his broad knowledge of absolutely everything actually led him to be a contestant on Jeopardy!

Our Personal History

To many members of NYSSA, David Wlody represents leadership, advocacy and quiet effectiveness. To me, he is also a friend, a mentor, and has been a constant influence throughout my professional life.

I met David when I was a resident at Long Island College Hospital (LICH) and he was the Director of OB Anesthesiology. We were both protégés of Joseph Giffin, MD, at LICH and James E. Cottrell, MD, at SUNY Downstate—towering figures in New York anesthesiology —who instilled in us the commitment to excellence and service that remains so clearly embodied in David Wlody’s words and actions.

I became Clinical Director at LICH while David was Vice Chair of Education for SUNY Downstate. We spent countless long nights on call together, navigating complex clinical situations in addition to administrative challenges as departmental leaders. I went on to become Chair at Lutheran Medical Center for the Downstate group. David became the Chief Medical Officer and Chair of Anesthesiology at LICH and ultimately of the entire SUNY Downstate program. While Joe Giffin and Alexander W. Gotta, MD sparked my initial interest in organized medicine and NYSSA, it was David Wlody who became my guide and mentor. He helped me understand not only how NYSSA works, but why it matters—to our patients, our colleagues and our future.

Service

David’s service to NYSSA has been both deep and wide. Over the years, he has served as the District I Director, Chair of Government and Legal Affairs, General Chair of the Postgraduate Assembly (2013–2015), and New York Delegate to the American Society of Anesthesiologists, representing the voice of New York anesthesiologists with clarity and conviction.

David Wlody’s steady leadership has helped guide policy, strengthen advocacy efforts and elevate NYSSA’s national presence. His constant presence at the podium as well as in the House of Delegates has been nothing short of a gift to the society. Serving as the chair of both the PGA and the ASA meetings is a significant accomplishment and a testament to David’s academic prowess.

David’s influence spreads well beyond the NYSSA. He served nationally as President of the Society for Obstetric Anesthesiology and Perinatology (SOAP) and as Chair of the ASA Annual Meeting Committee, reflecting his longstanding commitment to maternal–fetal safety and academic excellence. He has served diligently on countless committees and tirelessly advocated for our specialty at the state and national levels including work with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the New York State (NYS) Department of Health, and he serves us publicly as a member of the NYS Board of Medicine.

At SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, he has been a cornerstone of education and institutional leadership, serving as Chair of Anesthesiology, Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, Designated Institutional Official and Residency Program Director—thus shaping generations of anesthesiologists through mentorship and example.

Dr. Wlody has left a legacy of academic achievements. His superlative clinical skills and instruction have benefited thousands of patients and generations of trainees. He has been an invited speaker hundreds of times worldwide; has contributed to a multitude of publications, including dozens of book chapters in texts we have all read; has written questions for the ABA examination; and has received several previous honors and awards, including election to the prestigious Association of University Anesthesiologists.

I recently asked David for a pearl of wisdom for anesthesiologists beginning their career. He offered the following:

“I would encourage them to pursue both lifelong learning, as well as lifelong teaching. Even if you aren’t working with residents or students, every day you will have the opportunity to teach your fellow anesthesiologists, your nurse and surgeon colleagues, and your patients and their families. This can provide as much satisfaction as knowing that you have provided the best possible care.”

The NYSSA Distinguished Service Award honors a lifetime of contributions. In Dr. Wlody’s case, it also honors a legacy of mentorship, friendship and leadership.

David stands as an example for all anesthesiologists. I am honored to join the NYSSA in congratulating David J. Wlody, MD, FASA on this well-deserved award and in thanking him for a career that has enriched us as individuals, our society, our profession—and of course our patients.