Physician Educator Spotlight: Tracey Straker, MD, MS, MPH, CBA, FASA

Sep

Name:

Tracey Straker, MD, MS, MPH, CBA, FASA

Title and Faculty Appointment:

Professor Anesthesiology
Albert College of Medicine
Bronx, NY
Director of General Anesthesia
Montefiore Medical Center
Director Combined Airway ORL Fellowship

Adjunct Clinical Professor
CUNY School of Medicine
New York, New York

Undergraduate & Graduate Medical Education:

Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education @ City College
New York Medical College – Combined 7yr BS/MD program
Montefiore Medical Center (Anesthesiology Residency)
Lincoln Hospital (Internship)

MS – Georgetown
MPH – New York Medical College
CBA – American Society for Anesthesiology

Brief Educational Biosketch:

I have been interested in difficult airway management since residency. An attending, Dr. Katsnelson, helped my publish my first manuscript as a CA-2, and I have been hooked since then. I was privileged to start the second Advanced Airway Fellowship in the United States, and I currently serve as the President of the Society for Head and Neck Anesthesia. I am deeply involved in advocacy and serve as the Speaker of the House of Delegates for the New York State Society for Anesthesiologists, Vice Chair of the Fundamentals of Anesthesia Committee at the ASA, and Director of the ASA Mentoring Grant.

Society/Committee Memberships:

President Society for Head and Neck Anesthesia (SHANA)
Society for Education in Anesthesia Committee on Faculty Development (Co Chair)
Vice Chair Committee on Fundamentals of Anesthesia - American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA)
Speaker of the House of Delegates New York State Society for Anesthesiology
Director ASA Mentoring Grant
ASA Committee on Professional Diversity
ASA Committee on Professional Issues
ASA Committee on PBLD

What drew you to a career in anesthesiology education?

Though airway management is what anesthesiologists do, I firmly believed that residents needed much more exposure to challenging airways than what appeared haphazardly in residency. I ultimately formed a mandatory month-long airway for residents, and subsequently a yearlong Advanced Airway fellowship.

What are a few facts about you people may not know?

I love to ride my Ducati Streetfighter motorcycle, and I have a catering company.

What is your advice to an aspiring, young anesthesiologist educator?

Follow your passion in education! You know it when you feel it! Take that feeling, harness your enthusiasm and transition that energy in educating your residents. Your residents feel the passion – I know because I had a passionate attending that sparked my interest in airway management.