History
UW was founded in 1861 as a land grant university
The UW School of Medicine, founded in 1946, partners with Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho as the WWAMI educational region.
…![University of Washington Denny Hall in the late 1800's](https://anesthesiology.uw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Denny-Hall.jpg)
Lucien Morris, MD, Chief of the Division of Anesthesiology (within Department of Surgery) from 1954 – 1960
Dr. Morris introduced the Copper Kettle vaporizer, the first system to control the concentration of volatile anesthetics.
…![black and white diagram of copper kettle](https://anesthesiology.uw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Copper-Kettle-1.png)
John Bonica, MD, Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology established in 1960
Dr. Bonica developed the study of pain and pain management, and established our department as a leader in pain medicine.
…![black and white portrait of Dr. Bonica wearing eye glasses and dark suit with white collared shirt.](https://anesthesiology.uw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Bonica_5-e1679335015346.jpg)
Thomas Hornbein, MD, Chair of the Department 1978 – 1994 and a prominent high altitude physiologist.
Dr. Hornbein was the part of the first expedition to successfully summit Mount Everest via the West Ridge in 1963.
…![black and white photo of Dr. Hornbein wearing hooded winter jacket and oxygen tank while hiking on a snow covered mountain](https://anesthesiology.uw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/hornbein_edit.png)
Frederick Cheney, MD, Chair of the Department until the early 2000s.
An intensivist and expert pulmonary physiologist, Dr. Cheney is a founding member of the ASA Closed Claims Project.
…![black and white photo of Dr. Cheney, wearing round eyeglasses, dark suit, white shirt and dark tie](https://anesthesiology.uw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cheney_edit.png)
Working to improve health for all
Our mission to improve the health of the public by educating and empowering the next generation of physicians and researchers.
…![aerial view of University of Washington medical school campus on Portage Bay waterfront.](https://anesthesiology.uw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/UWMC_1992-e1679346563628.jpeg)
APM excels in patient care, education and research
Our department is renowned for expert clinical practice, inspired education and training programs, and innovative scientific research.
…![Two female and one male anesthesiologist wearing pale yellow surgical gowns, caps and blue latex gloves handling medical equipment in the operating room](https://anesthesiology.uw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Seattle-Childrens-scaled-e1681769754894.jpg)