Dr. Doug Craig. Photograph courtesy of the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

Dr. Douglas Craig was an icon in Canada’s medical community—a greatly admired anesthesiologist, educator, researcher, administrator, and leader, both nationally and internationally. His contributions to our specialty are numerous and far-reaching.

Born on 6 November 1940 in Fort Erie, ON, Canada, his family moved several times during his youth, eventually settling in Montreal. There he completed undergraduate, medical, and graduate degrees at McGill University and had the good fortune to meet Carole, who would become his wife and partner in life. Although his anesthesia residency and MSc degree in experimental medicine were fulfilled predominantly at McGill, a portion of his training took place at the University of California, San Francisco. During his time there, he worked with other Canadian colleagues who would later go on to establish Winnipeg’s Department of Anesthesia, as an entity independent of the surgical service. Upon completion of his anesthesia training, Doug was recruited to Manitoba by Dr. John Wade.

He began his career as anesthesia residency program director in 1971. He was the first Canadian program director to incorporate protected academic time outside the clinical environment for a faculty-mentored, resident-led didactic curriculum. These weekly sessions were complimented by morning academic rounds for the entire department. He introduced afternoon “talk rounds” where interesting clinical cases were discussed with trainees and attending staff alike, and also added biannual career counselling for residents, both to monitor their progress throughout residency training and to assist them with their future career plans. His progressive and well-organized training program attracted high-caliber recruits who went on to fruitful, multifaceted careers. This thoughtful approach to excellence in education positioned him well for active involvement in developing the first Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada written and oral examinations when anesthesia became a “stand-alone” specialty in 1972–1973. As per the Royal College’s mandate, stipulating that anesthesia training must be the responsibility of a university, he integrated the various and variable anesthesia curricula occurring at Winnipeg’s many city hospitals into one unified specialty program with oversight by the University of Manitoba. In addition, and in a somewhat prescient manner, Dr. Craig introduced a one-year training program that continues today to educate family physician anesthetists. These highly capable doctors, who practice family medicine together with anesthesia predominantly in rural community settings, are now an essential part of provincial and national Canadian anesthesia health human resources. Upon his retirement in 2010, he was appointed as the inaugural Professor Emeritus in the Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine at the University of Manitoba and honoured with the establishment of the Anesthesia Resident of the Year Award in his name.

Nationally, Dr. Doug Craig’s contribution to anesthesiology extended beyond Manitoba’s borders on many levels. He participated in Royal College Accreditation Survey Teams, was actively involved in the establishment of refresher courses at the Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society (CAS) annual meetings, and served for eight years as a member of the Society’s Scientific Affairs Committee before being appointed as Chair of the CAS Research Advisory Committee, a position he held for six years. In this role, he encouraged the participation of all university departments and nudged industry and the CAS to increase the number of research awards to foster the growth of research in Canadian anesthesiology. He instituted a fair and equitable assessment of submissions for the awards, recognizing that various constituencies needed support and not all awards need be directed to the new investigator. He joined the Canadian Anesthesia Research Foundation as a member of the Board of Trustees and remained engaged with this organization from 1991 until 2013, serving as its chair for a time during his tenure. Dr. Craig was one of the founding members of the Association of Canadian University Departments of Anesthesia, sequentially taking on vice-presidency and presidency positions. Perhaps one of his greatest contributions to anesthesiology was as Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Journal of Anesthesia from 1983 to 1988. During this time, the Journal cover was redesigned and given its distinctive green colour. The structure was revamped and the layout modernized. He ensured that all Canadian departments of anesthesia were represented on the editorial board. While he was at the helm, the number of manuscripts received and published grew, such that the Journal became a highly regarded international publication. His contributions to the Society were officially recognized in 1993 when he was awarded the CAS Gold Medal for meritorious service.

Dr. Doug Craig was a member of the American Society of Anesthesiologists and served on the Board of Trustees of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS), assuming the positions of vice-chair, treasurer, and chair during a two-decade association with this organization. In this last role, he successfully steered a joint publishing agreement between the IARS’ journal, Anesthesia & Analgesia, and the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists. He was an Anesthesia & Analgesia editorial board member and for many years was responsible for editing IARS annual meeting speakers’ manuscripts that were published as a refresher course series of booklets available at the society’s annual meetings.

His editorial skills were admirable—so too was his research. Dr. Craig’s interest in respiratory physiology and his association with the Meakins–Christie Institute at McGill University led to a series of innovative publications that established the concept of “closing volume” and its importance during anesthesia. The concept allowed, for the first time, a rational explanation for oxygen desaturation that occurs during anesthesia. He continued his respiratory research upon relocating to the University of Manitoba, partnering with members of the Respiratory Section of the Division of Internal Medicine. In addition, Dr. Craig made several original contributions to the safety of anesthetic equipment and techniques and standards for anesthesia machines. In the latter years of his career, he focused on Canadian physician resource planning and topics related to the history of anesthesia. He is credited with 56 original articles, multiple abstracts, review courses, book reviews, and letters.

Throughout his career, Dr. Doug Craig was actively involved in a vast array of hospital and university committees and community service activities. He reached the highest levels of administrative positions in his hospital, university, and national and international anesthesia Societies. He became Senior Vice-President, Medical of the Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg for a brief time before accepting the headship of the Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Manitoba, a role he maintained from 1990 to 2000. He shepherded the department through tumultuous times during the establishment of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA). While it was not easy, his integrity, honesty, and sense of fair play were always evident to department members and the WRHA. He went on to become a member of the Manitoba Medical College Foundation in 2001, an organization whose funds were used to support medical and graduate students, and the Health Sciences Library, and continued as President of the Board from 2003 to 2009. All the while, he participated in departmental activities and remained active clinically (maternity assignments were a particular favourite).

Beyond hospital and university arenas, the summer cottage at Victoria Beach was an important chapter in his family life—a place to relax, enjoy visits with friends, spend time with children and grandchildren, and play golf. He was known as man of routine; a quiet, calm, steady presence who could nevertheless muck about on his daughter and son-in-law’s farm, take on projects involving a lot of tools and frequent trips to Beaver lumber, and cheer wildly for the Jets and Bombers. He was fondly referred to as DBC and will be remembered for his vast array of plaid shirts.

In “retirement,” he returned to his familiar Montreal, dividing his time between assisting with the formation and development of a preanesthesia clinic in the Department of Anesthesia at McGill University, fulfilling travel dreams to Australia and the Yukon, and maintaining a central presence in the lives of his Montreal grandsons. He also made regular lengthy trips each year ensuring he was an important part of his Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia grandkids’ lives.

Dr. Craig was predeceased by his wife Carole, to whom he was married for 46 years, and leaves behind his children Shauna, Rob (Jenny), and Lea (Ferguson) and seven cherished grandchildren, David, Lucas, James, Toby, Liam, Owyn, and Tatum. Despite the many accolades he received during his long, full, and distinguished career, he considered family to be his proudest accomplishment. He passed away peacefully in Montreal on 4 August 2023.