Ronald D. Miller, MD
Olga Berríos Toro, MD,
Cardiovascular Anesthetist,
Member of the Group of Trasplants in Peruvian Social Security,
At Hospital "Edgardo Rebagliati Martins", Lima, Perú.
Magister in Public Health & Health Economy.
When I first arrived at the Department of Anesthesiology at Edgardo Rebagliati Martins Hospital in Lima, Peru, the first thing my teachers told me was: “You must read Miller’s anesthesia book, otherwise, you won’t have a solid foundation for the specialty.”
This work led me by the hand into the fascinating world of anesthesiology, which I found increasingly captivating.
Over the years, as technology advanced, different journals, articles, reviews, and bibliographic links appeared, but none could offer me the magic that Miller’s book provided.
During the Latin American Anesthesia Congress (CLASA) held in my country, Peru, I was part of the event’s organization and had the immense honor of meeting such a distinguished teacher. A simple, humble, polite, and very intelligent man, who displayed extraordinary clarity of thought. Meeting a living legend felt like a dream. Mr. Miller didn’t realize what he meant to us.
Who was Ronald Miller, really? Dr. Miller graduated from the School of Medicine at Indiana University in 1964, beginning his career as an anesthesiologist in the United States Navy. In Vietnam, he earned the Bronze Star for meritorious service due to his studies on blood transfusions, after which he became a professor of anesthesiology and pharmacology at the University of California, San Francisco. He served as the chair of the Department of Anesthesia at UCSF from 1984 to 2009. Dr. Miller reorganized the finances of the anesthesia department by developing various strategies for billing and payment for the services of the professionals under his charge. He also conducted studies on the mechanism of action of neuromuscular relaxants and promoted research across all fields.
He was an honorary member of various societies of anesthesiology and critical care; president of the Surgery, Anesthesia, and Trauma section of the NIH, the Advisory Committee on Anesthetic Drugs and Life Support at the FDA, and the Committee on Blood and Blood Products at the FDA.
He published around 200 scientific articles, with his main work being Anesthesia.
The year 2015 is unforgettable, as I got to know the human side and excellence of this great doctor. My last memory of him was a hug, with which I tried to express our immense gratitude. I will always admire you, Mr. Miller, and I will say about you the words of the Peruvian poet César Vallejo: “Your glory will grow through the centuries as the shadow grows when the sun declines.”
Rest in peace! You are eternal. Maybe someday I could shake your hand again.