Surrounded by his loving family, Dr. Richard “Rick” Chisholm died peacefully on 15 June 2025 (Figure). He was 69 yr old. Outgoing, thoughtful, and compassionate, Dr. Chisholm was an exemplary community anesthesiologist-leader, enjoying a diverse and challenging clinical career in New Brunswick and tirelessly striving to advocate for his specialty. From 2010 to 2012, he was President of the Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society (CAS). For his service to the profession, Dr. Chisholm was awarded the CAS Outstanding Volunteer Award as well as the Emeritus Award in 2023.

Dr. Richard Chisholm, circa 2022. Photograph courtesy of Dr. John Chisholm.

Dr. Chisholm was born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on 14 May 1956, the oldest of five boys. Early on in his schooling, he showed a love of science and held himself to a high standard of academic achievement. He attributed his early curiosity for medicine to his parents’ stories from their respective occupations; his mother was a nurse, and his father worked in health insurance. For a junior high school project, he took the initiative to interview the cardiac surgeons at Halifax’s Victoria General Hospital and was impressed by what he saw while touring it—the physiology laboratory, cardiopulmonary bypass machines, pacemakers, and monitoring devices. This encounter was a formative experience that served to crystallize his career aspirations.

In 1980, he graduated from Dalhousie Medical School (Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada) and was initially drawn to the varied and challenging specialty of rural family medicine. As a general practitioner in Chatham, New Brunswick, Canada he had a very broad and fast-paced practice, where he assisted in surgeries and covered the emergency department as well as obstetrics. With limited resources, it was necessary for him to be self-sufficient, to continuously refine his clinical acumen, and to maintain an acute awareness of the limitations of his community hospital. While attending an early iteration of the Advanced Trauma Life Support course, he befriended some anesthesiology colleagues who piqued his interest in the specialty. He would soon go on to pursue an anesthesiology residency at Dalhousie University.

After completing his residency in 1989, Dr. Chisholm joined the Department of Anesthesia at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton, New Brunswick, where he would work for 33 years. In his clinical life, Dr. Chisholm is remembered for his commitment to staying up to date with trends and advances in anesthesia practice. In the twilight of his career, he took pride in remaining as current as his youngest colleagues in the department. He gave generously of his time, without complaint or question, participating in numerous hospital committees and serving as Chief of Anesthesia in Fredericton from 2001 to 2006.

Dr. Chisholm’s dedication to professional service also took him to the national stage and beyond. He was involved in the Executive of the New Brunswick Medical Society’s Section of Anesthesia, and he served as New Brunswick’s Divisional Representative to the CAS Board. He was extensively active in the CAS, taking part in many committees and subcommittees (i.e., Physician Resources, Economics, Allied Health, and Human Factors). From 2008 to 2010, he served as CAS Vice-President and subsequently succeeded Dr. Pierre Fiset as CAS President. During his term, Dr. Chisholm attended to mounting concerns about medication shortages, including those involving propofol and some resuscitation drugs. To ensure that supplies of essential medications could be stabilized and mitigation strategies for future drug shortages could be implemented, he liaised with the federal Canadian Ministry of Health and delivered a compelling address to the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Health.

In his personal time, Dr. Chisholm enjoyed an active lifestyle and could be found running, biking, and skiing. Whistler was a particularly special place for him. Beyond all else, he was a dedicated family man. He is survived by his beloved partner, Nanette (née Barnhill); his children, Frances (with spouse Denis) Beaudin and Thomas John (with spouse Stefania); his cherished grandchildren, Iris, Beatrice, Valentina, and Santiago; his parents, Francine and Harold Chisholm; and his brothers, Don (with spouse Linda), Michael (with spouse Marie), Stephen, and John (with spouse Jennifer). He leaves behind not only an impressive professional legacy but also a legacy of love and kindness.