Rate My Professor Barry Baker

Professor Barry Baker is Emeritus Professor in the Discipline of Anaesthesia at the University of Sydney. He holds an MBBS from the University of Queensland (1963) and a DPhil from the University of Oxford (1971), with a thesis entitled The Physiology of Artificial Ventilation. His qualifications include FANZCA, FRCA, FCICM, and DHMSA. Baker's distinguished career encompasses key appointments such as Reader in Anaesthesia at the University of Queensland and Royal Brisbane Hospital (1972-1975), foundation Professor of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care at the University of Otago and Dunedin Public Hospital (1975-1992), and Nuffield Professor of Anaesthetics at the University of Sydney (1992-2005), during which he served as Chairman of the Department of Anaesthetics at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. He has held influential leadership positions, including Dean of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) from 1987 to 1992, ANZCA Dean of Education in 2010, ANZCA Honorary Historian from 2015, Chair of the University of Sydney Human Ethics Committee (1998-2000), and Chief Editor of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care (2002-2003).

Baker's research specializations include anaesthesia, intensive care, pharmacokinetics of anaesthetic agents, gas exchange, ventilation-perfusion models, dead space measurement, cardiac output estimation, liver function assessment during transplantation, and ageing in sports performance. Notable publications comprise 50 Years of the Faculty and College of Anaesthetists: A Brief History (2002), Australia’s First Anaesthetic Department: 75 Years at the RPA (2005), Aging Performance for Masters Records in Athletics, Swimming, Rowing, Cycling, Triathlon, and Weightlifting (2010), and as editor, 25 Years of ANZCA Leadership (2016). He has authored or contributed to over 140 publications. His contributions to the field are recognized through awards such as Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2014 for service to medicine in anaesthesia, medical education, and professional organizations; ANZCA Orton Medal (1994); Australian Society of Anaesthetists Ben Barry Medal (1996); and honorary memberships from the Australian Society of Anaesthetists (1987) and others.