Interview with Patrick Narchi

ESRA Updates: Can you give us a brief summary of your career?

Patrick Narchi: Finished my residency in anesthesia in Paris (Bicetre University) in 1987 where I started practicing regional anesthesia. In 1992, I moved to a private hospital in Le Mans till 1996. Then I moved to Lebanon during 5 years and worked at the University Hospital (Hotel Dieu Hospital). In 2002, I came back to France where I am working at present in the private sector again: Centre Clinical in Soyaux, France.

ESRA Updates: Was Anaesthesiology your number one choice? If not, what was? If yes, why anaesthesiology?

Patrick Narchi: Anesthesia was my first choice. Surprisingly, I chose Anesthesia because it was the only way to train in Intensive Care (which was my personal preference initially). The 2 diplomas are linked together. Then, rapidly, I moved away from Intensive Care to Anesthesia and then started research in regional anesthesia

ESRA Updates: What was your boldest career move?

Patrick Narchi: Very probably, it was in 1992 when I decided to leave the university in Paris to start working in the private sector with an enthusiastic goal (shared with some friends working in other private hospitals) of opening the private sector to Education and clinical research.

ESRA Updates: Looking back, what was the worst mistake in your career?

Patrick Narchi: Having only 2 children … I would have loved having 2 others.

ESRA Updates: Can you share the most memorable moments of your career?

Patrick Narchi: My first talk inside an impressive ballroom at the ASRA meeting in 1996 in San Diego. I was just 36 years old! My lecture was a refresher course focusing on the use of nerve stimulators for nerve blocks in a country (USA) where nerve stimulation was not officially encouraged!

ESRA Updates: What is your most appreciated character in history, and why?

Patrick Narchi: Winston Churchill, for his pertinent strategic views and … his sense of humor.

ESRA Updates: Do you have any apologies that you would like to ask?

Patrick Narchi: I would like to apologize to my family, as a majority of my friends in ESRA, because I have been frequently absent during my career.

ESRA Updates: What single unheralded change has made the most difference in your field in your lifetime?

Patrick Narchi: Pulse oximeter for safety in Anesthesia, and also nerve stimulators which made regional nerve blocks much easier to teach and to spread worldwide.

ESRA Updates: What new technology or development are you most looking forward to?

Patrick Narchi: Improving 3D simulator technology to facilitate teaching regional anesthesia.

ESRA Updates: What book should every doctor read?

Patrick Narchi: Anything else than Medicine! Unfortunately, Medicine is so demanding and evolving that frequently, doctors do not have enough time to read novels, biographies, etc … we should also devote some time to reading outside medicine.

ESRA Updates: What is your favorite movie?

Patrick Narchi: The Godfather.

ESRA Updates: How do you spend your free time?

Patrick Narchi: Reading novels, sports and gardening.

ESRA Updates: What is your guiltiest pleasure?

Patrick Narchi: Tasting foreign cuisine and nice cigars!

ESRA Updates: When were you happiest?

Patrick Narchi: Every time I am facing the Mediterranean sea …

ESRA Updates: What personal ambition do you still have?

Patrick Narchi: The anesthesiologist should become the real manager of an efficient operating theatre. This is already the case in very few hospitals today but remain a realistic challenge for the future. We are not only OR technicians!

ESRA Updates: If you were given 1 million euros what would you spend it on?

Patrick Narchi: Teaching regional anesthesia and pain in underdeveloped countries. There is still so much to do there!

ESRA Updates: What are three features you mostly value on people and three you dislike?

Patrick Narchi: 3 features I mostly value: sincerity, fun, modesty. 3 features I dislike: arrogance, unfairness, laziness.

ESRA Updates: You are currently the chair of ESRA’s Ambassador Program. What is your personal view of this program? What would you consider your greatest achievement?

Patrick Narchi: While the Core of ESRA remains Europe (where we are still including new countries such as Ukraine, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Hungary, Czech republic …), we should open our society to friends outside Europe who are willing to join and cooperate with ESRA. We have already signed in October 2019 our first cooperation agreement with South Africa. Other countries have been approached and we are ready and happy to support such sister societies through our ambassador program to implement this cooperation.

ESRA Updates: If you had a crystal ball, how do you see ESRA in 10 years?

Patrick Narchi: Definitely bigger, much more international and still very friendly!