James (Jim) G Cain, MD, MBA, FASA, FAAP recently joined the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville in June 2023 as Professor and Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology, He earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Scranton, where he also lettered in wrestling, a doctorate in medicine and a master’s in business administration from the University of Pittsburgh. He completed an internship at Yale University and an anesthesiology residency and advanced training in critical care medicine and adult and pediatric cardiac anesthesiology at Harvard University’s Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital. He is triply board-certified in anesthesiology, pediatric anesthesiology, and critical care medicine. Prior to coming to UF COMJ, Cain served as Chief of Pediatric Anesthesiology, Department Quality Officer, Professor and Senior Vice Chair of anesthesiology at the West Virginia University. Preceding that, he served as an Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh, as well as Perioperative Medical Director and Director of Solid Organ Transplant Anesthesiology and Trauma Anesthesiology at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Previously, he served as Director of Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiology at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Instructor at Harvard University School of Medicine.
Early in his medical career, Cain became passionate about trauma care and resuscitation and has been actively involved in the advance of Trauma Care. While in medical school, Cain had the opportunity to work under the direction and mentorship of Peter Safar, MD, the “father of CPR” and three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee for medicine. As president of the Trauma Anesthesiology Society and the past president of the International Trauma and Critical Care Society (ITACCCS), he has worked to expand the expertise of traumatologists and care of trauma patients nationally and globally. In addition to his advocacy work in trauma care, Cain has been long involved in state and national Anesthesiology efforts. He served as President of the West Virginia Society of Anesthesiologists as well as on its Board of Directors and as West Virginia’s Delegate to the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), and the Pennsylvania Society of Anesthesiologists as a member of their Board of Directors and Delegate to the ASA.
Cain has been active in research and research supporting activities throughout his career. He has numerous publications, book chapters, abstracts, and scholarly projects. He also served as editor-in-chief of the journal Trauma Care, chaired the ITACCS Research Committee, and served on and chaired various scientific planning committees and editorial boards.
Long committed to global health improvement, Cain continues to see that the most immediate and long-lasting impact is through education. He has taught at all levels of medical education from local to international, developing and implementing curricula, supporting scholarly activities, and critically evaluating professionalism and competency from trainees through faculty. Among his most rewarding endeavors was chairing the University of Pittsburgh Anesthesiology Department’s Evaluation and Competency Committee and inaugural Milestones Committee where they developed de novo the department Milestones process as one of a handful of ACGME beta test sites.
When he is not practicing medicine, Cain enjoys spending time with his family — his wife of 32 years, Roberta (an OB-GYN), and children Jamie, Francesca, and Noelle — engaging in the arts and cheering on their favorite teams. He dabbles on the drums and occasionally the guitar. Among his favorite activities are taking in nature, especially running, hiking, biking, and swimming.