The American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA) has selected Duke Anesthesiology’s Dr. Sara Amaral, research scholar, as the recipient of the 2025 ASRA Excellence in Education Award.
This award recognizes physician members at the instructor or assistant professor level who have demonstrated innovation and success in education and have been attending physicians for at least five years. This international award is presented to educators who self-nominate or have been nominated by their peers in recognition of their innovation and dedication to the delivery of knowledge in the fields of regional anesthesia and/or pain medicine.
“A year ago, I was teaching regional anesthesia in every way I could from a small hospital in rural Brazil. Fast forward a year, and here I am—not just at Duke, but also honored with an award that symbolizes the impact of what I love to do,” says Amaral, a clinical research fellow in the department’s Orthopaedics, Plastics and Regional Anesthesiology Division and Dr. David MacLeod’s Human Pharmacology and Physiology Laboratory. “Every new person who learns to block means countless more patients experiencing less pain. And to me, that's the true power of teaching.”
“This is a huge accomplishment and recognizes Dr. Amaral’s ongoing commitment to outstanding education and teaching. We’re extremely proud of her accomplishments,” says Dr. Jeffrey Gadsden, chief of the regional division. “Our department has consistently distinguished itself at annual ASRA meetings, earning a commendable slew of accolades for the past seven years, which speaks volumes to Duke's enduring excellence and dedication to scholarly achievement.”
The Excellence in Education Award will be presented to Amaral at the ASRA meeting this May.