The Etherist is a podcast about major topics and trends: stats and analysis of a looming shortage, the effects of business mergers on the delivery of anesthesia care, determining the optimal practice model for the future, and the many other issues facing the specialty now and in the future. But hidden behind all of these trends are the people who make up the specialty of anesthesiology—the people who will be affected most by all of these changes. For this season of “Anesthesiology News presents The Etherist,” we interviewed over a dozen anesthesiologists. We asked many of them to share their stories on why they chose to become anesthesiologists. It represents the human side of this bigger story. But more importantly, it represents a distinct component of this looming physician shortage: In order to reverse a potential shortage, we will need to hear many more stories like these. 1. Association of American Medical Colleges. The complexities of physician supply and demand: projections from 2018 to 2033. aamc.org/system/files/2020-06/stratcomm-aamc-physician-workforce-projections-june-2020.pdf. June 2020. Accessed September 13, 2020. 2. Goree JH, Pearson ACS. Could eliminating USMLE Step 1 scores introduce gender and racial bias? J Clin Anesth. 2020;65:109889. doi:10.1016/j.jclinane.2020.109889. 3. Peckham C. Medscape Anesthesiologist Lifestyle Report 2017: Race and Ethnicity, Bias and Burnout. medscape.com/features/slideshow/lifestyle/2017/anesthesiology. January 11, 2017. Accessed September 25, 2020. 4. Baird M, Daugherty L, Kumar KB, et al. Regional and gender differences and trends in the anesthesiologist workforce. Anesthesiology. 2015;123(5):997-1012. doi:https://doi.org/10.1097/ALN.0000000000000834. 5. U.S. Census. Quickfacts. census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045219. 2019. Accessed September 25, 2020. Sponsored by Masimo and Envision Physician Services