History of the Chair:

Robert B. Sweet, M.D.
Chairman from 1952 to 1976

Biographical Sketch:

Dr. Robert B. Sweet was born in Centralia, Washington, on February 15, 1917. He received his B.S. degree from the University of Washington in 1937 and his M.D. degree from the University of Chicago in 1941.

He became Assistant Professor and Acting Head of Anesthesiology at the University of Michigan in November of 1952. He had previously completed an internship in Pediatrics, several years as a surgical resident under Dr. Collier and 3 years in the Air Force, as well as an anesthesiology residency at Massachusetts General Hospital from 1949 to 1951. After completing his residency he spent a year as an Instructor in Anesthesiology at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York before being recruited by Dr. Collier to return to Michigan.

He immediately distinguished himself by winning the confidence and trust of the surgical faculty and, began to lead Anesthesia at the University of Michigan into the modern age. In 1953 he became Associate Professor and Chairman of the Department. He began a residency program and the first resident completed the program in 1957.

Dr. Sweet was a renowned academician and teacher.

Throughout his professional life he insisted on "hands on" experience in Anesthesiology for medical students and made the medical student rotation in Anesthesiology one of the most popular choices. His faculty knew teaching lectures to medical students or residents were not missed or taken lightly. Anesthesiology House Officers were personally instructed in the operating room on a regular basis by Dr. Sweet. He was available daily for questions and informal discussion. He personally drove his residents to the quarterly evening Michigan Anesthesiology Meetings in Lansing. House Officers who were alone for holiday were invited to his home.

He was a gentle man who thought first of others, a caring man who set an example at work and at home, a physician who displayed unsurpassed clinical acumen and last, but not least, a person with a wonderful sense of humor.

On December 31, 1975 he stepped down as Chairman of the Department, telling his faculty that he felt that his long presence had caused the Medical School and Hospital to become apathetic toward the Department and that a new Chairman could accomplish much for the Department that he could no longer do.

He died suddenly in January of 1980 at the age of 62 while still an active faculty member in the Department.

Dept. of Anesthesiology, Univ. of Michigan Medical School

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