During the past twelve years, a course on critical care medicine has been sponsored by the Post Graduate Division of the University of Southern California School of Medicine in association with its Center for the Criti- cally Ill. The content of each of the symposia has paralleled the evolution of critical care medicine as a recognized service specialty. The annual program was planned as a teaching session for physicians and allied medical personnel who sought to advance their involvement in this rapidly advancing field. A panel of highly regarded authorities on sub- jects bearing on critical...