Peter McDermott, M.D., Ph.D.

Career Achievement

After 35 years as a successful anesthesiologist, Peter McDermott chose to embark on a new path, one that would result in his pursuing a very different career. His journey of self-discovery started with an evening class in American history at CLU in 1990 and came to a climax in 2002 when he completed his doctoral degree in 17th Century British Studies at University of California Santa Barbara.

Having completed his anesthesiology residency at Marquette University in 1965, Peter practiced medicine for 10 years in Oxnard and Camarillo before accepting the position of Vice Chairman of the Department of Anesthesia at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for two years, where he was able to influence the design and policies of this new medical facility.

In 1993, Peter became President of the American Society of Anesthesiologists and traveled throughout the country attending meetings and speaking at medical schools and conferences. Although he earned his M.D. years ago, it was Peter’s degree from CLU and a class in American Puritanism that catapulted him into a new intellectual journey. After completing his Ph.D., Peter served as Visiting Professor in the History Department at CLU for two years.