Acknowledgments

As with most academic endeavors, this one is the product of work that has been inspired and shaped by many people. We thank Steven Weinberger, MD, whom I (RS) am proud to call a mentor and friend, who gave me the opportunity to teach respiratory physiology at Harvard Medical School and encouraged this project from its inception until its conclusion. J. Woodrow Weiss, MD, who helped pull me (RS) from cardiology to pulmonary and critical care medicine during my internship, provided considerable emotional support throughout the development and writing of the book. Steven Loring, MD, one of the best physiologists and teachers we know, provided important suggestions on an early draft of Chapter 3 and was always available to answer questions to ensure that our efforts to simplify concepts to a level appropriate for students did not lead to any deviations from truth.

John Halamka, MD, had the vision to encourage the development of concept simulation in the Harvard curriculum and supported our efforts to build on those foundations in the use of technology in this project. Nurit Bloom provided extraordinary guidance and assistance in the development of tools for the testing of the animations and simulations with medical students and was a careful reader of the text for inconsistencies and for areas that needed greater clarity.

Liz Allison, our former agent and confidante, was always there for us. She has become a dear friend during the many months we labored on this book, the completion of which is a testament to her persistence, encouraging words, and faith in us.

To our past students, we thank you for the superb questions you asked that made us think again about the principles underlying respiratory physiology and compelled us to develop new ways of conveying these complex concepts. To our future students, we ask that you assist us in making this text even better.

Finally, we would like to thank our families. To my (RS) children, Pete, Nick, Jake, and Hannah, thank you for sharing me with my students and patients from whom I have learned so much over the years. To my wife, Sarah, I owe an incalculable debt of gratitude for supporting me equally through the highs and lows that accompany such a project and for creating the warm and loving environment that has enabled me to get to this point. To my (MP) parents, Leonard and Gloria, thank you for unending interest and encouragement in this project and everything leading up to it. Your unconditional support and love have always meant more to me than you can know.