A Legacy of Teaching: Honoring Frank Moya, M.D.

By: Shawn Yanan | November 05, 2026 | 9 min. read |

Family and friends establish the Frank Moya, M.D. Endowed Chair in Anesthesiology to honor a lifetime dedicated to education, research and the next generation of anesthesiology professionals.

Black-and-white studio portrait of Dr. Frank Moya wearing a suit and patterned tie. — Dr. Frank Moya

Key Takeaways

Family and friends established the Frank Moya, M.D. Endowed Chair in Anesthesiology to honor his contributions to medical education, research and academic medicine.
Frank Moya, M.D., was an anesthesiologist, researcher and educator whose career included leadership at the University of Miami and research in obstetric anesthesia, the placental barrier and newborn physiology.
The endowed chair will help support faculty recruitment and retention while sustaining anesthesiology education and advancing clinical research at the Miller School.

“I would like to be remembered first and foremost as a teacher.”

Those words, spoken decades before his passing, reflect the legacy of the late Frank Moya, M.D., a renowned anesthesiologist, educator, businessman and philanthropist whose influence extends across generations of medical professionals.

To honor his life and enduring contributions to academic medicine, family and friends have established the Frank Moya, M.D. Endowed Chair in Anesthesiology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, home to one of the largest anesthesia training programs in the nation.

“This is a wonderful way to honor my father’s memory and his valuable contributions to the field of anesthesiology,” said his daughter, Elizabeth Moya, manager of the Frank Moya Limited Partnership.

Daughter, Elizabeth Moya, granddaughter Isabella Sakran, and son-in-law, Adam Sakran, pose together in formal attire in front of white drapery. — The Moya family: Daughter Elizabeth Moya, granddaughter Isabella Sakran and son-in-law Adam Sakran

A Distinguished Career in Medicine

Dr. Moya’s career was marked by clinical excellence, scientific achievement and academic leadership.

After graduating from SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York City, Dr. Moya proudly served in the U.S. Navy, where he completed his advanced training in anesthesiology. He then joined the faculty of Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center before moving to Miami in 1962 to become professor and chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Miami Medical School.

At 33, Dr. Moya was the youngest department chair in the country at the time. He also served for a year as acting dean of the medical school.

In 1970, he became chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, where he served for 27 years before retiring from medicine and clinical teaching.

Recognized widely for his early research in obstetric anesthesia, the placental barrier and newborn physiology, Dr. Moya published more than 250 scientific articles, abstracts and textbooks over the course of his career.

His leadership also extended to the national stage. Dr. Moya served as president of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, the Association of University Anesthesiologists and the Society of Academic Anesthesia Chairs.

An Educator Who Shaped Generations

Dr. Moya and family gather around a table at a Hurricanes footbal game, with two children in the foreground. — A devoted UM fan: Dr. Moya and his family at a Canes game.

For all his professional accomplishments, Dr. Moya’s greatest pride was his role as a teacher.

In 1964, he founded continuing medical education programs that continue to instruct anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists today. He also funded and helped establish the first nurse anesthetist program in Florida.

Keith Candiotti, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Medicine and Pain Management at the Miller School, first met Dr. Moya while completing his residency and remembers him as both an accomplished physician and a dedicated educator.

“Dr. Moya was heavily invested in the education of anesthesiology practitioners, and he contributed to the instruction of tens of thousands throughout his career,” said Dr. Candiotti.

That commitment to preparing the next generation remains central to Dr. Moya’s legacy. By helping support faculty recruitment and retention, the endowed chair will strengthen the Miller School’s ability to sustain excellence in anesthesiology education while advancing clinical research.

A Tradition of Giving Back

In addition to his medical career, his family remembers Dr. Moya’s business acumen and philanthropy, which he used to support many causes and organizations important to him.

But the University of Miami always held a special place in his life.

“He was a devoted supporter of UM and loved attending the football games,” said his granddaughter, Isabella Sakran. “We still have his season tickets.”

For Sakran, the endowed chair represents the convergence of the values that defined her grandfather’s life.

“It is a celebration of his passion for medicine, education, philanthropy and the University of Miami,” she said.

Though the endowed chair was established through the generosity of the Frank Moya Limited Partnership, along with gifts from family and friends, Elizabeth Moya and Sakran are also working to build additional philanthropic support by reconnecting Dr. Moya’s former trainees with the Miller School.

“We hope my father’s legacy will inspire others to invest in the field he helped advance and the institution he so deeply valued,” Moya added.