Throughout his distinguished career, Robert “Tino” Greif has exemplified the spirit, dedication, and innovation that define our field. His tireless contributions to resuscitation science, education, and global collaboration have left an indelible mark on the international community.
Tino qualified as a Doctor of Medicine at the University of Vienna, Austria in 1984 and pursued a career in Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine. After a post-doc research fellowship at UCSF-San Francisco, CA, he became an associate professor at the Medical University of Vienna in 2002. In 2009, Dr. Greif was appointed as Professor in Anesthesiology at the University of Bern, Switzerland and held that post until retirement in 2022. In 2024, he was a Visiting Professor at the University of Turin.
“My path to resuscitation and education began in the early 1990s, where initial attempts to teach basic life support were chaotic and ineffective. A turning point came in 1996 during a research fellowship in San Francisco, when I discovered the highly structured AHA CPR training programs. This inspired me to implement similar rigorous training upon my return to Europe, specifically by embracing the ERC's Advanced Life Support courses, transforming chaotic ICU code responses into a cohesive team effort, which sparked my passion for investigating and advancing resuscitation and education”
From an early stage, Tino developed a specialist interest in medical education. He completed his Master of Medical Education degree in 2006 at the University of Bern, Switzerland. Prof. Greif covered the position of professor for medical education at the School of Medicine at the Sigmund Freud University in Vienna, Austria from 2020 until 2024. He held various leadership roles in education with the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) from 2012 to 2021 and is currently nearing the end of his tenure as Director of Guidelines and ILCOR for the ERC. Tino is a Fellow and Honorary Member of the ERC.
Tino’s impact on ILCOR and beyond has been multifaceted. As a researcher, he has advanced our understanding of airway management, patient safety, simulation-based education, and education for resuscitation. His scholarly work is notable for its rigor, relevance, and real-world applicability, with numerous high-impact publications shaping guidelines and informing best practices globally. He has over 390 peer-reviewed publications, has had over 22,000 citations, and his h-index is 65.
As an educator and leader, Tino has mentored generations of medical students, clinicians, educators, and scientists across continents, instilling in them a commitment to excellence and compassion. His leadership roles within the ERC and active participation in ILCOR’s Task Force Education, Implementation and Teams (EIT) have consistently been marked by vision, humility, and a collaborative spirit. Tino became a member of EIT in 2012 and has chaired EIT from 2016 to the present day. He also co-chaired the ILCOR Working Group “10 steps to improve in-hospital cardiac arrest” and is also member of the ILCOR COI Committee for years.
He has been instrumental in developing and disseminating resuscitation guidelines that have improved patient outcomes worldwide. He will move to an “emeritus” position after the 2025 guideline cycle with the unanimous appreciation of all EIT Task Force members for his advocacy for diversity as well as his strong, fair, well humored, and effective leadership skills beyond his academic and scientific achievements.
Tino embodies the values that ILCOR holds dear: dedication to international collaboration, commitment to evidence-based practice, and a passion for saving lives through education and innovation. His ability to bring diverse voices together, foster consensus, and drive meaningful change is rare and invaluable. Professor Robert “Tino” Greif inspires current and future generations to follow in his remarkable footsteps.