SAEM Provides a Pathway for Medical Student Engagement in EM

Do you remember when you first became interested in emergency medicine (EM)? You might have wondered, “Where and how do I begin to explore this expansive and multifaceted medical specialty?” Fortunately, there is the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM)! SAEM provides a pathway for medical students to cultivate their interest in EM through leadership opportunities, scholarship, and networking with the top academic EM physicians in the country. An SAEM membership opens the door to a variety of opportunities to immerse yourself in the various niches of EM and to develop critical academic and clinical skills. Visit this spot in the next several issues of SAEM Pulse and we’ll show you how to make the most of your SAEM medical student membership!

First Up: Finding Your Place in EM Through Committee Involvement

An SAEM membership can be a pathway for students to explore their EM passions and interests, and one route SAEM provides for doing this is via involvement in an SAEM committee. These groups help members further their professional development, serve as leaders, and drive the mission of SAEM. As students on SAEM committees, your input will be warmly welcomed, and your contributions will play a direct role in influencing the future of the specialty. One way to make the most out of your committee involvement is to join a committee subcommittee. For example, the SAEM Membership Committee has a subcommittee dedicated to improving the student experience in SAEM, while the SAEM Virtual Presence committee has a subcommittee that reviews the SAEM website and RAMS microsite and provides feedback that helps to make the online experience more valuable and easier to navigate. These subcommittees are often temporary, lasting only a few weeks, and are often established to accomplish a specific project aim. Subcommittee involvement is ideal for students who are on a less busy rotation or early in a pre-clerkship learning block. Subcommittees are also usually smaller in size, meet virtually, and are led by EM physicians from various locations, types of practice, and with a variety of passions. This can be very helpful as a networking opportunity for students wanting to know about EM career paths and for students applying to residency.

Even if you feel you have nothing to contribute to the discussion, you will learn so much by listening to others, and that is the goal: join a committee that covers something you are passionate about and/ interested in, network with those that have similar interests, and hopefully contribute to the overall growth and advancement of the EM specialty.

Review the Committee Descriptions to find the committees that best match your interests and expertise. Each description also indicates who is eligible to serve. Committee sign up opens in early September each year. The term of service for SAEM committees begins each year at the annual meeting in May and lasts for 12 months.

The following individuals contributed to this report:

– Lauren Diercks, a third-year medical student at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas, Texas. Lauren is a Medical Student representative for the RAMS Board and is involved in the Membership Committee.

– Tanner Reed, a third-year medical student at Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans.

– Dustin Williams, MD, an associate professor of emergency medicine and residency program director at UT-Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Williams is a member of the SAEM Membership committee and is the current co-chair for the SAEM’s Academy for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Medicine (ADIEM) LGBTQIA+ subcommittee.

– Cassandra Kim Bradby, MD, program director at Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University Health Emergency Medicine Residency and the president-elect of ADIEM.