PRESIDENT’S REPORT Robert E. Suter, DO, MHA, FACOEP-D, FIFEM

PRESIDENT’S REPORT Robert E. Suter, DO, MHA, FACOEP-D, FIFEM

As we continue together down the difficult path of the COVID pandemic, the insight and wisdom of Einstein resonates on multiple levels.

Dealing with the pandemic has been an enormous professional burden. Paired with the personal tragedy of distancing us and even losing dear friends and loved ones, it has drained many of energy and emotion. With all respect to the many other events and tragedies, in many ways it has been the greatest difficulty our country has faced in the past 100 years.

Unfortunately, this tragedy is superimposed over the many other seismic changes in GME and certification impacting the osteopathic community, challenges that we were already grappling with when the COVID virus arrived on our shores. Changes that brought us challenges, but also opportunities. These opportunities were the focus of ACOEP’s Strategic Plan released a year ago.

Structural changes in the AOA have made some of what ACOEP did in the past less relevant. But what hasn’t changed is our desire to be part of a comfortable family, and our need to be a community that provides its members tools and opportunities to achieve their dreams. Dreams not just limited to us but for success in the broader specialty and world.

As someone who has achieved a modicum of success outside of the osteopathic community, I am dismayed that many of our members are not taking full advantage of our organizational opportunities. Sure, some have achieved professional success without having participated in ACOEP, but this is not the norm. More common is that a role in our community prepared us to be more successful elsewhere. In my case, becoming President of EMRA was preceded by working with Paula Willoughby, DO and the ACOEP Board to establish what was then called the Student Chapter. This created a national network of friends that could be built upon to elect the first DO EMRA, and later ACEP Presidents. These organizational experiences also prepared me for other leadership positions and opportunities at many levels including in my hospitals and groups. My point is that these successes did not occur apart from ACOEP participation, but in conjunction with it.

ACOEP provides tremendous infrastructure for our members to build personal and professional success. This is especially true for those involved in academics. Service on our committees and presenting at ACOEP/FOEM events count for the same number of points toward promotion as those of other national organizations. Committees in other areas allow us to network, prepare to lead and have an impact from the local to international levels. Our community should see ACEOP as their best gateway to kick start their ambitions, even if those ambitions

ultimately take their focus elsewhere.

Increasing your participation is a win-win. Whether your interests are in leveraging ACOEP to change the world, or just our community, you can position yourself to benefit professionally and we as a community are enriched by your involvement.

With increasing numbers of emergency physicians in the EM workforce, advocating for our community and each other is more important than ever. Ground level opportunities in the bigger house of emergency medicine will become even more competitive and the importance of the experience that we can give our members more valuable.

So, get involved to enrich both our College and yourself – participate! Volunteer for committees by letting us know what your interests are and we will link you up. Support our students and residents as a mentor. If you are not sure where your participation might be the best fit, contact me or our staff and we will help you find it.

COVID may have restricted us in many ways, but it cannot hold back our participation in ACOEP. You can do these things now. Get started virtually and soon we will be together again.

The latest word is that experts believe that by the fall we can have in person conferences again. Perhaps with proof of vaccination and continued precautions, but live, nonetheless. Personally, I really hope so. It would be wonderful to end my term in the way it began, in the company of my friends and our community.

Get involved in your community. If we all continue to work together to sustain our community in these tough times, our best days are ahead of us. –•–

Robert E. Suter, DO, MHA, FACOEP-D, FIFEM