50 Years Strong: A Legacy of Leadership in Emergency Medicine
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EDITORIAL STAFF
Victoria Selley, MS, DO, FACOEP, Editor
Benjamin Godfrey, DO, FACOEP, Assistant Editor
Amanda Mahan, MA, ACOEP Executive Director Megan Heller, ACOEP Association Manager Claire Krzyzewski, Graphic Designer
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ACOEP is a registered trademark of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians.
Jennifer Axelband, DO, FACOEP, FCCM
John Dery, DO FACOEP-Dist, FACEP, FAWM
Amanda Mahan, MA
WOMENS COMMITTEE
Jacqueline M. Dziedzic, DO, FACEP, FACOEP
AAO’s Osteopathic Education Service at SA25
Jeremy
Our 50th birthday has arrived, 50th birthday? It is a curious thing, this intersection of chronology and consciousness, where milestone and memory meet. Whether we chase time or it carries us, what matters is recognizing how we grow and change with each passing year. We write our own story, shaping each new moment with the wisdom of what has been and the hope of what is yet to become.
Consider the span of 50 years. Over five decades, there have been developments in the world, advancements in medicine, transformation in emergency medicine, and evolution within ACOEP. ACOEP is 50 and fabulous!
Walk Down Memory Lane: Where We Started.
Emergency medicine was in its early stages of development. Fifty years ago, hospital emergency departments typically operated on a rotation system involving family physicians, general surgeons, internists, and other specialists. In smaller emergency departments, nurses managed patient triage and called in specialists depending on the patient’s condition. Larger hospitals often assigned interns or residents from established training programs to care for patients arriving in the emergency department. The formation of
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Jennifer Axelband, DO, FACOEP, FCCM
CHEERS TO 50 YEARS AND BEYOND!
BRUCE HORTON, DO, FACOEP 1975-1980
ROBERT D. ARANOSIAN, DO, FACOEP 1987-1989
THEODORE A. SPEVACK, DO, FACOEP 1998-2000
THOMAS BRABSON, DO, FACOEP 2008-2011
ROBERT E. SUTER, DO, MHA, FACOEP-D 2019-2021
ROBERT L. HAMBRICK, DO, FACOEP 1980-1982
EDWARD J. SARAMA, DO, FACOEP 1989-1991
JOSEPH J KUCHINSKI, DO, FACOEP 2000-2002
GREGORY M. CHRISTIANSEN, DO, MED, FACOEP 2011-2013
G. JOSEPH BEIRNE, DO, FACOEP-D 2021-2022
DONALD CUCCHI, DO, FACOEP 1982-1983
BEN H. CHLAPEK, DO, FACOEP 1991-1993
VICTOR J. SCALI, DO, FACOEP 2002-2004
MARK A. MITCHELL, DO, MED, FACOEP 2013-2015
TIMOTHY CHESLOCK, DO, FACOEP-D 2022-2023
JOHN W. BECHER, JR., DO, FACOEP 1983-1985
GEORGE J. MILLER, DO, FACOEP 1993-1995
PAULA WILLOUGHBY DEJESUS, DO, FACOEP 2004-2006
JOHN C. PRESTOSH, DO, FACOEP 2015-2017
BRANDON LEWIS, DO, MBA, FACOEP, FACEP 2023-2024
emergency medicine as a specialty occurred in response to public demand and evolving healthcare needs.
ACOEP was established by leaders committed to shaping the future of emergency medicine through innovation in practice and education. On October 5th, 1975, ACOEP was officially founded and its inaugural Board of Directors was elected: Bruce D. Horton, D.O., President; Anthony Gerbasi, D.O., Vice President; Richard Ballinger, D.O., Secretary; and Robert L. Hambrick, D.O., Treasurer. It is a privilege to continue building upon the foundation set by these pioneering members of ACOEP.
opportunities are accessible in areas such as critical care, palliative care, emergency medical services, toxicology, pediatric emergency medicine, sports medicine, and addiction medicine. Beyond clinical expertise, as a specialty we encompass a significant role in advocacy, public health systems and patient and workplace safety initiatives.
Seize the Day: Where We Are Headed
Our Present Position: Where We Are Now Emergency medicine is a commanding force in the house of medicine, encompassing 288 residency training programs and offering over 3,000 first-year residency positions. An amazing achievement in the past 50 years. In 2025, osteopathic medical students secured 1,113 PGY-1 positions, the highest representation to date with 36% of all first-year emergency medicine residents graduating from osteopathic medical schools.
Our specialty continues to expand. Currently, fellowship
ACOEP has played a pivotal role in the evolution of emergency medicine, continually contributing to advancements in the field. As an engaged member of the emergency medicine community, ACOEP has actively participated in comprehensive EM meetings, fostering collaboration among all stakeholders to shape the future direction of emergency medicine practice. A topic of great interest is the role of augmented intelligence in emergency medicine. ACOEP and RSO have represented osteopathic medicine on the Resident Review Committee’s Emergency Medicine Taskforce, reviewing current training standards and considering updates for the benefit of future physicians. The organization continues to advocate for its members and the broader osteopathic community, participating in initiatives such as DO Day on the Hill, representing ACOEP at the AOA House of Delegates, and serving on AOA committees dedicated to affiliate support as well as medical student and resident development. At both national and local levels, ACOEP remains committed to supporting its membership and the wider community. Most recently, ACOEP pledged to collaborate with local first responders during conferences to enhance educational opportunities and extend community outreach.
Emergency medicine, as a specialty, is experiencing a stage of growth reminiscent of its formative years five decades ago, with numerous opportunities on the horizon. Physicians within this field are at the forefront of shaping the future of emergency medicine. Ongoing advancements in both training and clinical practice are expected. Emerging areas include entrepreneurial and concierge medicine, correctional healthcare, fellowships focused on advanced cardiovascular support with e-CPR and ECMO management, wellness initiatives, global health, and the development of EM hospital proceduralist roles. Additionally, non-clinical pathways in politics, administration, operations, augmented intelligence in healthcare and education are becoming increasingly accessible to emergency medicine. The potential achievements within this specialty are virtually limitless.
ACOEP is committed to serving as a foundational resource for the future of osteopathic emergency medicine. We will maintain our advocacy on behalf of our members and continue to support our professional community. Our students and residents represent the next generation of leadership, guiding us into the coming decades. As in all areas of emergency medicine, ACOEP’s potential for achievement remains without limit. The past is to be reflected upon and honored, the present is to be embraced and lived and the future is to be imagined and seized. Cheers to 50 years and beyond! –•–
Jennifer Axelband, DO, FACOEP, FCCM President, ACOEP
JAMES GRATE, DO, FACOEP 1985-1987
BENJAMIN A. FIELD, DO, FACOEP 1995-1998
PETER BELL, DO, FACOEP 2006-2008
CHRISTINE GIESA, DO, FACOEP-D 2017-2019
JENNIFER AXELBAND, DO, FACOEP, FCCM 2024-2025
Tof Nashville roll in with the Tennessee breeze, we will gather to celebrate not only our annual Scientific Assembly, but a milestone that few specialties get to witness – the 50th anniversary of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians. For five decades, ACOEP has stood at the intersection of clinical excellence, osteopathic identity, and unshakeable emergency medicine “grit.” What started as a bold vision in the shadows of a young growing specialty has now matured into a powerful force shaping acute care delivery across the United States.
It’s fitting then, that our Fall Scientific Assembly (Sept 21st – 25th, 2025) will be hosted in Nashville, Tennessee, a city known for reinvention and harmony, as we
THE ON-DECK CIRCLE
By John Dery DO FACOEP-Dist, FACEP, FAWM President-Elect
FROM BATTLEFIELDS TO BREAKTHROUGHS
HONORING 50 YEARS OF OSTEOPATHIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE AND FORGING THE FUTURE
take a moment to honor our roots –and light the fire for our future.
A
Legacy Worth Celebrating
Emergency Medicine as a specialty is only 55 years old, and ACOEP was born just five years into the journey. We were forged by early trailblazers who weren’t afraid to practice outside the box – many of whom operated in emergency departments that weren’t yet recognized as specialties, with no residencies, no structured academic pathways, and certainly no robust CME pipelines. Those early osteopathic pioneers brought a philosophy of whole-patient care into the chaos of the trauma bays and resuscitation rooms.
They didn’t just respond to emergencies – they redefined them.
Let us never forget that many of the values we now embrace as
“best practices” – interdisciplinary teamwork, bedside empathy, wellness advocacy, community outreach, trauma-informed care, emergency medical services – were part of the osteopathic emergency physician’s mindset long before they became everyday policy.
Expanding Frontiers: The Rise and Reach of Osteopathic Emergency Medicine
From a modest gathering in Toledo, Ohio, in October 1975 – where foundational leaders like Bruce Horton (first President), Anthony Gerbasi (inaugural Vice President), Richard Ballinger (first Secretary), and Robert Hambrick (initial Treasurer) charted the future of the ACOEP – the organization quickly transitioned into a nationwide movement. That same momentum catalyzed the launch of the first
osteopathic EM training program under Gerald Reynolds at PCOM in 1979 and followed by the AOA’s approval of the first residencies – across Chicago, Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Philadelphia – ushered in a new era of formalized training, culminating in the establishment of the AOBEM and the first written board exam in 1981 followed by the oral exam in 1982. By the mid 90s, with over 100 EM residents annually and the launch of The Pulse newsletter in 1986 under editors David Brown, and the first Charter Fellows – including Robert Aranosian, John Becher, Donald Cucchi, Anthony Gerbasi, Bruce Horton, Edward Sarama, among others – being honored in 1984.
During the early 1990s, the osteopathic EM programs expanded their scope –lengthening training from two to three years, introducing combined EM/IM tracks, and formally recognizing student and resident chapters under leaders like Cary Schneider and Paula Willoughby who continued to “lead from the front” and never stop innovating. By the late 90’s, ACOEP surpassed 1,000 members, launched its philanthropic Foundation of Osteopathic Emergency Medicine (FOEM), and spun off its Scientific Assembly from the AOA into a standalone event – a clear sign of its institutional maturity.
The lineage of presidents reflects this storied history: from foundational leaders like Horton and Hambrick through subsequent stewards such as Cucchi, Becher, Grate, Aranosian, Sarama, Chlapek, Miller, Field, Spevack, Kuchinski, Scali, and WilloughbyDeJesus; up to more recent leaders including Bell, Brabson, Christiansen, Mitchell, Prestosh, Giesa, Suter, Beirne, Cheslock, Lewis, and our current President, Jennifer Axelband. ACOEP has proven through the test of time, it is not only a professional home –it continues to foster scholarship, research, leading-edge medical care, and community across the country.
The Crucible of COVID: Defining a Generation of Emergency Physicians
If there was ever a test of our resolve as emergency physicians –osteopathic or otherwise – it came during the COVID-19 pandemic. As businesses shuttered, cities emptied, and global healthcare systems strained under the weight of uncertainty, emergency departments became the front lines of a war without rules. We operated in a fog of incomplete data, evolving guidelines, and harrowing shortages. Yet in that chaos, our specialty stood unflinching. While much of the world stayed home we showed up. We donned makeshift PPE, intubated in parking lots, resuscitated without family at the bedside and bore witness to the grief and isolation in their rawest forms. Our osteopathic heritage – rooted in whole-person care, adaptability, and community trust – was never more relevant. We treated not just lungs and fevers, but fear itself. We cared for the ill, the lonely, and the forgotten. Day after day, we did what many could not – or would not – do. We stayed. And while we emerged bruised, beaten, and in many cases broken, we also emerged transformed –more connected, more resilient, and more determined than ever to rebuild a system worthy of the people we serve. The pandemic may not have defined us, but it has undoubtedly refined us. And we continue – healing, learning, and moving forward.
The
Future is Fast, and It’s Already Here
As we launch into our sixth decade, ACOEP is not simply looking to survive the wave of change –we’re shaping it. Over the last six months, we’ve seen a swell in member-driven momentum around issues like:
1. Moral injury and psychological resilience, especially in the wake of rising violence in the ED and continued national staffing shortages.
2. The demand for ultraaccessible CME, with a growing emphasis on microlearning, asynchronous education, and real-time clinical updates through platforms like the ACOEP Digital Classroom and Virtual Grand Rounds Summer Series and the EM OverEasy podcasts as new informative and available platforms to enhance our members’ education.
3. The expansion of different “hands-on” (and sometimes tasting!) learning opportunities led by our incredible ResidentStudent Organization (RSO) leadership integrating unique concepts focusing on trauma, disaster medicine, and even wilderness settings – a natural alignment with our osteopathic values and real-world grit.
4. Emergency Medicine is once again front and center in the national spotlight, with documentary-style series like The Pitt offering an unfiltered, hour-by-hour look into the relentless chaos, ethical tension, and human cost borne by emergency physicians every shift, every day.
Our North Star Remains the Same
Whether you’re entering your first residency shift or wrapping up your third board recertification, this moment belongs to all of us. At a time when headlines confuse with stories about burnout, litigation, and AI disruption, we have a unique opportunity to reflect and realign. What unites us isn’t just our credentials – it’s our calling. The call to show up in the worst moments of a person’s life. The call to remain and create calm, leading under pressure surrounded by chaos. The call to stay whole while holding broken stories in a broken system.
This fall in Nashville, let’s not just attend another meeting – let’s reignite our mission.
See you in the Music City. –•–
THANK YOU EXHIBITORS + SPONSORS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S DESK
Amanda Mahan, MA Executive Director
ROOTED IN LEGACY, RISING TO THE FUTURE: CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF ACOEP
Greetings ACOEP Family,
This year, as ACOEP celebrates its 50th anniversary, we find ourselves at a powerful intersection: reflecting on a legacy of resilience and community while building a vision for the next generation of osteopathic emergency physicians.
I made a commitment as a newcomer to ACOEP to listen and learn in order to rise to this challenge of meeting the moment and helping you towards our shared future. At the Spring 2025 meeting, I interviewed members and had the privilege of hearing stories from members new and old—stories that reaffirm what has always made ACOEP special. Again and again, one theme emerged: family. “It felt like home,” one student told me. “ACOEP is where family meets science,” said another. It’s clear to me that this sentiment echoes throughout our history. I’ve heard and observed we are a place where physicians look out for one another, where mentorship is offered generously, and where leadership potential is seen and nurtured.
It’s also clear that we are a community grounded in educational excellence. Since the beginning, ACOEP has elevated osteopathic emergency medicine through innovation and investment—launching our first oral board review in 1995, and the first video learning series in 1996. While the path hasn’t always been easy, our commitment to raising standards and advancing clinical knowledge has never wavered.
I’ve also heard loud and clear that our smaller size has always been our strength: it gives us the agility to lead and the heart to care.
In this community, you don’t have to fight for space—you already have a voice here. ACOEP has long served as an incubator for leadership and a launchpad for future trailblazers.
As we honor the past, we must also remember: our story has never been one of easy acceptance—it’s one of courage. At the AOA House of Delegates meeting Ronnie B. Martin, DO delivered this year’s A.T. Still Memorial Lecture and many of his points were a powerful reminder to me of the profession’s history and its strengths. From the struggle for federal and military recognition in the 1960s, to the near-erasure of DOs in California in 1961, our profession has survived because it refused to be forgotten. Those 14,000 DOs who said “no” to being rewritten showed us what grit looks like. Today, we don’t just have a seat at the table—we’ve earned the right to lead it with DOs serving as the Physician to the President and in countless other prestigious places.
The danger today is not in being overlooked by others—it’s in forgetting who we are.
In my nearly ten years working with osteopathic physicians, I’ve learned that your strength lies not just in your clinical skill, but in your philosophy—treating patients as whole people, not just symptoms. That approach is more needed now than ever, as the physician-
patient relationship is challenged by depersonalized systems and outside pressures.
We are entering a new era, and the next generation will one day look back on this moment. They will measure us by our response—by whether we stayed rooted in our values, and whether we had the conviction and courage to lead.
ACOEP is committing to meeting that challenge headon. We are investing in students, creating new leadership pathways, expanding our advocacy voice, and reaffirming our mission: to be the home for emergency medicine physicians who believe in wholeperson care, lifelong learning, and the strength of shared purpose.
We have evolved—but our mission endures. Our ideals, rooted in truth, will not fail unless we abandon them. Now is the time to revive, to lead with clarity, and to recommit—together.
Here’s to the next 50 years of action, unity, and purpose. Let’s build it, together. –•–
Warmly,
Amanda Mahan Executive Director, ACOEP Amandam@affinity-strategies.com
SUBMIT YOUR ACOEP STORIES
As we prepare to celebrate ACOEP’s 50th Anniversary at the 2025 Scientific Assembly, we’re inviting all members to share their memories, reflections, and hopes for the future.
Your stories will help us honor our rich history in the 2026 Summer issue of The Pulse and may be featured during our conference and anniversary celebration.
Hear Peter Bell, DO, FACOEP, along with other ACOEP Past Presidents and members, share their ACOEP stories!
We’d love to hear from you!
Thank you for being part of the ACOEP community and for helping shape its legacy.
Scan/click QR code to tell your story!
Thank You to Our Donors!
$2,500 – Kevin Franks, DO
$1,000 – G. Joseph Beirne, DO, FACOEP-D
$1,000 – Peter Bell, DO, FACOEP-D
$1,000 – Tim Cheslock, DO, FACOEP-D
$1,000 – John Dery, DO, FACOEP-D, FACEP, FAWM
$1,000 – Brandon Lewis, DO, MBA, FACOEP, FACEP
ACOEP is turning 50!
Join us in commemorating five decades of advancing osteopathic emergency medicine. Your donation will help us celebrate our rich history, support our mission, and ensure we continue serving our members, profession, and patients for the next 50 years. We invite you to make a 50th Anniversary Commemorative Contribution and be recognized for your support of ACOEP’s mission and community.
$1,000 – Christopher Posey, Sr., DO, FACOEP
$1,000 – Victoria Selley, MS, DO, FACOEP & Jeremy Selley, DO, FACOEP
$1,000 – Robert Suter, DO, MHA, FACEP, FAAEM, FACOEP-D and Michele Suter
$500 – William Bograkos, MA, DO, FACOEP
$500 – Mark A. Mitchell, DO, MEd, FACOEP-D
$250 – John C. Prestosh, DO, FACOEP-D
Giving Levels and Recognition:
Legacy Leader
$1,000+
Celebrating those who shaped our legacy and lead us forward.
• Access to the ACOEP VIP Lounge at the Anniversary Bash (exclusive seating, early access, lounge perks)
• Name listed on event signage and in The Pulse special anniversary issue
• Special gift commemorating ACOEP’s 50th anniversary
• Recognition on ACOEP website and social media
Founders Circle
$500–$999
Honoring our founders and the foundation they laid for 50 years of impact.
• Name listed in The Pulse anniversary issue
• VIP perks at the Anniversary Event, including early access
• Special edition ACOEP 50th commemorative pin or gift
• Recognition on ACOEP website
Friends of ACOEP $250–$499
For members and friends advancing the next 50 years of EM.
• Special edition ACOEP 50th swag
• Recognition on ACOEP website
Anniversary Supporter $50–$249
Join us in celebrating this milestone moment.
• Admission to the 50th Anniversary Bash on Monday evening (for non-conference attendees; registered attendees receive admission automatically)
• Recognition on ACOEP website as a supporter of our 50th year
• Your contribution supports ACOEP’s ongoing mission and future impact
• Suggested donation of $50 per guest (e.g., $100 for two attendees)
Schedule and Agenda
Pre-Conference Sunday, September 21, 2025
12:30-1:00pm How to Read a Study for the Community Doc
1:00-1:30pm What to Scan and Where to Go in Pediatric Trauma Care
1:30-2:00pm Disaster Response: Lessons Learned
2:00-2:30pm Can I Send the Patient Home on That?
2:30-3:30pm When the Airway is Anatomically and Physiologically Difficult
3:30-4:00pm Routing 9-1-1 Calls: Telehealth Utilization in an EMS System
4:00-4:30pm Managing the Trauma Airway
4:30-5:00pm My Life as a TV Consultant
Day 2 Monday, September 22, 2025
7:00-7:30am A Systematic Approach to the Dizzy Patient
7:30-8:30am Prehospital Near Misses
8:00-8:30am Breakfast in Exhibit Hall
8:30-9:00am Who is Hospice for Anyways?
9:00-9:30am Emergency Diagnosis and Management of Encephalitis: Part I
9:30-10:00am Break in Exhibit Hall
10:00-10:30am Emergency Diagnosis and Management of Encephalitis: Part II
10:30-11:00am EKGs that Scare Me
11:00-11:30am The Value of Values in Goal Directed Decision Making 11:30am-12:00pm From Submersion to Survival: Emergency Care of the Drowning Patient
12:00-1:00pm Lunch
1:00-1:30pm Session Title TBD
1:30-2:00pm The Unshockables: Big 4 Endocrine + Metabolic Arrests: When the Rhythm’s Not the Reason
2:00-2:30pm Communicating with Compassion: Tips and Tricks for Better Communication with Serious Illness
2:30-3:00pm STEMI Equivalents
3:00-3:30pm Break in Exhibit Hall
3:30-4:00pm Brace Yourselves: Thyroid Storm is Coming
4:00-4:30pm Is There a Doctor on Board: In-Flight Emergencies
4:30-5:00pm Session Title TBD
5:00-5:30pm Cardiac Arrest Debrief: What We’re Still Getting Wrong
6:00-8:00pm ACOEP 50th Anniversary Party
Day 3 Tuesday, September 23, 2025
7:00-7:30am Legal Lessons: Part I
7:30-8:00am Session Title TBD
8:00-8:30am Breakfast in Exhibit Hall
8:30-9:30am Cardiometabolic Disease in the ED (AOA Grant Session)
9:30-10:00am Break in Exhibit Hall
10:00-10:30am BRUEs In the ED
10:30-11:00am Legal Lessons: Part II
11:00am-12:00pm ACOEP Member Meeting
12:00-1:00pm Lunch
1:00-1:30pm Ortho Tricks of the Trade
1:30-2:00pm Pediatric DKA
2:00-2:30pm Maximizing Billing and Covering Yourself Legally
2:30-3:00pm Vasculars Access in the ED
3:00-3:30pm Break in Exhibit Hall
3:30-4:00pm Near Misses with the Community Doc
4:00-4:30pm Pediatric Lac Repair Tips and Tricks
4:30-5:00pm ECMO in 2025: Who, What, When, Where, and Why?
Med Ed Workshop Wednesday Sept 24 6-9PM
$400 $450
POCUS Workshop Thursday Sept 25 7:30am-12PM $400 $450
Critical Care Workshop Thursday Sept 25 1-5:30PM $300 $350
Day 4 Wednesday, September 24, 2025
7:00-7:30am Trauma Updates
7:30-8:00am
From Cadavers to Chatbots: How AI is Transforming Medical Practice and Education
8:00-8:30am Breakfast in Exhibit Hall
8:30-9:30am Tales from the Community EM Doc: A Panel
9:30-10:00am Break in Exhibit Hall
10:00-11:00am Keynote Session: You Can’t Stop the Waves But You Can Learn to Surf: Finding FLOW in Emergency Medicine
11:00-11:30am AI in EM Documentation
11:30am-12:00pm POCUS Panel
12:00-1:00pm Lunch
1:00-2:00pm EM Over Easy Live Show
2:00-2:30pm
2:30-3:00pm
Beyond the Golden Hour: Stroke Care in 2025
Balancing the Competing Interests in the ED: Keeping Your Staff and C-Suite Happy
3:00-3:30pm Break in Exhibit Hall
3:30-4:00pm Critical Care Panel
4:00-4:30pm Beyond the Usual: New Tools and Treatments in Acute Neurologic Care
4:30-5:00pm Troubleshooting the Vent
5:00-5:30pm Promoting Healthy Physician/Nurse Communication in the ED
6:00-9:00pm Med Ed Workshop
Day 5 Thursday, September 25, 2025
7:30am-12:00pm POCUS Workshop
1:00-5:30pm Critical Care Workshop
CME Statement:
The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACOEP) is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) to provide osteopathic continuing medical education for physicians. The ACOEP designates this program for a maximum of 37.0 AOA Category 1-A credits and will report CME and specialty credits commensurate with the extent of the physician’s participation in this activity.
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP) and ACOEP. ACOFP is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
ACOFP designates this blended learning activity for a maximum of 37.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
ACOEP RSO BOARD
Savannah Volkert, DO, PGY-2
ACOEP-RSO President
RSO UPDATE
We are excited to provide you with an update on what we have been working on this past semester! The Resident Student Organization continues to look ahead towards building the future of our specialty and our organization.
We have been hosting nearly monthly mentorship calls geared towards our mission of supporting our osteopathic medical student members. These calls have included topics such as “Navigating and Acing Your EM Audition”, “What I Wish I Would Have Known Intern Year”, and a personal statement geared lecture, among other topics. These calls have been well received and well attended by our medical student members.
We continue to host quarterly calls with the “Emergency Medicine Interest Groups” or EMIGs from each osteopathic medical school. In these calls we hold space for medical students from all over the nation to collaborate and share what they have been up to. This strengthens our EMIGs and our specialty as these emerging leaders learn from each other and bring innovative ideas back to their individual schools.
Finally, we are currently looking forward to our fall conference in “Music City” where we have exciting lectures, skills labs, networking happy hours, and a teaching competition planned. We are also excited to present our Fall Leadership Academy
event which will be a CV-worthy experience for students to build relationships, leadership skills, and explore Nashville. We will draw local residents who will be assisting with teaching skills labs and participating in conference events. The RSO cannot wait for this truly smashing 50th anniversary event!
Thanks for listening, and that’s all for now! Cheers! –•–
Savannah Volkert, PGY-1 ACOEP-RSO President Creighton University-Phoenix Resident
Scientific Assembly 2025 RSO Schedule
Day 3 Tuesday, September 23, 2025
7:30-8:00am ACOEP RSO Welcome Address
8:00-8:30am Resident Student OrganizationMentorship Breakfast
8:30-9:00am 5 Habits of Successful Med Student
9:00-9:30am Final Girls: Scream Queens Don’t Cry
9:30-10:00am Break in Exhibit Hall
10:00-10:30am A Quick Vent Sesh: Basics of Vent Management
10:30-11:00am Point-of-Care Ultrasound: Core Skills for the Aspiring EM Physician
12:00-1:00pm Lunch
1:00-1:30pm Board Elections
1:30-5:00pm Skills Lab & Leadership Academy
Day 4 Wednesday, September 24, 2025
7:00-8:00am So You Think You Can Teach
8:30-9:00am Transesophageal Echocardiography: Resuscitation Tools of the Future
9:00-9:30am Intro to Trauma in the ED: Systems, Priorities, and Student Roles
9:30-10:00am Break in Exhibit Hall
11:00-11:30am Beyond the Benign: Headache in the ED
11:30am-12:00pm Event Medicine: Stories and Lessons from the Front Lines
12:00pm Lunch
2:00-5:00pm Residency Fair and Speed Dating
3:30-4:30pm Residency Fair Open Tables
RSO AT THE 2025 SPRING SEMINAR
• Recruit Top Talent: Meet driven and passionate students eager to join Emergency Medicine.
Spots are limited, so register today:
• Build Connections: Participate in our fast-paced Residency Speed Dating session for meaningful, focused interactions, followed by open networking during the tabling hour. Registration is Open Now –Don’t Miss Out!
• Promote Your Program: Share what makes your residency unique in both structured and casual settings.
Here For questions, contact: Janelle DePriest, OMS III Graduate Medical Education Chair, ACOEP-RSO
jdepriest@mail.kansashsc.org | gme.rso@acoep.org
WOMEN’S COMMITTEE UPDATE
A FORCE OF NATURE: WOMEN IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE
Miranda Kennedy, OMS III Student Conference Chair
Motherhood, like medical education, forces you to be adaptable and rapidly teaches you resiliency. The first week with a newborn is about pure survival. The second week is when sleep deprivation begins to set in. And precisely at the witching hour, when you are standing with one eyelid open in a dimly lit kitchen cursing at how slowly the bottle is warming while you soothe your howling newborn, you might ask yourself, “How in the world am I going to keep doing this and work full-time?” Or, “How in the world does anyone do this and work fulltime?” Then you are pummeled by all the questions in retrospect you wish you had addressed months
ago. You find yourself spiraling down the metaphorical rabbit hole thinking, “But I am in medicine, and I am a mom. Shouldn’t I know this, or at least innately know what ‘the right answer’ is?” And it goes on and on, until one day it dawns on you that the idea of “the right answer” is a myth. You don’t realize how important it is to feel the steadfast support from a community of women until you are standing in that dimly lit kitchen at 3 o’clock in the morning. Becoming a mother is a profoundly beautiful form of sacrifice and just one of the many challenges female physicians face. The ACOEP’s Women in EM Committee is filled with inspiring female emergency medicine
“
Becoming a mother is a profoundly beautiful form of sacrifice and just one of the many challenges female physicians face.
physicians, residents, and medical students who champion one another and provide a welcoming community for Women in EM. These are some of their stories.
For more information about joining Women in EM, please visit: https://acoep.org/about-acoep/ committees / –•–
Who are you?
• “I’m a wife and mother of three, a full time nocturnist in the ER, and a less than professional runner, triathlete, gardener and traveler.” (Dr. Nicky Ottens, DO, FACOEP, Former Chair of Women in EM)
• “One person in a big world.” (Dr. Paula DeJesus, DO, MHPE, FACOEP-D, Past President of ACOEP)
• “In the process of retiring. I need to find my non-physician self again.”
(Dr. Christine Giesa, DO, FACOEP-D, Past President of ACOEP, Founder of Women in EM)
• “I’m a woman, mom, wife, daughter, vegan, physician, teacher, and associate dean—each role shaping how I lead, care, and grow.” (Dr. Angela Carrick, DO, FACOEP, FACEP, Costin Scholar)
• “I’m a mom, wife and EM doc. I’m my mom’s daughter in so many ways. I’m the “big” sister and a loyal friend. I am someone who cares for others.”
(Dr. Jacqueline Dziedzic, DO, FACEP, FACOEP, Chair of Women in EM)
What is a significant obstacle you have faced in medicine? How did you overcome it?
• “Getting the opportunity to be in medicine.” (Dr. Paula DeJesus)
• “EM physicians practice in a fishbowl and every specialty thinks they can tell us how to practice - especially when we are young. It takes MANY years, but eventually this practice can be changed. I carried myself with confidence and a quiet countenance…” (Dr. Christine Giesa)
• “I had to work very hard to study and learn material throughout my schooling. It’s taken me a long time to not be ‘slow’. I’ve always tried to connect with my patients so that’s made me a little less efficient but as I gained more confidence in myself, I’ve been able to speed it up some.” (Dr. Jacqueline Dziedzic)
What inspires you?
• “Wanting to be a good role model for my children and to live out the dreams younger me had as a child.” (Dr. Nicky Ottens)
• “…Working beside a young attending on very busy, high acuity day and knowing that I helped train that young physician. As clinical faculty I always said, ‘the day that this is no longer fun, is the day I have to leave.’” (Dr. Christine Giesa)
Why do you love emergency medicine?
• “It’s impromptu nature and being able to see patients that span the ages.” (Dr. Paula DeJesus)
• “I love emergency medicine because it’s where people come seeking answers—and I find deep purpose in helping them find those answers. There’s no better feeling than being able to say, ‘I know what’s going on, and here’s how we can help.’ That moment—of clarity, relief, and direction—is what drives me.” (Dr. Angela Carrick)
What sparked your interest in being a member of the ACOEP’s Women in EM Committee?
• “As one of the original members and first few chairs of the organization, there was a huge need for this committee. Women are the fastest growing demographic in emergency medicine and our needs and roles require a different type of support than our male colleagues. I have been blessed to personally know the pioneering women in our field- Dr Tintinelli, Dr. Giesa, Dr. Willoughby DeJesus, Dr. Sabry, etc. and to be able to follow in their footsteps and stand on their shoulders to raise our organization and our committee to the next level was something I couldn’t pass up.” (Dr. Nicky Ottens)
• “It was the warmth and inclusiveness during a scientific assembly years ago that got me hooked.”
(Dr. Jacqueline Dziedzic)
If you could share a piece of advice with other female osteopathic emergency physicians or aspiring physicians, what would it be?
• “You can have it all. But it may take some time and some rearranging and compromise to get it all. Surround yourself with strong women who want to raise you up not tear you down. Light another woman’s candle- there’s plenty of it to share. Find a supportive partner and build a tribe of people to help you, because you will need their help and it’s OK to let people help you.” (Dr. Nicky Ottens)
• “Be passionate about your life’s work. Advocate for your profession and your pt even if it is not popular. Be true to yourself and your ethics, that is what will sustain you. Be humble, approachable and be teachable.” (Dr. Paula DeJesus)
DR. JACQUELINE DZIEDZIC
DR. NICKY OTTENS
DR. PAULA DEJESUS
DR. CHRISTINE GIESA
DR. ANGELA CARRICK
NEW OFFERING AT SCIENTIFIC
ASSEMBLY
PROVIDED WITH INPUT FROM THE ACOEP WELLNESS COMMITTEE
OSTEOPATHIC EDUCATIONAL SERVICE
Tuesday 9/23 & Wednesday 9/24
9AM-3:30PM
Exhibit Hall
Provided in partnership with the American Academy of Osteopathy (AAO).
ACOEP SPRING
About this free offering:
• The AAO’s Osteopathic Education Service provides personalized hands-on demonstrations of osteopathic manipulative treatment. DOs from all specialties are invited to volunteer and demonstrate their diagnostic and treatment techniques. Volunteers receive 0.5 credit of AOA Category 1-B CME for each demonstration. All attendees are invited to take
SEMINAR INTRODUCES
AESTHETICS WORKSHOP TO EXPAND EM PRACTICE OPTIONS
advantage of OES to learn more about osteopathic manipulative medicine.
• To volunteer or ask questions, please contact Llarse Clemons at membership@ academyofosteopathy.org
At the 2025 Spring Seminar, more than 20 emergency physicians participated in ACOEP’s first-ever Aesthetics Workshop—designed to help EM docs expand their skill set and explore new practice opportunities. The session combined clinical didactics, hands-on product demonstrations (in partnership with Merz), and business insights from Moxie to offer a comprehensive introduction to aesthetic medicine. This innovative session marks the beginning of an ongoing effort to help emergency physicians diversify their careers and elevate their professional toolkit.
We plan to expand these offerings at future events. Let us know if you have suggestions!
Are You Following EM Over Easy?
Make sure to listen to the official podcast of ACOEP wherever you listen to podcasts. Listen Now!
ACOEP PRACTICE ADVOCACY COMMITTEE
By Jeremy Selley, DO, FACOEP Chair, ACOEP Practice Advocacy Committee
PRACTICE ADVOCACY COMMITTEE UPDATE
STAYING SANE IN THIS CRAZY WORLD OF POLITICS
ACOEP was formed 50 years ago, in 1975, by leaders in our field that recognized the need. Today, we all need to stand up to help the US Congress pass legislation that will positively impact and sustain physician reimbursement and the ability to provide life sustaining care for the next 50 years.
In 2024 the US election resulted in re-electing D.J. Trump and Republicans regaining control of the US Senate and keeping control of the US House. It was clearly evident from the beginning of the administration that nobody wanted to make waves and be labeled as “trouble makers.” July 4, 2025 the “Big Beautiful Bill,” President Trump’s key piece of congressional legislation, was signed into law. This legislation resulted in the scale back of Medicaid in states that participated in the recent expansion. The downstream effect is millions more patients are now without Medicaid and will show up to our EDs for care that will need to be provided “regardless of ability to pay.” Additionally, there was no “Doc Fix” to the Physician Fee Schedule included in the BBB. We still need help! Now that the BBB has been signed into law, we are hopeful we can get some relief during this Congress.
The RAND report was released in April 2025 and has four takehome messages:
1. EM Physicians provide twothirds (66%) of all uninsured acute care, even though we only represent 4% of physicians.
2. Independent and larger groups are at increased financial risk. Commercial insurance reimbursement fell 10.9% for in-network care and 3.8% for Medicare and Medicaid payments from 2018-2022 only, per the study. CMS also fell another 2% in 2023, 1.69% in 2024 and 2.8% in 2025 for 6.49% or 10.29% from 2018-2025.
3. With the existing payment model EM Physicians provide $5.9 billion in uncompensated care.
4. New policy solutions are necessary to ensure fair timely reimbursement for EM services including EMTALA related care, disaster care and preparedness, public health prevention that we provide that the CMS fee schedule was never designed for.
Make a goal TODAY to email or call your US House and US Senate offices to speak to their Healthcare Legislative Aide and state you are a EM Physician Constituent and ask how you can be of service. State you would like to go over the RAND report with them and how critical the service is we provide and how fragile the system is and that we need their help today! –•–
ADVOCACY & INVOLVEMENT LINKS
ACOEP ADVOCACY UPDATES
acoep.org/advocacy-update
JOIN THE PRACTICE ADVOCACY COMMITTEE
acoep.org/about-acoep/committees
DONATE TO A PAC
NEMPAC (ACEP) | OPAC (AOA)
KNOW YOUR LEGISLATORS
Find Your Rep/Senator
ATTEND NATIONAL ADVOCACY EVENTS
D.O. Day on the Hill (AOA)
ACEP Leadership & Advocacy Conference
TAKE ACTION NOW
ACEP 911 Grassroots Network
AOA Grassroots Action Center
A community built by DOs, for DOs
A first-of-its-kind digital hub and online community fostering connection, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing to strengthen the shared philosophy and values that define the osteopathic profession.
TWO LIVE FEATURES INSIGHTS
1
Search and compare osteopathic residency programs all in one place, featuring the latest public data and real time input from residents and program directors to help make a well-informed decision on your career path.
MENTOR PROGRAM
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State of the art technology pairs mentees & mentors together to create meaningful and long-lasting relationships with the opportunity for 1:1 matching or 1 to many. WHAT IS IT?
HOW CAN YOU JOIN? WHO IS IT FOR?
Scan the QR code below to become part of this dynamic community today!
Students, residents, fellows, early career and practicing DOs, and program directors.
www.aoiassn.org/emergingdo
FOEM Spring Competition Award Winners
1ST PLACE
2ND PLACE
Taylor, D.O.; Rachelle Pichot; Renee Dryer; and Matthew Hysell, M.D.
“Effect of Racial Discordance Upon Smoking Cessation Between Advisors and Emergency Department Patients”
John Ashurst,
HONORING 27 YEARS OF ADVANCING OSTEOPATHIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE:
Twenty-seven years ago, a small group of visionary osteopathic emergency physicians set out to change the future of their specialty. They saw the need for a dedicated space to support research, education, and leadership development within osteopathic emergency medicine—and in 1998, they founded the Foundation for Osteopathic Emergency Medicine (FOEM). Since then, FOEM has become a cornerstone of academic and professional development in the field, helping generations of students, residents, and earlycareer physicians turn curiosity into discovery and potential into purpose.
A Platform for Discovery
Research has always been at the heart of FOEM’s mission. Over the years, the Foundation has provided critical support through research grants, academic competitions, and funded research internships that allow trainees to engage in hands-on investigation early in their careers. For many, these programs represent their first steps into academic medicine— and the launchpad for a lifelong contribution to emergency care.
In recent years, FOEM has also developed a Research Network that unites emergency medicine programs together with a common goal. By encouraging multi-center collaboration, the network helps strengthen the scientific foundation of emergency medicine and enables broader, more impactful studies across institutions. One compelling illustration of this network’s power was the publication of the study “Multisite assessment of emergency medicine residents’ knowledge of evidence-based medicine” in the Journal of Osteopathic Medicine.
Further amplifying scholarly voices, ACOEP and FOEM have partnered with the Western Journal of Emergency Medicine (WestJEM), creating new avenues for research dissemination and peer-reviewed publication. Through this collaboration, the work of FOEM-supported researchers reaches an even wider audience and contributes to the evidence base shaping emergency medicine practice nationwide.
Showcasing Talent and Inspiring Growth
One of FOEM’s most visible and impactful contributions comes through its national competitions. Every year at the ACOEP Scientific Assembly and Spring Seminar, students, residents, and attending physicians take the stage to present their original research, clinical cases, and innovative ideas. From the Case Study Poster Competition to the prestigious Clinical Pathological Case (CPC) Contest, these events not only celebrate academic excellence, but they build confidence, visibility, and community within the profession.
As FOEM celebrates its 27th anniversary, the Foundation looks back on more than two decades of impact and ahead to an even more promising future. From funding research interns and building research infrastructure, to expanding academic partnerships and mentoring future leaders, FOEM continues to uphold its founding vision with clarity and purpose.
What began as a dream in 1998 has grown into a thriving network of researchers, educators, and leaders, all united by a shared commitment to advancing osteopathic emergency medicine.
Meet FOEM’s Summer Research Intern: Kiratpreet Sraa, OMS-II
As the 2025 FOEM Research Fellow, Kiratpreet Sraa, OMS-II at Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, conducted a retrospective review of 180 central line placements in the emergency department to assess how patient-specific factors influence line selection and mechanical complications. The study examined associations between vein site, laterality, comorbidities, and the occurrence of complications such as pneumothorax, hematoma, and arterial puncture. While the right internal jugular (RIJ) vein was the most commonly selected site, it also
accounted for the highest number of documented complications.
The project was completed through the Foundation of Osteopathic Emergency Medicine (FOEM) Summer Research Internship under the mentorship of Dr. John Ashurst at Kingman Regional Medical Center. Sraa’s findings support existing literature on the value of ultrasound guidance while emphasizing the importance of individualized line placement strategy and limiting the number of insertion attempts. Her research adds to the growing body of work advocating for patient-centered procedural decision-making in emergency medicine and highlights opportunities to further reduce iatrogenic risk.
THE FOEM LEGACY
SPRING SEMINAR PHOTO FLASHBACK!
Thank You for an Unforgettable 2025 Spring Seminar!
A huge thank you to our attendees, speakers, and presenters for making this year’s Spring Seminar one to remember! From engaging Hippo Education sessions to a full day dedicated to the best in emergency medicine podcasts, this event was packed with learning, connection, and innovation.
We saw hands-on workshops, two full days of Resident Student Organization (RSO) programming, and a residency fair that welcomed over 30 programs. The excitement continued with four FOEM competitions, showcasing the next generation of emergency medicine leaders, and we capped it all off with an inspiring awards and fellowship ceremony.
We’re already looking ahead to Spring Seminar 2026 in Orlando, Florida April 19-23—don’t miss out! Register now to take advantage of early bird savings! Register Here
Stay connected with the ACOEP family and enhance your networking opportunities by following us on social media! Whether you’re seeking to foster professional relationships, explore exciting events like our Scientific Assembly and Spring Seminar, or connect with fellow emergency medicine professionals, our social media channels offer a vibrant community and valuable updates. Join us as we build a supportive network that celebrates growth and collaboration in emergency medicine.
Follow us today and be part of our journey toward collective success!
