January-February 2004

S A E M

NEWSLETTER

901 North Washington Ave. Lansing, MI 48906-5137 (517) 485-5484 saem@saem.org www.saem.org

Newsletter of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

January/February 2004 Volume XVI, Number 1

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Call for Nominations That Time of Year…

As you read this issue, you’ve likely finished many yearly traditions: Thanksgiving meal, holiday shopping, holiday parties, holiday shift changes, and celebration of your December holiday(s). Another traditional event is coming soon….SAEM Donald M. Yealy, MD abstract preparation and submission (followed by evaluation and selection in the ensuing month.) This January tradition – like those noted above – can bring joy and anxiety.

First, a brief description of the tradition in my house: No matter how many times I promise to ‘I will not wait until the last minute’, I do. No matter how often I say ‘that is it – the abstract is done!’, it’s not. No matter how often I submit or present, telling myself ‘I know getting accepted (or rejected), won’t change my life’, I feel angst at submission time and notification time. In short – as a long time member, abstract presenter, abstract reviewer, session moderator, Program Committee Chair, and current President, I do and feel things similar to what you are (or will be) feeling. I’m betting most of my Board of Director colleagues and fellow members experience it too, albeit quietly and with varying details and intensity. Why do we do this?

I think the answer is clear: the SAEM Annual Meeting is the best opportunity to showcase our scholarly thoughts, achievements and ideas. The Annual Meeting was how SAEM (and its predecessor organizations) ‘came to be’. Although SAEM currently boasts a large and diverse membership, many committees, task forces and interest groups, a world class journal, a wonderful and growing web site….we still all look to the Annual Meeting as ‘the time and place’ to share science and education thoughts.

The Annual Meeting is created by humans (the Program Committee) for humans (all of us). Inherent in that is the possibility for greatness – choices in sessions, abstracts, speakers and events – and for disappointment.

The latter is the result of the need – given time and space limits to make priority decisions. Those decisions – by colleagues doing the best in a tough position – sometimes seem harsh, especially if rejection of an offering is the decision. I felt and feel the anxiety that is a natural outgrowth of that combined excellence, human touch and potential for rejection. Like many, submissions I thought (continued on next page)

Deadline: February 5, 2004 Nominations are sought for the SAEM elections which will be held in the spring of 2004. The Nominating Committee will select a slate of nominees based on the following criteria: previous service to SAEM, leadership potential, interpersonal skills, and the ability to advance the broad interests of the membership and academic emergency medicine. Interested members are encouraged to review the appropriate SAEM orientation guidelines at www.saem.org to consider the responsibilities and expectations of an SAEM elected position.

The Nominating Committee wishes to consider as many candidates as possible and whenever possible will select more than one nominee for each position. Nominations may be submitted by the candidate or any SAEM member and should include the candidate’s CV and a cover letter describing the candidate’s qualifications and previous SAEM activities. Nominations must be submitted electronically to saem@saem.org and are sought for the following positions: President-elect: The President-elect serves one year as Presidentelect, one year as President, and one year as Past President.

Candidates are usually members of the Board of Directors.

Secretary/Treasurer: The Secretary/Treasurer will be elected for a three-year term on the Board. Candidates are often members of the Board of Directors.

Board of Directors: Three members will be elected to the Board.

Two members will be elected to three-year terms and one member will be elected to a one-year term. Candidates should have a track record of excellent service and leadership on SAEM committees and task forces.

Resident Board Member: The resident member is elected to a one-year term. Candidates must be a resident during the entire term on the Board (May 2004-May 2005) and should demonstrate evidence of strong interest and commitment to academic emergency medicine. Nominations should include a letter of support from the candidate’s residency director.

Nominating Committee: One member will be elected to a two-year term. The Nominating Committee selects the recipients of the SAEM awards and develops the slate of nominees for the elected positions. Candidates should have considerable experience and leadership on SAEM committees and task forces.

Constitution and Bylaws Committee: One member will be elected to a three-year term, the final year as the chair of the Committee.

The Committee reviews the Constitution and Bylaws and makes recommendations to the Board for amendments to be considered by the membership. Candidates should have considerable experience and leadership on SAEM committees and task forces.

President’s Message

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were ‘can’t miss’ were not accepted.

So why make this a President’s Message? (And more importantly, what is the message?) SAEM needs your involvement – your willingness to submit, to participate, to engage….even if your offering doesn’t meet the current threshold.Your willingness to submit – to wonder about word counts, syntax, structured sections, online submission

rules and the evaluation of all that – allows us to have the best science. If your work does not get accepted, realize you are not alone and that because of the human factor, the work and your effort to share it still has value. Attend the meeting, listen and probe, and find the seeds for the next submission.

I look forward to you embarking on ‘the January SAEM tradition’. The angst

is because of the collective effort and desire to participate in the excellence of the Annual Meeting; no matter what happens with an individual submission, you will be a part of that product by submitting and attending. In the meantime, try to get started early and submit ahead of the deadline….(do as I say, not as I do!)

Nominating Committee Seeks Candidates for Leadership Award and Academic Excellence Award Jill Baren, MD University of Pennsylvania SAEM Nominating Committee One of the highlights of our Annual Meeting is the presentation of the Leadership and Academic Excellence Awards during the Society’s Business Meeting. The individuals selected to receive these awards are honored for their contributions to our society and to Emergency Medicine at large. As the recipients are introduced, we sit in admiration of their accomplishments and their tireless dedication in the areas of research, education, leadership, and service. In the process, we often become motivated to achieve more in our own careers as we aspire to their ideals.

Do you know if an individual whose work in Emergency Medicine has greatly influenced or motivated others?

Someone who has contributed to the development and advancement of our specialty? The Nominating Committee of SAEM encourages you to make us aware of potential candidates for consideration of these two awards by composing a letter of nomination on their behalf. Information on the selection criteria and the nomination process for these awards can be found on the SAEM website in the November/December edition of the Newsletter. Any current member may put forth a nomination. Please take some time to think about honoring a deserving colleague or mentor in this capacity. Deadline for receipt of nomination letters is February 3, 2004.

Call for Nominations Deadline: February 3, 2004 Nominations are sought for the Hal Jayne Academic Excellence Award and the Leadership Award. These awards will be presented during the SAEM Annual Business Meeting in Orlando. Nominations for honorary membership for those who have made exceptional contributions to emergency medicine are also sought. The Nominating Committee wishes to consider as many exceptional candidates as possible. Nominations may be submitted by the candidate or any SAEM member.

Nominations should include a copy of the candidate’s CV and a cover letter describing his/her qualifications. Nominations must be sent electronically to saem@saem.org. The awards and criteria are described below:

Academic Excellence Award

B. Other research publications (e.g., review articles, book chapters, editorials) C. Research support generated through grants and contracts D. Peer-reviewed research presentations E. Honors and awards

The Hal Jayne Academic Excellence Award is presented to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to emergency medicine through research, education, and scholarly accomplishments. Candidates will be evaluated on their accomplishments in emergency medicine, including: 1. Teaching A. Didactic/Bedside B. Development of new techniques of instruction or instructional materials C. Scholarly works D. Presentations E. Recognition or awards by students, residents, or peers 2. Research and Scholarly Accomplishments A. Original research in peer-reviewed journals

Leadership Award The Leadership Award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership in academic emergency medicine. Candidates will be evaluated on their leadership contributions including: 1. Emergency medicine organizations and publications.

2. Emergency medicine academic productivity.

3. Growth of academic emergency medicine.

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Letter to the Editor: November/December President’s Message Donald R. Morath, MD Advocate Christ Medical Center Thank you for the opportunity to participate in the discussion about strategies to increase dollars available to support research and researchers in academic emergency medicine.

You pose two basic questions in the Presidents Message in the SAEM Newsletter, Vol. XV, Number 6. I would offer a synthesis of those two questions, and then provide my response, based on 30 years of experience in dealing with the pharmaceutical industry as a practitioner and manager of physician practices. My response will not reflect any knowledge of the impact of accepting funds from foundations or governmental agencies, especially non-profits that are in no way linked to any vested self-interest in the outcomes of research.

I would humbly suggest that the question is this: Can SAEM solicit and accept money from pharmaceutical firms and/or manufacturers of medical devices utilized in the provision of emergency medical care in a way that advances the mission of SAEM without continuous and pervasive concern about whether that acceptance of money influences the outcome of research in academic emergency medicine?

My response is this: If the pharmaceutical company and/or medical device manufacturer is willing to contribute funds to an

unrestricted pool of grant funds entirely controlled by SAEM, that would be a good starting point. If the benefactor had no control or influence (i.e., the beneficiary was “blinded” to the source of the funds, except for the funds being from SAEM), that would be a great second point. If the editors and reviewers of the journals to which any articles were submitted were blinded to the source of the funds that would be an important third point.

Whether any funds would be forthcoming from a pharmaceutical company and/or manufacturer of medical devices would, of course, be directly related to their intent in making such monies available. A historical view on this issue appears to reinforce that the intent of many, if not most, of these companies has been to use research as a means to introduce new products into the mainstream of practice. Even accepting that this intent is purely motivated, i.e., to improve the outcomes of care, that intent is based only on a belief, until substantiated through scientifically designed medical research.

I will close with a quote from Thomas Aquinas: “The end never justifies the means.” Thank you for your consideration of my thoughts on this matter.

Letter to the Editor: Regional Meetings Charlene Irvin, MD St. John Hospital and Medical Center all over the country (Washington DC, New York and Arizona).

I am fortunate that my institution allows financial resources for resident travel to outside meetings if they are presenters.

This allowed the residents a chance to travel, discuss their research projects, and get to know EM in different areas of the country. They also were given the chance to present their projects; something that I believe is an invaluable experience. I think they all viewed research much more favorably after this opportunity. They learned a lot, and I believe they grew a lot.

I believe this new system for abstract submission to regional meetings simultaneously with the national meeting is a valuable improvement. I applaud SAEM for their continued innovative vision.

The regional SAEM meetings offer a rewarding opportunity for resident research presentations. Last year’s new computerized submission system made submissions to the regional SAEM meetings easier than ever. They were just a click away when submitting to the national SAEM meeting.

So, I took advantage of this system, and was fortunate enough to enjoy the Mid-Atlantic, the New York and the Western regional meetings. I took at least three residents with me to each meeting, and I found the experience very rewarding. My residents were able to mingle with many of the great leaders in our specialty, in a much smaller forum. They also had the chance to meet other residents and researchers from

Call for Submissions Innovations in Emergency Medicine Education Exhibits Deadline: February 11, 2004 The Program Committee is accepting Innovations in Emergency Medicine Education (IEME) Exhibits for consideration of presentation at the 2004 SAEM Annual Meeting, May 16-19, 2004 in Orlando. Submitters are invited to complete an application describing an innovative new educational methodology that they have designed, or an innovative educational application of an existing product. The exhibit should not be used to display a commercial product that is already available and being used in its intended application. Exhibits will be selected based on utility, originality, and applicability to the teaching setting. Commercial support of innovations is permitted but must be disclosed. IEME exhibits will not be published in Academic Emergency Medicine with other abstracts, but will be published in the on-site program. However, if submitters have conducted a research project on or using the innovation, the project may be written up as a scientific abstract and submitted for scientific review in the appropriate subject category by the January 6 deadline.

The deadline for submission of IEME Exhibit applications is Wednesday, February 11, 2004 at 5:00 pm Eastern Time. Only online submissions using the form on the SAEM website at www.saem.org will be accepted. For further information or questions, contact SAEM at saem@saem.org or 517-485-5484 or via fax at 517-485-0801.

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Committee and Task Force Selection Process Begins Carey Chisholm, MD Indiana University SAEM President-elect Unlike the usual academic year that drives our individual and institutional planning and goals, SAEM’s planning is driven by our May Annual Meeting deadline. Therefore much of our annual planning occurs during the winter months. The most important component of this is the development of realistic objectives for our committees and assignment of special needs projects to task forces.

Committees serve as the true workhorses of our organization. Their work determines how well SAEM will advance our mission statement during the upcoming year. These efforts are led by talented individuals serving as committee chairs who effectively coordinate the volunteer spirit of our members assigned to their committees. The work each year focuses on a number of specific objectives. Although ultimately assigned by the President-elect, these objectives are developed by soliciting ideas from the entire membership, as well as current and prior committee chairs and members. The Board of Directors carefully reviews these assignments, which are finalized in the early spring. Redundancies of effort, coordination and resource allocation all are considered as objectives are finalized.

Task Forces are unique entities developed by the President-elect in coordination with the Board of Directors to address a specific focused issue in a timely manner. Notice the hallmark of “specific” and “timely”. SAEM relies on task forces to deliver recommendations to the Board about these issues in order to improve future organizational decisions within that topic area. At times, a task force is requested to produce a very time sensitive product for the organization. A successful task force usually accomplishes its objectives within one calendar year and almost always within two calendar years. Done properly, a task force works itself out of existence in a short time period.

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and procedural sedation, taken for granted by our current residents as an expected part of their training, would never have occurred without the work done in the not so distant past. Dissemination of new knowledge through the educators within our organization is the second critical component of the change of practice at the bedside.

Thus members who wish to increase their ability to define the future practice of EM should consider committee/task force involvement.

You have special knowledge/skills or interests in a committee/task force work area. Often more junior members are afraid to volunteer because they “lack expertise” in an area. However, if you have the time, are willing to do the work, and have a passion for that area, you are often exactly what a committee/task force chair really needs.

And through doing a good job, you open future prospects for more involvement and contributions.

Why Should You Not Become a Committee or Task Force Member? ● You are overextended already. Committee and task force membership entails significant time commitments in order to address all assigned objectives. Before you volunteer, look at your existing commitments and decide which you will be able to stop doing in order to participate in the new activities. If you fail to take this critical step, all efforts will come from your personal/family time. Or you will find that you cannot make that sacrifice, thereby being an ineffective member of the committee/task force.

Ultimately your good intentions actually harm the organization. ● You heard it looks good on your CV. Yes, P&T committees do often expect you to demonstrate involvement in national organizations. The key word is “involvement”.

Remember that committee/task force chairs are required to honestly assess your individual contributions towards the objectives. Showing up on paper, without making the work commitment that follows, may close the door to you for future appointments within the organization.

Conversely, that chair may serve as an invaluable catalyst for you to expand your contributions, or even be a terrific target to write a letter to the P&T committee supporting a future promotion. ● You have your own “pet project” and hope to advance your work in that area. Remember that the assessment of success of a committee/task force is how well and whether or not it met the assigned objectives. While your ideas may indeed be important, there is a defined mechanism to assign objectives to committees/task force.

Advancing one’s personal agenda often detracts from the ability to accomplish the assigned tasks.

Why Should You Become a Committee or Task Force Member? ● You believe in SAEM’s mission statement: “to improve patient care by advancing research and education in emergency medicine”. A desire to serve the organization in its mission as opposed to using the organization to further one’s career really is the defining issue here. If you believe in who we are and what we are hoping to do, we want you on a committee or task force. ● You wish to assist in defining the future practice of your specialty. Our specialty is developed and advanced in academic institutions. Ours is a special and unique tasking, critical to the future of our specialty and the patients we serves. We are responsible for teaching and developing the next generation of EM practitioners and researchers. We define the future practice of our specialty through the work of our members, both with SAEM activities and at our academic institutions. The creation of new knowledge (research) allows our specialty to progress and better serve our patients. Advances were made feasible only through the efforts of physicians like you working in academic institutions and disseminating their information through peer reviewed publications.

“Routine” practices such as rapid sequence intubation

How Do I Get Assigned to a Committee/task force? ● First, I would ask you to be introspective about the information above (particularly the realistic time commitment). ● Second, review the SAEM mission statement, 5-year plan, and current committee and task force objectives.

Where do your talents and skills lie? What can you con(continued on next page) 4

Committee and Task Force Selection Process

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tribute? What areas should SAEM consider for future efforts (all members can submit recommendations for objectives, but NOW is the time to do so for the upcoming year’s cycle)?

Third, everyone who desires appointment MUST complete the Committee/TF Interest Form available online at www.periwinkle.net/saem/intform.html. This includes currently assigned members as well! Remember committee composition is rotated over several years involving approximately one-third of the members each year. This assures that all SAEM members who desire to participate can do so. It infuses fresh ideas and energy, and allows identification of members with leadership potential or special skills. While invariably disappointing to some members who are not reassigned, this practice has served SAEM very well over the years and is a criti-

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cal component of individual member development.

Reassignment also is influenced heavily by the chair’s evaluation of an individual’s productivity, timeliness, responsivity and overall contributions. If you did little (or none) of the work in your objective area, were late in accomplishing what you did, and required repetitive emails and phone calls from the chair, you shouldn’t be surprised when you are not reappointed.

Fourth, when submitting your interest form, please make your case for appointment. SAEM is a large organization, and I unfortunately do not personally know every member’s skills and talents. While track record goes a long way for those currently serving, the interest form will be a major factor in appointment decisions for all members.

SAEM’s mission has never been more critical for the lives of our patient population. We are charged with defining the future practice of EM, and efficiently developing dissemination vehicles for that new knowledge. If you believe, I’d like to place you on the team. See you in Orlando!

2004 Annual Meeting Update Judd E. Hollander, MD University of Pennsylvania Chair, 2004 Program Committee Deb Houry, MD Emory University Chair, Didactic Subcommittee Jeff Kline, MD Carolinas Medical Center Chair, Scientific Subcommittee The Program Committee has been working hard to organize the 2004 Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, which will be held May 16-19, with pre-day activities on May 15. The meeting promises to once again have high quality didactic and scientific sessions along with ample opportunity for networking with your national and international colleagues.

This year, the Didactic subcommittee received 64 didactic proposal submissions. The review process was analogous to that used by scientific journals.

Each proposal underwent primary review by a subcommittee. Proposals that fit within the mission of SAEM and were well developed were provisionally accepted or distributed to the full Program Committee for evaluation. After committee review, proposals fell into one of three categories: accept, discussion by the full committee or unable to accept. After face-toface discussion during a Program Committee meeting during the ACEP Scientific Assembly in Boston, more than 50 hours of programming have been accepted for presentation.

The Program Committee is pleased to announce several new didactic tracks.

The meeting will host a leadership development series aimed at mid and upperlevel EM academicians. This track includes such sessions as Becoming a Leader in the Medical School Dean’s Office, Mid-level Faculty Career Development and How to Become a Chairperson. SAEM obtained an AHRQ grant to coordinate a 3-part session on Responsible Conduct of Research. This series will cover protection of human and animal subjects, authorship, publication rights, and scientific misconduct.

A 3-part series on educational research will be featured. The Annual Meeting will also feature a variety of courses on research including Introduction to Statistics, Exploring and Analyzing Survey Data, and Creating and Developing High-Quality Data Collection Instruments. SAEM will once again offer the Medical Student Symposia and Chief Residents Forum as full day events. The SAEM Board has approved a pre-day symposia on the Business of Medicine that will be conducted by physician managers from the University of Michigan utilizing real life examples from their institution. This course includes content on the basic economics of health care, cost accounting, operations management, finance, risk management, and physician leadership (see page 23). With the breadth of courses being offered, there should be plenty of courses to suit all of our members’ interests.

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In an effort to make the Annual Meeting planning more inclusive, the Program Committee issued a call for new abstract reviewers in the SAEM Newsletter. Twenty-one individuals submitted curriculum vitae for review. An adhoc subcommittee of the Program Committee determined that 17 of the applicants had sufficient research experience to qualify to review at least one area. Additionally, the ad-hoc committee used the Medline database to log the publication history of all persons who have previously reviewed abstracts for SAEM. The criterion for qualification to review an abstract category was two firstauthored peer-review full-length research or multiple nonresearch publications generally pertinent to the category. One hundred-thirty six persons qualified to review at least one abstract category. With the addition of these 17 reviewers, SAEM now has a total pool of 153 qualified abstract reviewers. The Program Committee would like to thank the members of the ad-hoc committee. They were Deborah Diercks, Sean Henderson, Debra Houry, Alan Jones, Jeffrey Kline, O. John Ma, Craig Newgard, and Gary Vilke. By the time you are reading this article, the entire Program Committee should be hard at work reviewing an anticipated 1000 abstract submissions.

The bottom line is that the Annual Meeting planning is coming along. Put May 16-19 on your schedule requests and join us in Orlando.

Academic Announcements SAEM members are encouraged to submit Academic Announcements on promotions, research funding, and other items of interest to the SAEM membership. Submissions must be sent to saem@saem.org by February 1, 2004 to be included in the March/April issue.

The Emory University School of Medicine Department of Emergency Medcine is proud to announce the promotion of five faculty members to the rank of Associate Professor: Douglas Ander, MD, Director of Medical Student Education; Leon Haley, MD, MHSA, Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs and Deputy Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs, Grady Health System; Sheryl Heron, MD, MPH, Associate Residency Director; Philip Shayne, MD, Residency Director; and Arthur Yancey, MD, MPH, Medical Director of the Fulton County Office of Emergency Medical Services.

Barbara Barnett, MD, has been named Program Director of the Combined EM/IM Residency Program at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. Dr. Barnett is an Assistant Professor in Emergency Medicine and Assistant Professor in Internal Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

William G. Barsan, MD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Michigan, has been elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.

Institute of Medicine members are chosen for their major contributions to health and medicine or to related fields such as social and behavioral sciences, law, administration, and economics.

Michael D. Burg, MD, Program Director of the Emergency Medicine Residency Program at the University of CaliforniaFresno, is on sabbatical, during which time he is serving as the Program Director of the Emergency Medicine Residency Program at the Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis (Hospital) in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Frederick C. Blum, MD, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Pediatrics and Internal Medicine at the West Virginia University, has been elected vice president of the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Michael E. Chansky, MD, was one of 11 faculty from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey inducted into the Master Educators

Guild. The title of "Master Educator" is conferred by the University to recognize outstanding contributions to education, including classroom instruction, hospital setting, and mentoring. The Guild and is members initiate and promote curricular and faculty development, new educational programs, individual or collaborative educational research, scholarship, and innovative methods of teaching. Dr. Chansky is Associate Professor and Chair of Emergency Medicine at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School/ Camden.

Gregory P. Conners, MD, MPH, MBA, has been elected vice-chair and chairelect of the Association of American Medical Colleges Group on Baccalaureate-MD Programs.

Dr. Conners is Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Emergency Medicine for Academic Affairs at the University of Rochester and directs the eight-year "Rochester Early Medical Scholars" Baccalaureate-MD Combined Program.

Mark Debard, MD, has been elected Council Speaker of the American College of Emergency Physicians. Dr. Debard is a Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine at Ohio State University.

Mark Henry, MD, has been elected to the Administrative Board of the Council of Academic Societies of the Association of American Medical Colleges. Dr. Henry is the chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Debra Houry, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine and Associate Director for the Center for Injury Control at Emory University was recently awarded a three year R-49 grant from the CDC ($899,998) to look at the safety of identifying victims and perpetrators in the ED using computer-based screening. Karin Rhodes, MD, is a co-investigator on this grant. Dr. Rhodes is an Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago and Director of Health Services Research in the Section of Emergency Medicine.

Richard C. Hunt, MD, has accepted the position of Director, Division of Injury and Disability Outcomes and Programs, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Hunt was formerly Professor and Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine at the State University of New York Upstate Medical University.

Brian F. Keaton, MD, has been elected secretary-treasurer of the American College of Emergency Physicians. Dr. Keaton is a professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine at Northeastern Ohio University.

Eric F. Reichman, MD, has been named Director of the Emergency Medicine Residency Program at the University of Texas, Houston. Dr. Reichman is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

Earl Reisdorff, MD, has been appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Tommy Thompson, to the Council on Graduate Medical Education (COGME).

COGME serves as an advisory panel for the Senate, House of Representatives, and Executive branch (specifically the DHHS) on such key issues as workforce needs, GME funding, and workforce diversity. Dr. Reisdorff is the Director of Medical Education at Ingham Regional Medical Center in Lansing, MI. The Douglas A. Rund Award has been established by The Ohio State University Department of Emergency Medicine. The award will recognize the achievements of a current or former faculty member of the Department of Emergency Medicine who has contributed in an exemplary way toward the Department's growth and reputation.

The award was announced by Dr. Rund's colleagues at the department's recent 25th anniversary. (continued on next page)

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Academic Announcements

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Sarah A. Stahmer, MD, was nominated by faculty and medical students and inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School/Camden. Dr. Stahmer is an Associate Professor and Director of the Emergency Medicine Residency Program at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School/Camden.

Robert E. Suter, DO, MHA, has been elected president-elect of the American College of Emergency Physicians. Dr. Suter holds appointments as an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of TexasSouthwestern, the Medical College of Georgia, and the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences.

Matthew J. Walsh, MD, was awarded the Dean's Distinguished Service Award on November 18, 2003. Dr. Walsh is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Texas Tech University.

SAEM/ACMT Michael P. Spadafora Medical Toxicology Scholarship Winners Selected Leslie R. Dye, MD Wright State University Dr. Michael P. Spadafora was an academic emergency physician and medical toxicologist who was a member of SAEM and the American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) and was dedicated to resident education. After his death in October 1999, a scholarship was established in his name. The purpose of the scholarship is to encourage Emergency Medicine residents to pursue Medical Toxicology fellowship training. Two awards are provided – one funded by SAEM and one by ACMT, each for $1250. The money will support travel, meeting registration, meals, and lodging for the attendance of the annual North American Association of Clinical Toxicology (NAACT) meeting in Chicago.

Applicants submitted a curriculum vitae, letter of support from the program director, letter of recommendation from an active member of SAEM and/or ACMT, and an essay describing the interest in medical toxicology. There were 13 excellent candidates with complete applications. A selection committee

consisting of six members of SAEM and/or ACMT scored each candidate. The two with the highest scores were chosen to receive the scholarship.

The winners are Dr. Jeff Ferguson and Dr. Kjell Lindgren.

Dr. Ferguson is an emergency medicine resident at the University of Virginia. In 2002, he received the Medical Student Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award through the University of Virginia. He presented his research on “Contaminants of Moonshine” at a regional SAEM conference this year. Dr. Lindgren is an emergency medicine resident at Hennepin County Medical Center. He was a member of the United States Air Force and has done research on altitude medicine. Each recipient will submit a summary of the ACMT scientific symposium and the ACMT practice symposium for publication in the SAEM Newsletter and IJMT. Congratulations to both winners.

What’s New on the Medical Student Website?

Steve McLaughlin, MD Undergraduate Education Committee Wendy Coates, MD, Chair Undergraduate Education Committee The SAEM Medical Student Website is a wonderful resource for medical students interested in emergency medicine and for faculty involved with medical student mentoring and education. The SAEM Undergraduate Education Committee and the new SAEM Web Editor, Dave Nicolaou, are planning a number of exciting changes to our website this year.

One of the most striking changes will be a completely revised and improved look and organizational structure. Thanks to Dave for all of his hard work! The updated website will feature articles of interest to students at all levels of training, the Virtual Advisor Program, links to other interesting web sites, and much more.

There have been two new articles added to the current website. The first is a review of summer activities for medical students interested in emergency medicine written by Steve

McLaughlin, MD, Associate Program Director at the University of New Mexico.

The article can be found at http://www.saem.org/inform/summer.pdf. The second article provides a student’s perspective of the past, present and future of emergency medicine. It is a nice introduction to our specialty for the newest generation of emergency physicians and can be accessed at http://saem.org/inform/career1.htm. It was written by Drew Watters, a senior medical student from Indiana University.

The SAEM Undergraduate Education Committee welcomes submissions from students, residents and faculty on topics of interest to medical students. The articles will be reviewed and edited for publication on the SAEM student website. Please contact the SAEM office at saem@saem.org for more information.

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Board of Directors Update Since the last Board Update in the September/October issue of the Newsletter, the Board met via conference call on August 12 and November 11. In addition, the Board met during the ACEP Scientific Assembly in Boston on October 13.

This article will include the highlights from these meetings.

Most of the October 13 Board meeting in Boston was devoted to the review of a feasibility study regarding fundraising within SAEM to increase the assets of the Research Fund.

Through these discussions the Board agreed to develop separate Financial Management and Research Fund Development Committees in the coming year. In addition, the Board approved the development of a focus group. Lastly, the Board approved the development of an advisory board.

David Nicolaou, MD, the SAEM Web Editor, attended the October Board meeting and presented a concept of the revised SAEM website. The Board approved this concept and provided Dr. Nicolaou with basic guidelines to allow him to continue the development of the Society’s website.

The Board discussed a proposed Institute of Medicine sponsored conference on Emergency Medicine. The Board agreed that an Emergency Medicine Conference would be extremely valuable to the specialty and agreed to support the conference. The Board will obtain additional information on the conference and how best to financially support the conference, especially in regards to dissemination of the results. The Board will decide on the amount of the Society’s financial contribution when the additional information is obtained.

The Board selected members to represent SAEM on a number of projects and conferences: ●

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following topics: information and data systems; measurement of quality and outcomes; clinical intervention and prevention services; best and needed practices; and systemic effects of mass casualties and disasters.

The Board submitted a slate of nominees for an open position on the Administrative Board of the Council of Academic Societies of the AAMC.

The Board approved a letter of support to be sent on behalf of the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. The letter of support was requested by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. The Board also sent a letter of support to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

On behalf of the Board, Steve Pitts, MD, developed a comprehensive list of proposed changes in the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. The Board approved the proposed changes, which were forwarded to the CDC. The Board approved funding up to $5,300 to fund the development of a web-based Undergraduate Question/Answer Bank. Funding was requested by the Undergraduate Question/Answer Bank Task Force, which has already developed over 500 questions in 23 subject areas.

The Board approved funding up to $5,000 to complete the work originally developed by the Under-Represented Minority Research Mentoring Task Force. The funding will be used to purchase the expertise of a consultant who will complete the analysis of the focus groups that were conducted in 2002 and 2003, and to develop a monograph that will be made available to departments and residency program directors. In addition, a manuscript will be developed and submitted for consideration of publication in Academic Emergency Medicine.

The Board approved a number of documents and manuscripts including:

Gerard Brogan, MD, was selected to represent SAEM to participate in a project to develop a standardized reporting template for trials that evaluate low risk chest pain patients.

Doug Char, MD, will serve as the SAEM representative to the American Heart Association project to develop angina guidelines. This project is being led by EMCREG. Clifton Callaway, MD, will serve as the SAEM member on the American Heart Association Emergency Cardiac Care Committee.

Felix Ankel, MD, Sam Keim, MD, Yolanda Haywood, MD, and Daniel Martin, MD, will serve on the CORD/SAEM Model Curriculum Task Force. Dr. Keim, along with Dr. Hayden of CORD, will serve as co-chair.

Lowell Gerson, PhD, was reappointed to serve as the SAEM representative to the Specialty Section Council of the American Geriatric Society. Steve Meldon, MD, was reappointed as the alternate.

Judd Hollander, MD, will participate in a project to develop and review guidelines for the use of biochemical markers in patients with acute coronary syndromes and heart failure. SAEM was invited to participate in the project by the National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry.

A slate of nominees was submitted to the American Board of Emergency Medicine. ABEM will elect individuals to fill positions on ABEM and their terms will begin in 2004.

The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control invited SAEM to submit nominations for five thematic areas to focus injury research pertaining to acute care.

The Board submitted a slate of nominees in each of the

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guidelines to articulate the Society’s policies regarding development of sessions and meetings in conjunction with the Annual Meeting to the membership and other emergency medicine organizations. a manuscript describing the SAEM Virtual Advisor Program, which will be submitted for consideration of publication in Academic Emergency Medicine. the Model Review Task Force Report and the proposed changes in the Model document. a CORD/RRC manuscript on the Core Competencies.

The Board approved the final schedule of events for the 2003 Midwest Regional Meeting. The conference was held on September 19 in Saginaw, Michigan. A conference report was published in the November/December issue of the Newsletter.

The Board approved the 2004 New York Regional Meeting, which will be held March 31, 2004 in New York City. The Board approved the 2004 New England Regional Meeting, which will be held April 28, 2004 in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.

The Board approved the recipients of the 2003 Emergency Medicine Medical Student Interest Group grants, as proposed by the Grants Committee. The recipients of the grants were reported in the November/December 2003 issue of the Newsletter. The Board approved New Orleans as the site of the 2009 Annual Meeting.

The Board of Directors meets via conference call every (continued on next page) 8

Board of Directors Update

(Continued)

month, as well as face-to-face meetings during the SAEM Annual Meeting, the ACEP Scientific Assembly, and the CORD Navigating the Academic Waters and Best Practices Conferences. The next meeting of the Board will be held dur-

ing the CORD conferences, which will be held March 6-8, 2004. The exact date and time of the meeting has not yet been set, but will be announced in early 2004. All SAEM members are invited to attend.

Grant Writing Mentorship Initiative: Progress Report and Call for Grant Applications Deadline: April 5, 2004 Gary B. Green, MD, MPH Johns Hopkins University SAEM Research Committee In recent years, one goal of the SAEM Research Committee has been to help the membership identify and gain access to the knowledge and skills needed to launch successful academic careers. It is clear that obtaining independent research funding through NIH, CDC or other agency grant awards is often a major stepping stone on the path towards a successful research career as well as a common “bottleneck” in emergency medicine academic career development. Recognizing this, the Research Committee has undertaken several projects to aid the membership in developing grantsmanship skills.

These efforts have included development of a series of educational sessions at each of the past few SAEM Annual Meetings as well as the ongoing development of a grant writing mentorship initiative.

The mentorship project was started by the Research Committee three years ago with the dual goals of “providing a mechanism to assist in the review of grant applications written by SAEM members,” as well as the creation of an annual forum where successful and aspiring grant writers could share lessons learned concerning the “art” of grantsmanship. The project was successfully piloted during both the 2002 and 2003 Annual Meetings. During a packed session at the 2002 Annual Meeting, the principal investigators of two previously unsuccessful grant applications presented their work and engaged in a dynamic, open discussion with a panel of expert reviewers and the session audience. In May 2003, three additional grant writers volunteered their applications for review using a slightly different format. Each application was first discussed in a small group session with two assigned expert reviewers and the applicant in order to give the grant

writer more detailed feedback. A separate open session was then held with each of participating reviewer/panelists providing a summary of major “take home” points regarding a different portion of the grant application. Each of these sessions was well attended and SAEM has received extremely positive feedback from both the open session attendees and the grant writers whose applications were reviewed.

This year, we hope to significantly expand the mentorship initiative and continue to refine the format. The initiative will again include two components, individual grant review and an open educational forum. However, based on experience and feedback gained during the last two years, the format will be modified as follows.

Recognizing the demand for one-onone in depth mentorship of junior and midlevel grant writers, we will seek to offer the service of matching volunteer experienced researchers/reviewers with inexperienced grant writers to all SAEM members, including inviting all unsuccessful SAEM and EMF applicants to participate. Further, in order to eliminate any potential barriers to participation and provide a more substantive mentorship experience, each grant applicant will be given the opportunity to meet privately with two expert reviewers during the Annual Meeting prior to the open session.

The open session (forum) will be held following the individual reviews.

For this session, two grant applications will be selected from among those reviewed based upon the general applicability of the lessons to be learned from the grant review and the ability of the reviewers and the grant writer to participate in the open forum. During this session, each grant writer will give a brief summary of the application and each of 9

the two expert reviewers will then offer and explain their constructive feedback.

However, the bulk of the time during the session will be reserved for a dynamic, interactive discussion between the panelists, the grant writers and the audience in order to extrapolate specific comments raised during the reviews to general principles of grantsmanship.

Call for Grant Applications: We are therefore seeking submissions of nonfunded or complete but yet-to-be submitted grant applications from EM faculty or fellows. Those who submit an application can expect to receive detailed (verbal) feedback and constructive criticism that will strengthen their application and increase chances for future funding as well as an opportunity to directly interact with a successful, experienced grant writer/principal investigator. To the extent possible, applications will be paired with expert reviewers according to the type of submission and the subject matter.

Applicants should submit the “science portion” of their grant application, including abstract, hypotheses, specific aims, previous work and methods as well as copies of any previous reviews (“pink sheets”). A cover letter should be included with a brief “history” of the application such as to where and when it has been previously submitted as well as to what agency and deadline does the author hope to resubmit. Although the service may be further expanded in the future, at present, applicants must attend the SAEM Annual Meeting in order to participate in the grant writing mentoring initiative. Applicants should submit their materials electronically to saem@saem.org by April 5, 2004. For questions contact Gary Green at ggreen@jhmi.edu.

More Programs Participate in Group Resident Discount

Call for AEM Reviewers Deadline: February 1, 2004

Since the November/December issue of the Newsletter, three additional residency programs have signed up for the group resident discount program. This program allows resident members of a program to become members of SAEM at a discounted rate, with all of the paperwork being handled by the residency program to alleviate individual applications and payments from the residents. SAEM would like to thank the following programs:

The editors of AEM invite interested SAEM members to submit nominations to serve as peer reviewers for Academic Emergency Medicine. As an indicator of familiarity with the peer-review process, the medical literature, and the research process in general, peerreviewers are expected to have published at least two peer-reviewed papers in the medical literature as first or second author. Some of these papers should be original research work. Alternatively, other scholarly work or experience will be considered as evidence of expertise (i.e., informatics experience demonstrated by network/ database/desktop development).

AEM peer-reviewers are invited to review specific manuscripts based on their area(s) of expertise. Once a reviewer has accepted an invitation to review a manuscript, the reviewer is expected to complete the review within 14 days of receipt of the manuscript.

In order to provide feedback to reviewers, reviewers receive the consensus review from each manuscript that they review. In addition, each review is evaluated by the decision editor in the areas of timeliness, assessment of manuscript strengths and weaknesses, constructive suggestions, summarizing major issues and concerns, and overall quality of the review. Scores are compiled in the AEM database. Each year the Editor-in-Chief designates Outstanding Reviewers for public acknowledgment of excellent contributions to the peerreview process. Most appointments as peer reviewer are for three years. Reviewers whose consistently fail to respond to request to review, who are unavailable to perform reviews, or who submit later or incomplete reviews may be dropped from the peer reviewer database at any time, at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief.

Individuals interested in being considered for appointment as an AEM peer reviewer must send a letter of interest including areas of expertise as defined on the reviewer topic survey and a current CV. The reviewer topic survey can be found at www.saem.org /inform/resurvey.htm.

All applications should be submitted electronically to aem@saem.org by February 1, 2004.

Brigham and Women’s Hospital Henry Ford Hospital University of Louisville This means that there are currently 73 residency programs who participate in the group resident discount program. This year the program has provided SAEM membership to 2325 residents.

Call for Papers “Using Information Technology to Improve ED Patient Care” The use of information technology (IT) in the ED is bound to increase. Information technology has the potential to quickly provide data that can be used to study essential topics related to the practice of emergency medicine. The questions that could be answered with good ED IT are nearly endless, and include how to reduce medical errors, assure quality and equal ED care, document and monitor ED overcrowding, identify emerging infectious diseases or bioterrorism, and mend the unraveling safety net. However, there are currently no standards for ED IT. There is no definition of essential components of an adequate information system, of universal minimum requirements for data collection, of common language to allow information exchange. Unless the emergency medicine academic community has input into these issues, we will lose the chance to design and implement this powerful clinical tool in the way best suited to our needs.

The 2004 AEM Consensus Conference will be held May 15, 2004 as a pre-day session before the SAEM Annual Meeting in Orlando. The conference will address the issues of developing ED IT standards for design, implementation, data recording, information exchange and IT research; developing an ED IT research agenda; determining how systems issues and clinical practice patterns need to be considered in developing good ED IT; and determining how ED clinical IT can impact ED residency training.

AEM has issued a Call for Papers on “Using IT to Improve ED Patient Care.” Original contributions describing relevant research or concepts in this topic area will be considered for publication in the Special Topics issue of AEM, November 2004, if received by April 1, 2004. All submissions will be peer reviewed by guest editors with expertise in this area. If you have questions, contact Michelle Biros at biros001@umn.edu.

Watch the SAEM Newsletter and the AEM and SAEM websites for more information about the Consensus Conference.

The SAEM Newsletter is mailed every other month to approximately 6000 SAEM members. Advertising is limited to fellowship and academic faculty positions. Deadline for the March/April Newsletter is February 1, 2004. All ads are posted on the SAEM website at no additional charge.

Advertising Rates: Classified ad (100 words or less) Contact in ad is SAEM member Contact in ad non-SAEM member Quarter page ad (camera ready) 3.5” wide x 4.75” high

$100 $125 $300

To place an advertisement, email the ad, along with contact person for future correspondence, telephone and fax numbers, billing address, ad size and Newsletter issues in which the ad is to appear to: Carrie Barber at carrie@saem.org

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Report from the AAMC: Access and Quality David Sklar, MD University of New Mexico SAEM representative to the AAMC James Hoekstra, MD Wake Forest University SAEM representative to the AAMC On November 7-12, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) held its 114th Annual Conference in Washington, DC. The theme of this year’s meeting was “Enhancing Access and Quality.” Jordan Cohen, MD, President of the AAMC, provided his keynote address to the attendees, stressing that in our quest to follow the dollars and grow, we must keep in mind our mission and meaning. He raised the question, “Do we need to grow at the present rate to maintain our mission?”

He emphasized that academic medicine has done a very good job of expanding and developing programs and institutions in areas that are funded or financially profitable. As our clinical enterprises grow, large gaps in quality remain unaddressed, and as our research enterprises grow, physician scientists remain an endangered species.

Similarly, academic medical centers are huge, but our margins are miniscule.

We have bigger departments, but few colleagues. We have more patients, but little time to spend with them. We have opportunities to improve, but little time to realize them. He reminded the audience and his colleagues that we should keep our mission in mind, and work to maintain quality in our care and access to our patients in need. We must recognize that our core mission is also education, which often gets lost in the search for more dollars to enhance our growth and financial stability. He stressed that in recognizing our mission, we will be better able to define ourselves and our value to society.

In academic emergency medicine, it probably wouldn’t hurt to apply Dr. Cohen’s observations in our own shops.

As our volume continues to grow (much of it out of our control), we must maintain our focus on our core missions: education, quality, and access.

Education of our residents and medical students, quality in our patient care, and access to underserved populations

should remain our focus. Growth and the financial windfall that often comes with it should be focused on our mission, not on growth for the sake of growth.

As participating academic societies, AACEM and SAEM conducted sessions during the meeting. These sessions included the following: The Role of Academic Medical Centers Serving the Public’s Health, Emerging Threats and Opportunities, Emergency Medicine and its Role in Public Health, Emerging Infections and Bioterrorism,” and “NIH Grant Opportunities and Process”. In the first session, a panel that included Dr. Cristina Beato, Acting Assistant Secretary for Health; Dr. William Raub, Principle Deputy, Assistant Secretary for Public Health, Emergency Preparedness; Dr. Elliott Sussman, chair-elect, Council of Teaching Hospitals, and Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. This illustrious panel conducting an exchange with the largely emergency medicine audience concerning funding opportunities, collaborations, and gaps in the present system of surveillance and response to bioterrorist threats. There was a broad recognition that the emergency department in its presently overcrowded and stressed state may not have adequate flexibility to respond to a significant threat and that utilizing other resources and planning to incorporate other resources is essential. It was noted that there will likely be continued governmental support for grants to institutions interested in working on those issues although much money will be funded through the State Departments of Health. In the next presentation, Dr. Georges Benjamin described the experience with anthrax and identified the surprises and lessons learned through the response to the appearance of letters with anthrax spores and the presentation of patients with anthrax.

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Balancing early notification of the public with accurate information and avoidance of misinformation when data is not clearly indicating a threat represents a challenge for public health officials. The session with the NIH officials covered areas such as whether an NIH section devoted to Emergency Medicine was a realistic goal, how emergency medicine could find an alternative home for its grant applications, and ways of learning about grants that are funded. The need for emergency medicine researchers to participate on study sections that review grants was also identified and the AACEM will be sending out a letter to its members asking for names and support for individuals who could make the commitment to sit on a study section.

Many of the sessions at the AAMC Annual Meeting were devoted to educational “hot topics.” Residency work hour limitations remain a distinct concern on the plates of many GME program directors. Sessions and workshops on the ACGME competencies and how to document them were also well attended.

The innovations in medical education exhibits have become a smorgasbord of computer simulations and animations, with more web-based curricula and virtual patient encounters on display than ever before. Documenting core competency via the simulation route or cadaveric teaching scenarios has become extremely popular in medical education, as patient safety and quality concerns limit resident and student responsibility in patient care. The rest of the meeting emphasized quality improvement, error reduction, benchmarking, and other traditional AAMC topics such as admissions processes for medical schools, education research, governmental relations, finance, and politics. Dr. Mark Henry from AACEM was elected to the administrative board of the Council of Academic Societies, which will give Emergency Medicine a seat at an important leadership table in the AAMC.

ACADEMIC RESIDENT News and Information for Residents Interested in Academic Emergency Medicine Edited by the SAEM GME Committee

Core Competencies Maintenance Following Residency Graduation Michael S. Beeson, MD Akron City Hospital for the GME Committee During your residency, a number of strict RRC-EM requirements were followed that ensured education in six defined core competencies: ● Patient care ● Medical knowledge ● Interpersonal skills and communication ● Professionalism ● Systems-based practice ● Practice-based learning

online quiz administered yearly based on these 20 articles.

These articles are considered key articles that will benefit all emergency physicians. A shortcoming in using this as your primary approach to maintaining your own education is that it does not identify your own individual needs as to what you need to become better versed in (practice-based learning). It is important to remember that the LLSA program is mandatory for maintaining ABEM certification. Any strategy developed for lifelong learning will have to include LLSA.

Once you finish your residency, it is important to remember that your own education does not stop there. Medical knowledge changes rapidly, and specific techniques for keeping up with these changes must be developed. Your residency should be looked at as the beginning of your education.

Especially for patient care, medical knowledge, and practicebased learning competencies, you must develop a strategy for maintaining these competencies. This article will discuss a number of strategies to maintain these competencies.

Subscription CME remains a good choice for CME following residency training. CME articles are sent on a biweekly, monthly, or semi-monthly basis. These articles are usually written by respected emergency physicians with an interest in that specific topic. Category 1 credit is usually offered by answering questions related to the article. There are multiple potential sources for this type of CME, from specialty society to private offerings. They are of high caliber. The same shortcoming exists for this method as in the ABEM LLSA, in that the content is decided and is not based on your specific needs.

The majority of emergency medicine residency graduates go on to practice in nonacademic-affiliated hospitals. This is an important point because up to now you have been guaranteed a minimum of five hours of conference time on a weekly basis that addresses many of the competencies, especially medical knowledge. Once you graduate you will be responsible for maintaining these core competencies.

Specific Methods There are a number of ways to continue your medical education. These include: ● ABEM Life-Long Learning article selection ● Subscription CME ● Away CME courses ● Hospital CME offerings ● ED group approach to dividing the Model of Clinical Practice ● Individual reading Although it is important that a strategy be identified and carried out, it is less important which method(s) is used than it is to emphasize that a strategy be developed and followed. A consideration in developing a lifelong learning strategy is that it must address your own individual needs, the practicebased learning competency.

The American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) has developed a Lifelong Learning and Self-Assessment (LLSA) program that will be required to maintain certification. LLSA identifies 20 articles on a yearly basis, accompanied by an

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Away CME courses are an excellent way to gain state-of-theart knowledge about specific content areas. Many annual meetings have multiple topic lectures to choose from. These are also an excellent way to address specific needs that you have identified (practice-based learning). These can be found through individual mailings, emergency medicine journals, as well as word of mouth. The downside of away CME is their cost. Although deductible as an expense for you or the corporation you work for, away CME is one of the most expensive methods of gaining CME. Individual hospital CME offerings remain a good way of gaining knowledge in specific areas, as well as interact with other specialists at your own or a neighboring hospital. If you are fortunate enough to be in close proximity to an EM residency, ask to be placed on a mailing list for their conferences. You may find that they offer conferences from time to time that address your needs.

A key point to remember is that the practice of emergency medicine covers a vast amount of material, defined in the Model of the Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine. It is very difficult to keep up in all areas defined in this document, available at most EM specialty society websites. Some EM groups at individual hospitals have taken a group approach to this. As an example, most individual emergency physicians have a few areas of emergency medicine that they have a particular interest in, whether toxicology, environmental

emergencies, etc. Some groups have assigned topic areas within the Model of the Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine to specific attendings. Each attending then scans for articles in the major journals that pertain to their areas.

Specific articles that are considered to be important within these areas are disseminated to the rest of the group, either informally or at a monthly “journal club.” By pooling the resources of the entire group, an efficient method of monitoring for key articles within the Model of Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine is developed, benefiting the entire group.

identify these areas is during work shifts. For each patient that you see, answer the question of whether you felt comfortable managing their presentation and ultimate diagnosis. If the answer is no, you have identified an area you need to learn more about- the core competency of practicebased learning. Maintain a list of these areas, and target your reading and CME to address these needs.

In summary, once residency training is completed, ongoing methods to maintain competency in patient care and medical knowledge must be developed. Through practicebased learning techniques your own CME can be targeted to address your own specific needs.

Finally, a key piece of improvement of your own practice is the identification of areas of weakness. The easiest way to

CPC Competition Submissions Sought Deadline: February 3, 2004 Submissions are now being accepted from emergency medicine residency programs for the 2004 Semi-Final CPC Competition to be held May 15, 2004, the day before the SAEM Annual Meeting in Orlando. The deadline for submission of cases is February 3, 2004 with an entry fee of $250.

Case submission and presentation guidelines will be posted on the CORD website at www.cordem.org. Online submission will be required.

Residents participate as case presenters. Programs are encouraged to select junior residents who will still be in the program at the time of the Final Competition. Each participating program selects a faculty member who will serve as discussant for another program’s case. The discussant will receive the case approximately 4-5 weeks in advance of the

competition. All cases are blinded as to final diagnosis and outcome. Resident presenters provide this information after completion of the discussants presentation.

The CPC Competition will be limited to 60 cases selected from the submissions. A Best Presenter and Best Discussant will be selected from each of the six tracks.

Winners of the semi-final competition will be invited to participate in the CPC Finals to be held in San Francisco during the ACEP Scientific Assembly in October. A Best Presenter and Best Discussant will be selected.

The CPC Competition is sponsored by ACEP, CORD, EMRA, and SAEM. If you have any questions, please contact CORD at cord@cordem.org, 517-485-5484, or via fax at 517485-0801.

Nominations Sought for Resident Member of the SAEM Board of Directors The resident Board member is elected to a one-year term and is a full voting member of the SAEM Board of Directors. The deadline for nominations is February 5 2004.

Candidates must be a resident during the entire one-year term on the Board (May 2004-May 2005) and must be a member of SAEM. Candidates should demonstrate evidence of strong interest and commitment to academic

emergency medicine. Nominations should include a letter of support from the candidate’s residency director, as well as the candidate’s CV and a cover letter. Nominations must be sent electronically to saem@saem.org. Candidates are encouraged to review the Board of Directors orientation guidelines on the SAEM website at www.saem.org or from the SAEM office.

The election will be held via mail bal-

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lot in the Spring of 2004 and the results will be announced during the Annual Business Meeting in May in Orlando.

The resident member of the Board will attend four SAEM Board meetings; in the fall, in the winter, and in the spring (at the 2004 and 2005 SAEM Annual Meetings). The resident member will also participate in monthly Board conference calls.

AHRQ to Support Health Information Technology Projects to Improve Patient Safety and Quality of Care The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) today announced that it is seeking applications for approximately 100 grants to plan, implement, and demonstrate the value of health information technology to improve patient safety and quality of care. These grants will be part of a $50 million portfolio of grants, contracts, and other activities to demonstrate the role of health information technology to improve patient safety and the quality of care.

The $41 million grant program, “Transforming Healthcare Through Information Technology,” includes grants for planning and implementation of health information technology in communities as well as grants to examine its value. The awards, supporting over 100 new research and demonstration projects, will comprise the core of AHRQ’s Health Information Technology portfolio. Applications will be accepted from public and private non-profit organizations, including universities, clinics, and hospitals; for-profit organizations (for implementation grants only); faith-based organizations; and state and local government agencies throughout the United States.

The Agency expects to award up to $24 million to fund as many as 48 new implementation grants under the first Request for Applications, with up to $14 million going to small and rural hospitals and communities. The RFA emphasizes the importance of community partnerships. AHRQ will provide up to 50 percent of the total costs in matching funds, not to exceed $500,000 per year, for each project. Letters of intent are due February 22, 2004, and applications are due April 22, 2004.

For further information, go to the NIH Guide at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HS04-011.html.

As much as $7 million is expected to be awarded under the second RFA to fund up to 35 new planning grants to provide communities and organizations with the resources needed to develop their health information technology infrastructure and compete for future implementation grants. At least $5 million is expected to be used to support applicants from rural and

small communities. Projects can last up to 1 year, and applicants may request budgets of up to $200,000 in total costs.

Letters of intent are due March 22, 2004, and applications are due April 22, 2004. For further information, go to the NIH Guide at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFAHS-04-010.html.

Demonstrating the value derived from the adoption, diffusion, and use of health information technology will be the focus of the third RFA, awarding approximately $10 million to up to 20 new grantees. The objective of these projects will be to provide health care facilities and providers with the information they need to make informed clinical and purchasing decisions about using health information technology. Applicants may request budgets of up to $500,000 per year in total costs.

Letters of intent are due March 22, 2004, and applications are due April 22, 2004. For further information, go to the NIH Guide at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HS04-012.html.

The remainder of the $50 million portfolio will be spent on other activities, including the creation of a Health Information Technology Resource Center to aid grantees by providing technical assistance, provide a focus for collaboration, serve as a repository for best practices, and disseminate needed tools to help providers explore the adoption and use of health information technology to improve patient safety and quality of care.

AHRQ also will award the Indian Health Service $2 million in fiscal year 2004 toward the enhancement of the IHS electronic health record. This will permit individual facilities flexibility in how they configure their electronic health record system. The creation of an IHS electronic health record is consistent with tribal leaders’ identification of the need for a userfriendly data system that can provide community specific health care data and track the health status of the patient population. This need has been identified as one of seven top tribal priorities during HHS tribal consultation.

SAEM 2004 Research Grants EMF/SAEM Medical Student Research Grants This grant is co-sponsored by the Emergency Medicine Foundation and SAEM. It provides up to $2,400 over 3 months for a medical student to encourage research in emergency medicine. More than one grant is awarded each year. The trainee must have a qualified research mentor and a specific research project proposal. Deadline: February 6, 2004.

Geriatric Emergency Medicine Resident/Fellow Grant This grant is made possible by the John A. Hartford Foundation and the American Geriatric Society. It provides up to $5,000 to support resident/fellow research related to the emergency care of the older person. Investigations may focus on basic science research, clinical research, preventive medicine, epidemiology, or educational topics.

Deadline: March 5, 2004.

Further information and application materials can be obtained via the SAEM website at www.saem.org.

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EMF Grants Available system, such as the identification and treatment of diseases and injury to the brain, spinal cord and nerves. $50,000 will be awarded annually. Only clinical applications will be considered - no basic science applications will be accepted.

Deadline: January 16, 2004. Notification: April 5, 2004.

The Emergency Medicine Foundation (EMF) grant applications are available on the ACEP web site at www.acep.org.

From the home page, click on “About ACEP,” then click on “EMF,” then click on the “EMF Research Grants” link for a complete listing of the downloadable grant applications. The funding period for all grants is July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005.

ENAF Team Grant This grant specifically targets research that is designed to investigate the topic of ED overcrowding. Proposals may focus on a number of related areas, including: definitions and outcome measures of ED overcrowding, causes and effects of ED overcrowding, and potential solutions to the problem of ED overcrowding. Applicants must provide evidence of a true collaborative effort between physician and nurse professionals and must delineate the relative roles of the participants in terms of protocol development, data collection, and manuscript preparation. A maximum of $20,000 will be awarded.

Deadline: January 16, 2004. Notification: April 5, 2004.

Career Development Grant A maximum of $50,000 to emergency medicine faculty at the instructor or assistant professor level who needs seed money or release time to begin a promising research project.

Deadline: January 16, 2004. Notification: April 5, 2004.

Research Fellowship Grant A maximum of $75,000 to emergency medicine residency graduates who will spend another year acquiring specific basic or clinical research skills and further didactic training research methodology. Deadline: January 16, 2004. Notification: April 5, 2004.

Medical Student Research Grant This grant is sponsored by EMF and SAEM. A maximum of $2,400 over 3 months is available for a medical student to encourage research in emergency medicine. Deadline: February 6, 2004. Notification: April 5, 2004.

Neurological Emergencies Grant This grant is sponsored by EMF and the Foundation for Education and Research in Neurological Emergencies (FERNE). The goal of this directed grant program is to fund research based towards acute disorders of the neurological

Call for Abstracts

Call for Abstracts Southeastern Regional SAEM Meeting

8th Annual New England Regional SAEM Meeting

March 19-20, 2004 Chapel Hill, NC

April 28, 2004 Shrewsbury, Massachusetts

The 2004 Southeastern Regional SAEM Meeting will be held in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on March 1920, 2004. The program committee is now accepting abstracts for oral and poster presentations. Abstracts must be submitted electronically via the SAEM web site at www.saem.org by February 1, 2004.

Keynote Speaker: Jeffrey Kline, MD The Program Committee is now accepting abstracts for review for oral and poster presentations. The meeting will take place April 28, 2004, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at the Hoagland-Pincus Conference Center in Shrewsbury, MA; www.umassmed.edu/conferencecenter/

There will be oral and poster research presentations, round table discussions with leaders in Academic Emergency Medicine, keynote presentations by nationally recognized emergency physicians, and time to socialize with colleagues in the south east.

The deadline for abstract submission is Tuesday, January 6, 2004 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Only electronic submissions via the SAEM online abstract submission form at www.saem.org will be accepted. Acceptance notification will be sent mid-March 2004.

Registration: medical students and residents are particularly encouraged to attend, and receive a discounted registration fee of $50 (medical students) and $75 (residents or nurses). Registration for attending physicians is $125. For assistance with registration and hotel accommodation, contact: Julie Vissers • phone: (866) 924-7929 or (919) 932-6761 • fax: (404) 795-0711 • email jvissers@nc.rr.com In order to get the conference rate for accommodations, you must reserve your room by February 18, 2004.

Please send registration forms to: Gail Kolodziej, Staff Assistant, Department of Emergency Medicine; Porter 5979, Baystate Medical Center, 759 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA 01199.

Email contact is Gail.Kolodziej@bhs.org Registration Fees: Faculty = $100; Residents/Nurses = $50; EMTs/Students = $25. Late fee after April 9, 2004 = add $25.

Make checks payable to Baystate Medical Center Emergency Dept.

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Geriatric Emergency Medicine Update Lowell Gerson, PhD Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine Up to about a decade ago geriatrics was largely the province of the primary care specialties. Little attention had been paid to improving knowledge and skills of surgical and related medical specialists, even though they treat a large number of older patients. There are about 16 million emergency department visits a year by people > 65 years old. The John A Hartford Foundation recognized the need to increase non primary care physicians’ ability to manage the special needs of older patients and in 1992 awarded the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) a planning grant to develop expertise in surgical and related medical specialties. Emergency Medicine was one of the original five specialties invited to join the project. This project, now in its third phase, includes ten specialties (Anesthesiology, Emergency Medicine, General Surgery, Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedic Surgery, Otolaryngology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Thoracic Surgery and Urology) and is operating with a $5.9 million award from the Hartford Foundation.

The project became formalized within the AGS with the establishment of a Section for Surgical and Related Medical Specialties.

The Section’s Council includes representatives of the ten specialties. It has accomplished much in the short time it has been in existence. The Council organizes an annual educational and research meeting presented in conjunction with the AGS, facilitates the exchange of information between specialists and geriatricians, and provides direction and oversight to the AGS/John A. Hartford Foundation project. Its goals are: ● To strengthen geriatrics education for all trainees in the ten targeted specialties. ● To facilitate sharing of ideas, information, and goodwill between geriatricians and specialists and among specialties. ● To stimulate the career development of faculty in promoting geriatrics training and research within their own professional disciplines. ● To foster the development of research on aging in the surgical and related medical specialties The Section sponsors a number of programs from which our members have benefited. These include: ● Geriatric Education for Specialty Residents (GESR). Gives program directors the opportunity to enhance their program. ● Research Agenda Setting Process (RASP). Identified important research questions in the ten specialties and questions that crosscut the specialties. ● Discretionary Grants. We are using these to support resident/fellow research. ● Jahnigen Career Development Scholars Program. This program is jointly funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies and supports education and research training for ten scholars a year with awards of $100,000 a year for two years.

The rapid growth of the older population, particularly those over 85 years, their unique vulnerability, their complexity and special needs for continuing care makes the development of the Section and our participation most timely. Our continuing participation in the Section’s activities will enhance the well being of older patients who suffer from diseases and conditions requiring treatment by emergency medical professionals.

The 5 Most-Frequently-Read Contents of AEM - November 2003 Most-read rankings are recalculated at the beginning of the month. Rankings are based on hits received by articles archived on AEMJ.org.

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Michael A Gibbs, Carlos A Camargo, Brian H Rowe, Robert A Silverman State of the Art: Therapeutic Controversies in Severe Acute Asthma Acad Emerg Med Jul 01, 2000 7: 800-815. (In "SPECIAL CONTRIBUTIONS") Jim Edward Weber, Carl R. Chudnofsky, Michael Boczar, Edward W. Boyer, Mark D. Wilkerson, Judd E. Hollander Cocaine-associated Chest Pain: How Common Is Myocardial Infarction?

Acad Emerg Med Aug 01, 2000 7: 873-877. (In "CLINICAL INVESTIGATIONS") Stephen Schenkel Promoting Patient Safety and Preventing Medical Error in Emergency Departments Acad Emerg Med Nov 01, 2000 7: 1204-1222. (In "CONCEPTS")

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Arvind Venkat, James Hoekstra, Christopher Lindsell, Dawn Prall, Judd E. Hollander, Charles V. Pollack, Deborah Diercks, J. Douglas Kirk, Brian Tiffany, Frank Peacock, Alan B. Storrow, W. Brian Gibler The Impact of Race on the Acute Management of Chest Pain Acad Emerg Med Nov 01, 2003 10: 1199-1208. (In "ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS")

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Jordan J. Cohen Disparities in Health Care: An Overview Acad Emerg Med Nov 01, 2003 10: 1155-1160. (In "PROCEEDINGS")

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Call for Photographs Deadline: February 18, 2004 Original photographs of patients, pathology specimens, gram stains, EKG’s, and radiographic studies or other visual data are invited for presentation at the 2004 SAEM Annual Meeting in Orlando. Submissions should depict findings that are pathognomonic for a particular diagnosis relevant to the practice of emergency medicine or findings of unusual interest that have educational value. Accepted submissions will be mounted by SAEM and presented in the “Clinical Pearls” session and/or the “Visual Diagnosis” medical student/resident contest.

No more than three different photos should be submitted for any one case. Submit one glossy photo (5 x 7, 8 x 10, 11 x 14, or 16 x 20) and a digital copy in JPEG or TIFF format on a disk or by email attachment (resolution of at least 640 x 48).

Radiographs and EKGs should also be submitted in hard copy and digital format. Do not send X-rays. The back of each photo should contain the contributor’s name, address, hospital or program, and an arrow indicating the top. Submissions should be shipped in an envelope with cardboard, but should not be mounted.

Photo submissions must be accompanied by a brief case history written as an “unknown” in the following format: 1) chief complaint, 2) history of present illness, 3) pertinent physical exam (other than what is depicted in the photo), 4) pertinent laboratory data, 5) one or two questions asking the viewer to identify the diagnosis or pertinent finding, 6) answer(s) and brief discussion of the case, including an explanation of the findings in the photo, and 7) one to three bulleted take home points or “pearls.”

The case history must be submitted on the template posted on the SAEM website at www.saem.org and must be submitted electronically. The case history is limited to no more than 250 words. If accepted for display SAEM reserves the right to edit the submitted case history. Submissions will be selected based on their educational merit, relevance to emergency medicine, quality of the photograph, the case history and appropriateness for public display. Contributors will be acknowledged and photos will be returned after the Annual Meeting. Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM), the official SAEM journal, may invite a limited number of displayed photos to be submitted to AEM for consideration of publication. SAEM will retain the rights to use submitted photographs in future educational projects, with full credit given for the contribution.

Photographs must not appear in a refereed journal prior to the Annual Meeting. Patients should be appropriately masked.

Submitters must attest that written consent and release of responsibility have been obtained for all photos EXCEPT for isolated diagnostic studies such as EKGs, radiographs, gram stains, etc.

Call for Abstracts 14th Annual Midwest Regional SAEM Meeting

Call for Abstracts 4th Annual New York State Regional SAEM Meeting

September 9-10, 2004 The Wyndham Milwaukee Center Hotel Milwaukee, Wisconsin

March 31, 2004; 8:00 am-2:00 pm The program committee is now accepting abstracts for oral and poster presentations. All abstracts must be submitted electronically via the SAEM web site at www.saem.org.

The deadline for abstract submission is 5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time, Wednesday, January 21, 2004.

The Program Committee is now accepting abstracts for review for oral and interactive poster presentations. The meeting will take place Thursday, September 9, 2004, 6:308:30 pm, and Friday, September 10, 2004, 8:00 am-4:00 pm at the Wyndham Milwaukee Center Hotel, 139 East Kilbourn Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.

The deadline for abstract submission is Friday, July 9, 2004, by 3:00 pm EDT. Only electronic submissions via the SAEM online abstract submission form at www.saem.org will be accepted. Acceptance notifications will be sent in late July.

Registration forms are available from Dawn Kawa, Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, 9200 W. Wisconsin Avenue, FEH Room 1870, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226.

Email contact: dkawa@mcw.edu; phone: 414-805-6452.

Registration Fees: Faculty--$75; Other health care professionals--$40; Fellows/residents/students--No Charge.

Late fee after Wednesday, September 1, 2004: add $10. For questions or additional information, call 414-805-6452.

Hosted by: St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Department of Emergency Medicine Location: Lerner Hall, Morningside Campus, Columbia University, 114th Street and Broadway Keynote Speaker: Glenn Hamilton, MD, Wright State University Contact: Theodore C. Bania, MD, MS at Roosevelt Hospital, 1000 10th Ave., Department of Emergency Medicine, Room GE01, New York, NY 10019 or toxtod@aol.com

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FACULTY POSITIONS CONNECTICUT: University of Connecticut – Two positions--one current/one Spring 2004. Multi-hospital academic program with 100,000 + patient visits, 36 residents. Active Tox, EMS, Hyperbaric, Aeromedical and Trauma services.

Excellent opportunities for senior or junior faculty--contact: Robert D. Powers MD MPH, Professor & Chief, UCONN/Hartford Hospital, email: Rpowers@Harthosp.org

Department of Emergency Medicine

FLORIDA: The University of Florida Department of Emergency Medicine is seeking a full-time, emergency medicine residency trained, board certified/eligible Clinical Assistant Professor to join our faculty. The selected candidate will provide clinical guidance and supervision of treatment delivered in the ED. Excellent compensation, fringes and liability insurance package! Please send personal statement & CV to: David C. Seaberg, MD, Professor & Associate Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, PO Box 100186, Gainesville FL 32610-0186. Application deadline: February 28th, 2004. Anticipated start date: July 2004. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. University of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

EMS Fellowship The Department of Emergency Medicine (DEM) at the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) offers oneyear or two-year fellowships in Emergency Medical Services (EMS). OHSU is a Level I trauma center and base station hospital whose faculty is actively involved in ground and air medical EMS in the three counties surrounding Portland, Oregon. OHSU is a qualified host for the SAEM/Medtronic Physio-Control Fellowship in EMS. A formal didactic curriculum through the OHSU School of Public Health offers individuals the opportunity to earn an MPH degree during the two-year fellowship. Opportunities also exist to combine the clinical and administrative fellowship experience with degree or diploma programs in clinical research, healthy policy, epidemiology, informatics or business administration. Please contact Mohamud Daya, MD, MS EMS Fellowship Director at OHSU Emergency Medicine, GH239, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239-3098; phone (503) 494-7248; email dayam@ohsu.edu

KENTUCKY: The Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Kentucky is recruiting full-time faculty members at the assistant or associate professor level. The desired individual must be BE/BC in emergency medicine.

Academic tenure track and non-tenure track positions available. The EM residency has full accreditation. The Emergency Department at UK Hospital is a Level I trauma center, regional referral center, with 40,000 annual visits. The department has nine full-time faculty and provides medical direction to Air Medical and Hyperbaric Oxygen Programs. Contact: Roger Humphries, MD, Acting Interim Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Kentucky Medical Center, 800 Rose St., Room M-53, Lexington, KY 405360298: phone 859-323-5908; fax 859-323-8056; or E-mail rlhump0@uky.edu We are an EOAAE. MICHIGAN: Michigan State University – Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies The Department of Emergency Medicine is seeking a Director of Pediatric Emergency Medicine to serve as academic faculty for our emergency medicine residency program. Candidates must be BC/BP in emergency medicine, as well as BC/BP in pediatrics or pediatric emergency medicine. This exciting opportunity involves outstanding compensation and benefits, protected academic time, and a delightful university community in which to live and work. Please contact: David Overton MD, MBA, Michigan State University - Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies, 1000 Oakland Drive, Kalamazoo, MI 49008 NEW JERSEY: UMDNJ (Newark) – Come in on the ground floor at a major medical school and university hospital. We're planning to start an EM Residency and have faculty opportunities for Emergency Physicians at ALL LEVELS, including Residency Director, EMS Director and Director of Clinical Operations. The ED has an annual volume of 72,000, including 2,700 level I trauma patients.

Competitive compensation and benefits package including on-site fitness andchild care centers. For information please contact Ronald Low, MD, MS, at 973972-7882. UMDNJ-University Hospital is an AA/EOE, M/F/D/V. Visit us on the web at www.TheUniversityHospital.com.

OHIO: The Ohio State University - Assistant/Associate or Full Professor.

Established residency training program. Level 1 Trauma center. Nationally recognized research program. Clinical opportunities at OSU Medical Center and affiliated hospitals. Send curriculum vitae to: Douglas A. Rund, MD, Professor and Chairman, Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University, 146 Means Hall, 1654 Upham Drive, Columbus, OH 43210, email Dailey.1@osu.edu, or call (614) 293-8176. Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

OREGON: The Oregon Health & Science University, Department of Emergency Medicine is conducting an ongoing recruitment campaign for talented faculty members. Entry-level clinical faculty members at the instructor and assistant professor level. Preference given to those with fellowship training (especially in pediatric emergency medicine) or equivalent experience. Knowledge of emergency medicine as a faculty discipline is expected. Please submit a letter of interest, CV, and the names and phone numbers of three references to: Jerris Hedges, MD, MS, Professor & Chair, OHSU Department of Emergency Medicine, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, CDW -EM, Portland, OR 972393098.

PENNSYLVANIA: Lehigh Valley Hospital – position available for EM Residencytrained physician to join cohesive faculty of 33 BC physicians evaluating 100,000 patients at the three sites of 700-bed Lehigh Valley Hospital. Academic, tertiary hospital with Level I trauma, 9-bed Burn Center, 10 freestanding, fullyaccredited residency programs, including one in EM. Eligibility for faculty appointment at Penn State/Hershey. Resident and medical student teaching, and clinical research. LVH located in the beautiful Lehigh Valley, with 700,000 people, excellent suburban public schools, safe neighborhoods, moderate cost of living, 60 miles north of Philadelphia and 80 miles west of NYC. Email CV c/o Rick MacKenzie, MD, Vice Chair, EM, to katherine.adams@lvh.com. Fax (610) 402-7014. Phone (610) 402-7008.

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PENNSYLVANIA: Penn State University College of Medicine & Hershey Medical Center – Department of Emergency Medicine is seeking to add experienced academic emergency physicians to our internationally known faculty. We are seeking faculty to supplement our research and educational missions and participate with our newly approved PENN STATE EMERGENCY MEDICINE RESIDENCY. Physicians must be board certified with some academic experience.

Faculty rank will be commensurate with experience. Confidential inquiry to Kym Salness, M.D. (Chair) or Christopher J. DeFlitch, M.D. (Vice-Chair), Department of Emergency Medicine, P.O. Box 850 (H043), Hershey, PA 17033, Phone (717) 531-8955 or email cdeflitch@psu.edu or www.pennstateemergencymedicine.com. AAEOE. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

ATLANTA,

GA

DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE Our academic department continues to grow. Therefore, we are seeking full-time academic emergency physicians in both research and clinician-educator tracks. Emory offers a dynamic and professional environment with special strengths in patient care, teaching, community service, EMS, toxicology, clinical research, laboratory research, and public health. We offer excellent salary and benefits. Applicants must be residency trained and/or board certified in EM. Emory is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. For further information visit our web site at http://www.emory.edu/em or contact:

TENNESSEE: Vanderbilt University – RESEARCH DIRECTOR – We are seeking an outstanding individual to direct our research program. We have required medical student rotations, a Level I Trauma Center, Pediatric and Adult ED’s and a superb residency. We have an active core of researchers with varied academic interests. The Department is committed to faculty development and well-being.

Candidates must be residency trained in emergency medicine and eligible for appointment at the Associate or Full Professor level, depending upon qualifications. We provide great benefits and Nashville is a wonderful city. Protected academic time will be provided. Please reply to Corey M. Slovis, M.D., Chairman, Department of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Room 703, Oxford House, Nashville, TN 37232-4700, Email: corey.slovis@vanderbilt.edu.

UTAH: The University of Utah has faculty positions in the Division of Emergency Medicine. The E.D. sees 30,000 visits and is a Level-1 Trauma Center. Our division runs a helicopter service, two EMS systems, and we are developing an EM residency. Candidates must be board certified/prepared and have interest in research and education. Competitive salary with excellent benefits. The University of Utah is an EEO/AA employer and encourages applications from women and minorities. Send CV to Erik D. Barton, M.D., Chief, Division of Emergency Medicine, 1150 Moran Eye Center, 175 N. Medical Drive East, Salt Lake City, UT 84132; 801-581-2730; erik.barton@hsc.utah.edu.

Arthur Kellermann, MD, MPH, Professor and Chair Department of Emergency Medicine 1365 Clifton Rd., Suite B-6200 Atlanta, GA 30322 Phone: (404)778-2600 Fax: (404)778-2630 Email: Paula Bokros - pbokros@emory.edu Emory is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO FACULTY RESEARCH POSITION The Division of Emergency Medicine at UCSF is seeking candidates for a position in the In-Residence series at the assistant professor level, with a career goal of externally funded emergency medicine research.

The Department of Emergency Medicine of Texas Tech University School of Medicine is seeking an experienced Emergency Medicine residency trained physician to assume leadership of it’s residency program. The program is over twenty years old, fully accredited and has twenty-four residents at present. The candidate would join 15 EM physicians in the Department. Our mission is to prepare residents to be able to practice in any ED in the country. The Department is located in El Paso, Texas and will soon be incorporated into the new 4 year medical school just approved by the state legislature. Our new offices are under construction on campus and a new $36 million research building is in late design phase for the campus. Our main ED is at Thomason Hospital with a patient volume of 60,000 visits last year. It is a Level I Trauma Center and is opening a new $25 million wing, including the ED Observation Unit next year. For more information on the residency visit http://www.elp.ttuhsc.edu/em

UCSF Medical Center is the busiest teaching hospital inpatient service in San Francisco by a large margin, with 576,000 outpatient visits, and is rated by U.S. News & World Report as one of the ten best hospitals in the U.S. The Emergency Department is approaching 40,000 visits a year not including urgent care patients seen in separate adult and pediatric clinics. The ED has an established real-time web-based patient clinical research enrollment database, and a complete renovation of the physical plant is underway.

A residency in EM is planned for 2005 based at this hospital.

There is a long tradition of research and leadership in EM, and collaboration with other faculty in other departments. Currently two faculty members have NIH funding. Quality of the intellectual experience and resources are unmatched, as is the physical and cultural environment of the Bay Area. The successful candidate will have an existing track record of research and publication that promises similar funding in the first few years of appointment. Contact Michael Callaham M.D. at Box 0208, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco CA 94143-0208 or mlc@medicine.ucsf.edu.

Please send a letter, or email, expressing interest to: Matthew J. Walsh, MD, Associate Professor and Chair, Dept. of EM, 6090 Surety Dr. #412, El Paso, Texas 79905.

Email mwalsh1@elp.rr.com or phone 915-771-6482.

Texas Tech University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

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Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School Faculty Position Full-time academic faculty position. Includes excellent academic support, appointment at Harvard Medical School, unparalleled research opportunities, competitive salary, and an outstanding comprehensive benefit package.

ASSOCIATE RESIDENCY DIRECTOR We are recruiting an Associate Residency Director for an established EM program. The University of Rochester is a Level 1 Trauma Center with 90,000 visits per year. We currently have 30 residents and fellowships in Pediatrics, Sports Medicine and EMS.

Brigham and Women's Hospital is a major Harvard affiliated teaching hospital, level I trauma center, and the base hospital for the four year ACGME accredited Brigham and Women's Hospital/Massachusetts General Hospital Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency Program. The Department of Emergency Medicine cares for over 54,000 ED patients per year, and the 43 bed ED includes a 10 bed ED Observation Unit, a 5 bed rapid assessment cardio/neuro unit and an advanced informatics system. The department is also home to STRATUS, a comprehensive medical simulation training center. The department has a robust International Emergency Medicine Program and offers international EM fellowships.

Applicants with enthusiasm for teaching, excellent organizational skills and an interest in high fidelity simulation should apply. Applicants must be EM resident trained. Protected time for administrative duties provided.

University of Rochester is an equal opportunity employer.

The successful candidate must have successfully completed a four year residency training program in emergency medicine or a three year program followed by a fellowship, and be board prepared or board certified in emergency medicine. Interest and proven ability in Emergency Medicine research and teaching are essential.

Please send inquiries and CV to Ron M. Walls, MD, FACEP, Chairman Department of Emergency Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital 75 Francis Street, Neville House Boston, Massachusetts 02115. E-mail rwalls@partners.org. BWH is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

Contact: Sandra Schneider, M.D., Chair Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester 601 Elmwood Avenue, Box 655 Rochester, NY 14642.

Phone (585) 275-9490; fax (585) 506-0052; E-mail: Sandra_Schneider@urmc.rochester.edu

Academic Emergency Physician Exciting position for an experienced, residency trained, board certified/ prepared emergency physician to join the faculty of the Department of Emergency Medicine, a full academic department of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.

The Mount Sinai School of Medicine is a leader in medical education and research. The hospital is a 900 bed tertiary center with an annual ED census of over 70,000. The EM residency is fully accredited.

Academic rank commensurate with qualifications.

Please submit confidential letter and C.V. to: Carol Barsky MD, Director and Vice Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Box 1149, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029. Fax (212) 427-2180.

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UCSF-Fresno Wilderness Medicine and EMS Fellowship

Academic Emergency Medicine Opportunity South Central Pennsylvania

The Department of Emergency Medicine of UCSF-Fresno is offering a one year fellowship in wilderness medicine and EMS. This experience will allow the fellow to explore multiple aspects of wilderness medicine and EMS including field operations, quality assurance, aeromedicine, search and rescue, disaster medicine, the parkmedic program, education and research.

York Hospital/Penn State University Emergency Medicine residency is seeking a full-time academic faculty member. York Hospital is a 558-bed regional trauma center that is the primary site of a fully accredited EM residency with 10 residents per year. Our annual volume is 63,000 patient visits. The emergency department is a 42 bed facility. Clinical support is excellent with a lab turnaround in an hour or less; a hospitalist team to facilitate admissions, and two radiology exam rooms within the ED. Special programs include an in-house crisis intervention service and a SAFE program for sexual assault victims. Administration offers outstanding institutional and departmental support for clinical and academic endeavors. A research department of six supports research endeavors. Candidate must be board certified/board eligible in emergency medicine with strong interests in clinical, teaching and academic pursuits, An academic appointment at Penn State University is available. WellSpan Health offers a competitive compensation plus a generous benefit package including all insurances, four weeks paid vacation, two weeks CME with $2750 CME stipend, and relocation expenses. We are located in a rural/suburban environment of 400,000 with friendly people, a healthy economy and strong public schools. Our region boasts 12 colleges and universities that create cultural interest, and we are less than an hour from Baltimore’s metro options.

The fellowship offers an appointment as a Clinical Instructor at UCSF-Fresno. The main hospital at UCSFFresno, University Medical Center, is a level one trauma center with a residency program in emergency medicine.

Applicants must be residency trained and board certified/board qualified in emergency medicine.

For further information, contact the fellowship director: Lori Weichenthal, MD, FACEP Assistant Clinical Professor, Emergency Medicine 445 S. Cedar Ave. Fresno, CA 93702 559-459-5105 weichent@ucsfresno.edu

For more information contact: James T. Amsterdam, MD, FACEP, FACPE Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine Phone: 717-851-3344 E-mail: jamsterdam@wellspan.org To learn more visit: www.wellspan.org

Fellowship in Cardiovascular Emergencies The University of Virginia Department of Emergency Medicine in collaboration with the Division of Cardiology is pleased to continue our Fellowship in Cardiovascular Emergencies. Now in our second year, this innovative clinical fellowship is intended to provide additional training for BC/BE emergency physicians in clinical management and research in the specialized area of cardiovascular emergencies. The Fellow will also receive direct experience in the operation and administration of an ED-based chest pain observation and diagnostic unit.

Our Chest Pain Center evaluates over 4,000 patients per year in an ED with a total volume of 60,000 patients per year. We have an active multidisciplinary group conducting outcomes research related to the use of advanced imaging, serum cardiac markers, and observation protocols in the CPC. The one-year curriculum emphasizes CPC patient evaluation, research methodology training, exposure to basic echocardiography and nuclear imaging techniques, and CPC administration. The Fellow will be integrated into formal didactic programs at UVa, and there will be ample self-directed time for focused scholarly activity. The opportunity for certification in exercise stress testing will be provided.

The fellow will be given a faculty appointment as a Clinical Instructor in Emergency Medicine at UVa. Upon completion of the program, the fellow will be an Emergency Physician well-trained in the clinical, academic, and administrative aspects of Cardiovascular Emergencies.

Fellowship applicants must have completed a residency in Emergency Medicine and be board-certified/prepared prior to July 2004.

Please submit a letter of interest and CV to: Chris Ghaemmaghami, MD Director, Chest Pain Center University of Virginia Health System PO Box 800699 Charlottesville, VA 22908-0069 Phone: (434) 982-1999 email: cg3n@virginia.edu The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, disabled persons, and veterans are encouraged to apply.

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RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

The Division of Emergency Medicine at the University of Utah Health Sciences Center in Salt Lake City is pleased to offer a two-year Research Fellowship in Emergency Medicine starting July, 2004. This program allows for concentrated training and experience in research to prepare you for a career in academic emergency medicine.

Successful completion of the fellowship will include a Masters of Science in Public Health (MSPH) degree. Participants will be given junior faculty positions in the Department of Surgery, Division of Emergency Medicine, however clinical responsibilities will be limited.

Areas of research can be performed in a variety of EM-related fields, including basic science, EMS, injury control, pediatrics, toxicology, trauma, etc. Compensation for this program is very competitive and includes all educational fees and expenses. The University of Utah is an EEO/AA employer and encourages applications from women and minorities.

Applications for the fellowship must be completed by February 15, 2004. If you are interested in applying or need more information, please contact: Erik D. Barton, MD, MS, Chief, Division of Emergency Medicine, Univeristy of Utah Health Sciences Center, 1150 Moran Building, 175 North Medical Drive East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132, (801) 581-2730, Fax: (801) 585-6699 erik.barton@hsc.utah.edu

The University of Utah Official site of the 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Villages and Rice-Eccles Olympic Stadium

Emergency Medicine Associate Residency Director Risk Factors Include:

The Division of Emergency Medicine at Duke University Medical Center is currently recruiting for an Associate Residency Program Director. Experience in academic leadership preferred, residency training and BC in EM required. Duke University Medical Center Emergency Department is Level I Trauma Center in Durham, North Carolina, with an annual volume of ~65,000 patient visits.

Competitive salary and benefits. EOE/AA employer.

No True Partnership

Unfair Compensation

Unhealthy Scheduling Practices

Treatment:

Equal Equity Ownership

Superior Compensation

Physician-Friendly Scheduling

Work with EMP

Announcing our newest Osteopathic EM Residency affiliate, Memorial Hospital in York, Pennsylvania

Please contact: Kathleen J. Clem, MD, FACEP Chief, Division of Emergency Medicine DUMC 3096 Durham, NC 27710 Email: clem0002@mc.duke.edu

Faculty Positions also available with EM Residency training programs at: Doctors Hospital in Columbus, OH Ohio Valley Medical Center in Wheeling, WV Additional positions available in Connecticut, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia.

Contact: Dominic J. Bagnoli, Jr, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

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The Business Aspects of Health System Management: The Emergency Physicians’ Role in Health System Leadership May 15, 2004 (day before SAEM Annual Meeting) Health care continues to change and emergency department resources are being stretched to their limits, if not beyond.

Academic physicians are frequently being asked to participate in the daily management and operations of various clinical activities, yet they have little management training. The goal of this physician developed and tested curriculum is to introduce fundamental business and managerial tools to the academic emergency physician. This session has been developed by SAEM as a special pre-day offering at the 2004 Annual Meeting in Orlando.

This program is a condensed version of the University of Michigan management training program which has been delivered to over 500 physicians within various Health Systems across the USA. The course condenses the first-year MBA curriculum into a tightly packed one-day curriculum as applied to Integrated Health Systems. While the roots of the program are derived from an academic perspective, the design and delivery are relevant to both academic and community settings. The goal of this curriculum is to provide the clinician and administrator (Chair and Clinical Director) with the necessary tools to change their practice to optimize the delivery of health care tomorrow. This course delivers content on the basic economics of health care, cost accounting, operations management, finance, reimbursement and risk management, and physician leadership. Real emergency department financial and operational metrics data and examples will be presented throughout the course. Upon completion of this course, attendees will be armed with tools to optimize health care delivery and enhance their ability to conduct research and education in ED operations management. The target audience is mid-level to senior physicians (clinical and administrative) and administrative personnel. The registration fee is $200 and will be included in the SAEM Annual Meeting registration form.

8:00 – 9:40 David Butz

Economics, cost accounting, and risk management: This session begins with an introduction to the hospital’s cost accounting system and the underlying economics of health care costs. Concepts include activity-based costing, direct and indirect costs, fixed and variable cost, average and marginal cost, and opportunity cost. We will also break out payment and profit margins under traditional fee-for-service insurance, DRG-based payments, and “capitated” reimbursement -while showing the risks inherent in each arrangement, the incentives created (good and bad), and some repercussions for physicians.

10:00 – 11:00 Applied operations management: This session includes three brief segments. First, it elaborates on some elements of David Butz activity-based costing that were not covered during the first lecture. Second, it discusses how physicians could creatively make more intensive use of their fixed capacity. Third, it illustrates how physicians might make use of financial data as a research tool.

11:00 – 12:00 Integrating business principles into the delivery of care: Open analysis and different thinking can improve the quality Paul Taheri of care while markedly reducing costs. Physicians need information that provides a healthy tension between resource use and quality of care.

1:00 – 2:00 David Butz

Health system strategies demystified: In this module we look at investments made by health systems and the rationale utilized to justify these investments.

2:20 – 3:15 Paul Taheri

Clinical examples of applied business principles: This module provides a walk-through of some real life examples of programs that have been developed and implemented within a health system. The benefits, risks, and pitfalls are high lighted.

3:15 – 4:15 Paul Taheri

Physician leadership: This session addresses how physicians can create learning organizations that enable effective, efficient delivery of quality healthcare, and identifies the role in developing leadership in the enterprise.

4:15 – 4:45

Roundtable discussion: This forum provides an opportunity for the course participants to ask detailed questions of the faculty.

Course Faculty Paul A. Taheri, MD, MBA: Dr. Taheri graduated medical school from New York University in 1988 and completed a general surgical residency at Tulane University in 1994. He completed his MBA from the University of Michigan Business School (UMBS) in 1999. He is currently the Division Chief of Trauma Burn Surgery and the Associate Dean for Academic Business Development.

Together with David Butz, he is the founder and Co-director of the Center for Health Care Economics, a University of Michigan Business School and Medical School joint initiative.

David A. Butz, PhD: Dr. Butz received his PhD in Economics in 1986 from Northwestern University. He served on the faculty of the Economics Department at the University of California at Los Angeles from 1987-1994 and on the University of Michigan faculty from 1994 to present. At the Business School, he has taught core Applied Microeconomics and Operations Management to 1st-year MBAs, and a 2nd-year MBA elective on Distribution and Supply Chain Management. He has won many teaching awards, and in 1995 the UMBS MBA students voted him Professor of the Year. Business Week’s Guide to the Best Business Schools has identified him as one of Michigan’s best teachers. He was also singled out for teaching excellence by students at UCLA and Northwestern. He has participated in executive education and distance learning pilot projects that have utilized videoconferencing and Internet delivery. He now serves on the faculty of the Department of Surgery at the University of Michigan Medical School, where his research and teaching focus on health care economics and outcomes research. Together with Paul Taheri, he is the founder and co-director of the Center for Health Care Economics. His other research expertise lies in industrial organization, law & economics, antitrust, and supply chain contracting, where he has published numerous peer-reviewed articles on those topics.

23

NEWSLETTER

S A E M

Society for Academic Emergency Medicine 901 N. Washington Avenue Lansing, MI 48906-5137

Presorted Standard U.S. Postage PAID Lansing, MI Permit No. 485

Newsletter of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Board of Directors Donald Yealy, MD President Carey Chisholm, MD President-Elect James Adams, MD Secretary-Treasurer Roger Lewis, MD, PhD Past President Valerie DeMaio, MD Leon Haley, Jr, MD, MHSA Glenn Hamilton, MD Stephen Hargarten, MD, MPH Katherine Heilpern, MD James Hoekstra, MD Susan Stern, MD

Editor David Cone, MD David.Cone@yale.edu Executive Director/Managing Editor Mary Ann Schropp mschropp@saem.org Advertising Coordinator Carrie Barber Carrie@saem.org

“to improve patient care by advancing research and education in emergency medicine�

The SAEM newsletter is published bimonthly by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of SAEM.

S A E M

Call for Abstracts 2004 Annual Meeting May 16-19, 2004 Orlando, Florida Deadline: January 6, 2004

The Program Committee is accepting abstracts for review for oral and poster presentation at the 2004 SAEM Annual Meeting. Authors are invited to submit original research in all aspects of Emergency Medicine including, but not limited to: abdominal/gastrointestinal/genitourinary pathology, administrative/ health care policy, airway/anesthesia/analgesia, CPR, cardiovascular (non-CPR), clinical decision guidelines, computer technologies, diagnostic technologies/radiology, disease/injury prevention, education/professional development, EMS/out-of-hospital, ethics, geriatrics, infectious disease, IEME exhibit, ischemia/reperfusion, neurology, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry/social issues, research design/methodology/statistics, respiratory/ENT disorders, shock/critical care, toxicology/environmental injury, trauma, and wounds/burns/orthopedics.

The deadline for submission of abstracts is Tuesday, January 6, 2004 at 3:00 pm Eastern Time and will be strictly enforced. Only electronic submissions via the SAEM online abstract submission form will be accepted. The abstract submission form and instructions will be available on the SAEM website at www.saem.org in November. For further information or questions, contact SAEM at saem@saem.org or 517485-5484 or via fax at 517-485-0801.

Only reports of original research may be submitted. The data must not have been published in manuscript or abstract form or presented at a national medical scientific meeting prior to the 2004 SAEM Annual Meeting. Original abstracts presented at national meetings in April or May 2004 will be considered.

Abstracts accepted for presentation will be published in the May issue of Academic Emergency Medicine, the official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine. SAEM strongly encourages authors to submit their manuscripts to AEM. AEM will notify authors of a decision regarding publication within 60 days of receipt of a manuscript.