SOEM Message from the Chair

Dear Colleagues,

I have been a practicing pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physician for over 22 years and feel very fortunate to have been a member of the AAP Section on Emergency Medicine (SOEM) during the entirety of this time. I am a true believer in the concept of “multiple brains are better than one”; our collective wisdom, actions, and aspirations are what drives innovations within our field, and advances the emergency care of children we seek to serve. After so many years as an AAP member and having served in various leadership roles within SOEM, I have gained valuable insight regarding the AAP’s crucial role in advocating for child health and the importance of AAP members’ extensive contributions to this wonderful organization’s numerous and various efforts. Our PEM profession has shown unbelievable growth in the past four+ decades because of our ability to work together to accomplish shared goals. For me, it has been an absolute privilege to work with such talented SOEM members and with the dedicated leaders of our executive committee, subcommittees, and special interest groups.

There are so many ways to become involved in PEM at the AAP Section level. If you are new to PEM and looking for ways to collaborate with other early career physicians, the Committee for the Future (C4F) is a great way to start your involvement in the Section. If you aspire to do research and be mentored in your efforts, the PEM Collaborative Research Committee (CRC) is always looking for new site investigators and new ideas for multi-center projects. If you are an educator, join our Education subcommittee to develop necessary skills, speak in virtual conferences given throughout the year, and help plan SOEM programs at the AAP National Conference & Exhibition (NCE). For those of you who are new to program direction, I personally found the Fellowship Directors subcommittee rich in opportunities to interact with peers, work on collaborative educational projects, and develop peer mentoring relationships. If you are passionate about health equity, timely healthcare access, and legislative action, our Advocacy subcommittee gives you a home to work with like-minded people. If disaster prevention, response planning, or emergency preparedness piques your interest, the Pediatric Readiness subcommittee should fit your needs. If you are seeking to collaborate with women in our subspecialty, the newest SOEM subcommittee, Women in PEM, has been a wonderful resource for mentorship, sponsorship, and career development opportunities specifically for women. The above are just a few of the subcommittees within our Section. Other subcommittees include Emergency Medical Services, PEM Division Chiefs, and Quality Transformation.

If you aren’t a SOEM member already, I hope you will click the link and join today. If you want to participate in a subcommittee, reach out to our subcommittee leaders and they will welcome your participation with open arms.

As Chair, I am truly excited about continuing to nurture established relationships, forging new friendships, sponsoring those of you who want to get involved, and working collaboratively with the most talented and dedicated group of emergency medicine practitioners to achieve innovative advances in pediatric emergency care.

Deb

Deborah Hsu, MD, MEd, FAAP