SOEM Message from the Chair

Dear Colleagues,

I am truly honored to serve as Chair of the Section on Emergency Medicine (SOEM) of the AAP. This Section provides thousands of us with a national professional home where we can collaborate and develop programs that serve our patients, our communities, and our field. Most importantly, it offers a professional family with whom we share our aspirations and professional journeys.

The AAP has a long history and a strong record of doing what’s best for children. From advocating for better coverage for children, preventing them from being disenrolled from Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, to improving access to mental and behavioral health care, promoting vaccine confidence, and helping keep kids safe online, the AAP is always there, doing the right thing.  AAP personnel and members speak out in state capitols and courthouses. They challenge bans on reproductive health services, gender-affirming care, and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at our medical schools.

The AAP works tirelessly to protect the sanctity of the physician-patient relationship and support the fundamental rights of patients to thrive in safe communities, to be true to who they are, to love whom they love, and to make essential decisions about their bodies, health, and well-being. The SOEM directly stems from these efforts and values. It is the most prominent and active professional community in our specialty, with the mission to sustain, develop, and promote the delivery of optimal emergency care for acutely ill and injured children and adolescents.

There are many ways to become involved in PEM at the AAP Section level. For those new to Pediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) and eager to connect with fellow early career physicians, the Committee for the Future (C4F) offers an excellent starting point. If your goal is to engage in research and seek mentorship, the PEM Collaborative Research Committee (CRC) is actively seeking new site investigators and innovative ideas for multi-center projects. Educators can join our Education Subcommittee to hone essential skills, present at virtual conferences throughout the year, and contribute to planning SOEM programs at the AAP National Conference & Exhibition (NCE). New program directors will find valuable opportunities in the Fellowship Directors Subcommittee, where you can collaborate with peers, work on joint educational projects, and develop peer mentoring relationships. Those passionate about health equity, timely healthcare access, and legislative action will find a supportive community in our Advocacy Subcommittee. If your interests lie in disaster prevention, response planning, or emergency preparedness, the Pediatric Readiness Subcommittee is the perfect fit.

For women in our subspecialty, the Women in PEM Subcommittee provides a fantastic resource for mentorship, sponsorship, and career development opportunities. These are just a few of the many subcommittees within our Section. Other subcommittees include Emergency Medical Services, PEM Division Chiefs, Quality Transformation, and our newest interest group, the PEMRescue Committee, which focuses on improving resuscitative care in the ED, as well as an interest group on POCUS in Pediatrics.

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

As Chair, following in the footsteps of my immediate predecessor, Deb Hsu, and all the amazing past leaders, 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 all of you. We will work tirelessly to advance our mission and ensure that all children have access to and receive state-of-the-art emergency care, continue to train, inspire, and nurture the next generation of amazing and dedicated physicians, and continue to advance science and improve outcomes by supporting and implementing innovative research.

David Schnadower, MD, MPH, FAAP
Chair, SOEM Executive Committee
David.schnadower@cchmc.org