Interest Groups

Interest Groups are established by the president and/or Executive Committee as a group of AAEM members who have a common interest that impacts both the Academy and emergency medicine as a specialty not covered by either a committee or task force.

If you are interested in joining one of AAEM's Interest Groups, please complete the form below!

AAEM Aging Well in Emergency Medicine Interest Group

Who We Are

The AAEM Aging Well in Emergency Medicine Interest Group (AWEMIG) was founded to address issues and concerns for our community of experienced emergency medicine trained and board certified physicians as they enter the more senior phase of their career. As our specialty matures, there are a growing number of mature emergency medicine physicians. The AWEMIG would provide a forum for issues specific to this cohort of AAEM members. There is no age limit for AAEM AWEMIG members, as the issues may be relevant to different individuals at slightly different ages depending on the track of their career and lives.

Areas of Interest and Discussion

Areas of interest and for discussion to include but not limited to the following:

• Financial planning for retirement
• Transitions
  • Considering other roles for the skill set one has acquired beyond straight clinical care
  • Career transition from current role to another
    • how to best support a successor
    • how to create opportunity in a role that may be a novel addition to the department/ medical school/ hospital
  • Transition from full time employment to part time or retirement
• Mentorship
  • Identifying the rewards and most effective ways of providing mentorship to other
  • Providing a venue to allow for the more senior physician to find mentorship during this stage
  • AWEMIG to potentially development official mentorship programs
• Advocating for policies that can support physicians as they age
• Family Issues of Mature Physicians
  • ​Elder Care of Parents
  • Care/Challenges of Adult Children

Leadership

Co-Chairs: Marianne Haughey, MD FAAEM ; Gary Gaddis, MD PhD MAAEM FAAEM FIFEM
Board Liaison: Robert A. Frolichstein, MD FAAEM
Staff Liaison: Thomas G. Derenne

AAEM Rural Medicine Interest Group

Who We Are

Doctors from small hospitals and hospital systems often feel overlooked in larger forums. They typically practice in single coverage systems or sometimes single coverage with a mid-level. They seldom work with another emergency medicine colleague other than briefly at the time of shift change. They seldom have opportunities to be supported, validated, or reinforced by any colleagues. Rural doctors seldom get any feedback other than the occasional chart review. They rarely interact with other emergency physicians other than at national meetings, and at those times can feel very intimidated. It is difficult in a small town practice to keep current with constantly evolving practice. When attending large meetings, it is obvious they will never get kudos or awards. They aren’t residency directors or research leaders. Other than a rare case write up it would be unlikely for them to ever be able to publish or present anything. A Community physician will not be recognized as “Master” of anything. They typically don't have enough connections to lead a committee, be considered for a board position or any significant National leadership role. So it's easy to feel marginalized and/or invisible. Our hope is that this forum will be an opportunity for community emergency physicians to share our joys and challenges and feel like their concerns matter. Their career path matters. And they belong at these conferences as much as anybody from a prestigious academic institution. AAEM supports the practicing emergency physician. Let's form this interest group and see if people are interested in participating and helping AAEM serve this under-appreciated and unacknowledged but very important physician cohort.

Mission

The Rural Medicine Interest Group will provide doctors working in small community and critical access hospitals the opportunity to interact, network and support each other. This will be a forum to discuss some of the challenges unique to hospitals with limited resources and share solutions.

Leadership 

Chair: Robyn Hitchcock, MD FAAEM
Board Liaison: Robert P. Lam, MD FAAEM
Staff Liaison: Thomas G. Derenne

Common Sense Articles

• Critical Access by Robyn Hitchcock, MD FAAEM

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AAEM Simulation Interest Group

Who We Are

The AAEM Simulation Interest Group is founded to foster a global community of practice in simulation–based education, training, and assessment. The purpose of this international community is to educate members on best simulation practices, research, debriefing techniques, and operations. Members will share evidence-based practices, write position papers and expert commentaries on simulations in emergency medicine education and research. Membership is open to all AAEM members interested in simulation.

Objectives

• Educate members on relevant latest developments and utilization of the science of simulation-based education in patient care and safety
• Educate members on evidence-based simulation practice in emergency medicine education and research
• Create an international sharing platform for collaborative research and academic work
• Mentor medical students and residents interested in pursuing careers in simulation education and research

Leadership

Co-Chairs: Afrah Ali, MBBS FAAEM
           Rose V. Goncalves, MD FAAEM
Board Liaison: Fred Earl Kency, Jr., MD FAAEM FACEP
Staff Liaison: Thomas G. Derenne

Proposed Work Groups

• Simulation Based Education 
• Simulation Research 
• Simulation Operations
• Media/Outreach