CANDIDATE PLATFORM STATEMENTS

Transcription

1 Dear AAEM Member, Enclosed are your ballot and supporting materials for the 2013 AAEM board of directors election. As you are aware, the call for nominations was sent to all voting members, and those AAEM members who appear on the enclosed ballot have indicated their willingness to serve on the AAEM board. Statements from each of the candidates are included in the November/December issue of Common Sense being sent with this mailing. Please review the enclosed information, then exercise your democratic right to vote for the representatives you would like to see serve as AAEM s leaders. Remember, we have a one member, one vote system, so your voice counts. Please follow these instructions for casting your ballot in the 2013 election. If You Will Attend the Scientific Assembly: We recommend that you do not complete or return your official ballot at this time. There will be a Candidates Forum held during the Scientific Assembly where you can hear the candidates respond to direct questions from the voting membership. You will be asked to submit your ballot at the conclusion of that Forum. Please bring your ballot with you to the Scientific Assembly. If certain of your choices or unsure if you will attend the Forum, you may vote now and return your ballot in the business reply envelope. If You Are Unable to Attend the Scientific Assembly: Complete your official ballot as instructed, and seal it inside the enclosed business reply envelope addressed to the AAEM executive office and mail your ballot. Mailed ballots must be received by February 4, Thank you for your continued support of AAEM. Please call with any questions you may have regarding the election procedure. Sincerely, Kay Whalen Executive Director NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 COMMONSENSE 1 AAEM

2 Candidate Platform Statements AAEM does not endorse any statement made by candidates and specifically rejects anticompetitive statements. The nomination period for AAEM s upcoming elections has ended. All individuals running for an open seat on the board of directors have been identified, and the race has begun. Presented here for the benefit of all full voting, emeritus, and Young Physician Section (YPS) members of AAEM are the formal platform statements of each of the candidates. The elections will be held immediately following the Candidates Forum scheduled during AAEM s 19th Annual Scientific Assembly, February 9-13, 2013, at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, NV. Although balloting arrangements will be made available for those unable to attend the Assembly, all voting members are encouraged to hold their ballots until the time of the meeting. The Forum will allow members the opportunity to question candidates directly about their vision of the association and its place in the specialty of emergency medicine. The responses offered in this session, in addition to the platform statements offered here, will provide members with the information they need to make intelligent and informed decisions. AAEM s democratic election process is just one of the many things that make our organization unique among medical specialty societies. Please carefully review the information presented here, and make your arrangements to join us in Las Vegas for the Forum and final elections. Full voting, emeritus, and YPS members not planning to attend the Scientific Assembly should return their completed ballot to the AAEM office in the enclosed envelope by Monday, February 4, Those attending the Las Vegas conference should remember to bring their ballots with them for voting after the special Candidates Forum to be held on Tuesday, February 12, 2013, from 12:15pm to 1:45pm. Kevin Beier, MD FAAEM Nominated by: William T. Durkin, Jr., MD MBA FAAEM and Mark Reiter, MD MBA FAAEM Membership: , 2002, AAEM At-Large Board Member Government and National Affairs Committee Government and National Affairs Committee Chair James Keaney Leadership Award Recipient 2008 Scientific Assembly Speaker State Chapter Committee TN State Chapter At-Large Board Member TN State Chapter Immediate Past President TN State Chapter President I am honored to have been nominated for this position and would like to thank Drs. Bill Durkin and Mark Reiter for their support and confidence in considering me for the AAEM board. I have been a long-standing member of AAEM, and have previously served on the Board of AAEM, both at the national and state level. I currently serve as the Treasurer of the Political Action Committee (PAC). I am one of the founding members of the Tennessee Chapter of AAEM and served as the first TN/AAEM president. As such, I helped lead our Chapter to defeat the efforts to bring back restrictive covenants to the state of Tennessee for emergency physicians. I serve on the Board of Directors for Missionpoint Health Partners, a newly formed regional Accountable Care Organization. I have been instrumental in spearheading the plan to establish a new emergency medicine residency program at Middle Tennessee Medical Center, which has the largest emergency department in Middle Tennessee, which sees approximately 89,000 ED visits a year. This residency program is scheduled to have its first class of residents starting July I have a strong interest in urgent care, and have opened a new UC with several partners with plans to open additional sites in the immediate future. I see urgent care as a means by which emergency physicians can diversify and protect themselves from major swings in health care that could have potentially serious negative impacts on emergency physicians. In my spare time I have a family with four kids, operate a 100 cow beef cattle herd and farm, and enjoy fine wine, traveling, and fishing. I take the opportunity to serve AAEM as a board member very seriously, and if elected, I will strive to make emergency medicine better for the working emergency physician and our patients. Thanks for your consideration. 2 COMMONSENSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

3 Mark Foppe, DO FAAEM Nominated by: William T. Durkin, Jr., MD MBA FAAEM; Robert McNamara, MD FAAEM; Mark Reiter, MD MBA FAAEM and Kevin Rodgers, MD FAAEM Membership: AAEM Oral Board Examiner Academic Affairs Committee Board Certification Task Force Florida State Chapter (FLAAEM) President Government and National Affairs Committee Membership Committee Chair Operations Management Committee State Chapter Committee I am grateful to have further opportunity to serve AAEM. I was turned on to AAEM when Bob McNamara, MD, lectured to my residency. I joined the next day as a resident member, and have been active and supportive since, giving annually to the AAEM Foundation and the PAC. It is with great pride that I place FAAEM behind my degree. Through the years I have served AAEM on several committees EM practice, governmental affairs, academic affairs, membership, and OMC committees. I have chaired the Task Force protecting the integrity of our board certifications against AAPS/BCEM. Currently Chair membership committee. I was board certified by AOBEM in 2002, receiving fellowship by the ACOEP in For the ACOEP I serve on the Board of Directors for the Foundation of Osteopathic Emergency Medicine (FOEM), chair the Academic Awards Committee, and am vice- chair of the Research Committee. I moderated and organized the Resident Research Award Competitions (posters, research papers, and oral abstracts), and have served as a moderator for the Clinical Pathology Competition (CPC) for many years. On the state level I am a Past President of the Florida Chapter of AAEM (FLAAEM). Please see our website at to review our activities. Sit on the Board of Trustees for the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association (FOMA) re-elected through Most recently championed FOMA s position in the fight against the Florida Board of Nursing s ruling preventing nurse administered conscious sedation. The court ruled In November 2012 that the rule was invalid. Employed at JFK Hospital Palm Beach County Florida. I love emergency medicine and pride myself on being a pit doc, working 200 hours each month. Clinical Associate Professor University of Miami Miller School of Medicine training our medicine and surgical residents in the emergency department at JFK. If elected I promise to serve the Academy and its membership with diligence and dedication. I will focus on promoting sovereign immunity for EMTALA based care providers, supporting due process rights for the EM physician, and continuing to oppose the recognition of BCEM as equivalent to ABEM/ AOBEM. Chad Kessler, MD MHPE FAAEM Nominated by: Michael Epter, DO FAAEM; Joseph Lex, MD MAAEM FAAEM; and Michael Pulia, MD FAAEM Membership: AAEM/RSA Emergency Medicine: A Focused Review of the Core Curriculum, 2nd Edition Associate Editor Education Committee Scientific Assembly Open Mic Sessions, Course Director Scientific Assembly Open Mic Sessions, Winner 2008 Scientific Assembly Planning Committee Scientific Assembly Speaker State Chapter Committee 2012 AAEM has given me the opportunity of a lifetime. When I was a junior faculty member, attending my very first Scientific Assembly (SA), I remember a buddy of mine dragging me to the early morning Open Mic session. As a resident, I knew a bit about AAEM mostly from Joe Lex s work in education, and loved the concept of a forum for new speakers to show their stuff. There was one spot open for the afternoon session, so I grabbed it and gave a 20 minute blurb on consults in the ED. I watched a handful of brilliant young speakers and had the opportunity to meet and talk with some members and the chair of the education committee. This also happened to be the first time I witnessed an Amal Mattu masterpiece lecture. Seeing the passion of the educators and staff along with the enthusiasm and vibe of the conference, I was hooked. Long story short, I ended up winning the Open Mic forum, was offered the opportunity to speak at the following year s SA, joined the education committee, of which I have been an active member for the past 4 years, and have been dedicated to educating emergency physicians ever since. CONTINUED >>> NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 COMMONSENSE 3

4 About the same time as my first SA, I began working for the Veteran s Healthcare Administration building an emergency department from the ground up. Recently, I moved to the southeast to become the Deputy Chief of Staff at the Durham/Duke VA Medical Center overseeing the creation of one of the largest VA emergency departments in the country. I also serve as the Chairman of the VA Emergency Medicine Field Advisory Committee helping to create policy for all VA Emergency Medicine. I always try to maintain those core AAEM values within my work at the VA. Ever since that first year, I have always been excited come February to spend time with friends and colleagues and annually give a lecture to an always engaged audience. Additionally, I have had the pleasure of working with an awesome crew and amazing administrative staff on the Planning Sub- Committee for Scientific Assembly in 2012 and This past year, I helped plan and direct a Pediatric Simulation preconference course for SA. The course was extremely successful and provided an invaluable opportunity for our members to get hands-on, practical experience with pediatric procedures and resuscitations. I also serve as an Associate Editor for the AAEM/RSA Board Review Book. I am always excited to partner and collaborate with the Resident & Student Association and the Young Physicians Section, giving lectures geared for residents and junior faculty at the Scientific Assembly. As an educator at heart, I completed a masters degree in health care professionals education and now mentor students, residents, and junior faculty at every opportunity. Additionally, with the help and guidance of the education committee, I am working on the design and curriculum for a future Emergency Medicine Education Enterprise, focusing on the education of both academic and community emergency physicians. Since that first SA, I have actually taken over as the course director for Open Mic chairing the session for the past three years. It has been nice to come full circle and give others the same fantastic opportunity I was given years ago. It turned out to be a life-changing 20 minutes. I would be honored to serve AAEM as a board member and a life-long advocate for ensuring AAEM s vision of ensuring all patients have access to board certified emergency physicians. Christopher C. Lee, MD FAAEM Nominated by Joseph Wood, MD JD FAAEM Membership: , 2002, AAEM Board of Directors Education Committee Education Committee Board Liaison 2010 International Committee MEMC Abstract Judge 2009, 2011 MEMC Abstract Moderator 2011 MEMC Speaker 2009, 2011 PEMC Speaker, Moderator, Scientific Committee Chair 2012 Scientific Assembly Speaker 2011 Written Board Review Course Speaker 2011, 2012 With deep gratitude, I accept the nomination from Dr. Joe Wood to run for a position on the AAEM board of directors for a second term. I have worked for many years as an advocate for my fellow physicians. Serving as a board member will continue to allow me to have the greatest possible impact as an advocate for your practice rights as emergency physicians. I believe that education and board certification are of utmost importance to our specialty as these will continue to support our rights as emergency physicians. I obtained my BS in Biology from the University of California at Los Angeles. I then obtained my MD from the Chicago Medical School in 1996 and completed my emergency medicine residency training at NYU Medical Center/Bellevue Hospital Center. I am board certified in emergency medicine (ABEM) and an active and enthusiastic member of AAEM. Currently, I work as an attending emergency physician at Stony Brook University Medical Center where I am an Associate Professor and the Director of the International Emergency Medicine Research Center. I feel very passionate about the American Academy of Emergency Medicine and I enjoy serving my colleagues. I have served on the board of directors for three years from In this capacity I participated in the organizing committees of several important national and international meetings and helped coordinate speakers for the AAEM Scientific Assembly, as well as the MEMC in Valencia, Spain and in Kos, Greece. Also, I contributed to our written board examination course as an invited speaker. I serve as a peer reviewer for our journal, the Journal of Emergency Medicine, and serve as a section editor for International Emergency Medicine. I am the founder and scientific committee chair of the first Pan-Pacific Emergency Medicine Congress (PEMC) which was held in Seoul, Korea in October I envisioned this PEMC to become a legacy for international emergency medicine conferences. I take great pride in the fact that the first PEMC was a huge success attended by over 1,300 members from all over the world. I witnessed emergency physicians from all over the world sharing a similar mission, bringing together top-notch researchers and some of the best speakers and educators that our global specialty has to offer, all networking to improve our specialty globally. CONTINUED >>> 4 COMMONSENSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

5 I thank all who attended and supported the PEMC. I also thank all AAEM members who came to Seoul and supported this inaugural conference. Given its huge success, I hope to continue helping to plan similar Pan-Pacific EM conferences every other year, and I am already helping to organize the next one. I have put countless hours and effort into this project and I hope more AAEM members will be able to benefit from these conferences in the future. I am ready and eager to continue to work for all of you members of AAEM. My mission is only to serve and help my fellow colleagues in AAEM. I thank you for reading my statement. May God Bless You! Christopher C. Lee, MD FAAEM Robert Suter, DO MHA FAAEM Nominated by William T. Durkin, Jr., MD MBA FAAEM; Peter Rosen, MD FACS FAAEM FACEP; and Judith Tintinalli, MD MS FAAEM Membership: AAEM Board of Directors EMS Committee 2012 EMS Committee Board Liaison 2012 IAEMC Speaker 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012 MEMC Abstract Reviewer/Moderator 2007 MEMC Abstract Session Moderator 2005 MEMC Scientific Committee 2009 MEMC Speaker 2009, 2011 Scientific Assembly Speaker 2005, 2009 Two years ago I ran for the AAEM Board of Directors reminding you of two things of which I will always be proud. In 2001, along with ten other medical directors, I was accused of unethical or immoral behavior and sued for 20 million dollars. My crime? Supporting doctors in a single owner group, who merely wanted to discuss a long term buyout from him based on his retirement schedule. Others folded under pressure, signing draconian non-competes to save their jobs. The owner and his non-physician partners openly bragged that they would break me by spending (me) under the table. Three years and $300,000 dollars in legal expenses later, I won the case and was vindicated on all counts. The lawsuit and resulting disclosures forced the sale of the group to the doctors, creating one of the largest democratic groups in Texas. In 1992, a task force proposed the development of an executive MBA mini-residency leading to ABEM eligibility for non-residency trained doctors. As EMRA President, I attacked the plan and persuaded them to abandon it. Seven years later, as a new ACEP Board member, I successfully added All physicians entering the practice of emergency medicine are residency trained in emergency medicine to the ACEP Values, placing ACEP in solid opposition to the entry of anyone else into our specialty. During the past two years I have served on the AAEM Board where we have continued to focus on these values. I continue to believe that these are the two values that are shared by all AAEM members, and that they should continue to be our focus going forward. Our degree of dedication to these precepts shows we hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards as the elite in emergency medicine. Why did you send me, a leader in other organizations, to serve on the AAEM Board? I believe you wanted an experienced, seasoned leader who could help the AAEM Board focus on effectively promoting our shared core values. I have humbly tried to live up to your confidence. I have attended all meetings and calls, staffed committees, volunteered for residency visits, worked on projects, and supported our officers. In the process I believe that those on the board who were initially concerned about my election have since come to embrace the value that I can bring to AAEM, and the sincerity with which I serve. Two years ago I was an experienced leader with no experience in AAEM leadership and you took a chance on me. Now, I am an experienced AAEM leader prepared to accomplish even more going forward. It is on this basis that I ask you to vote for me. Actions speak louder than words. Review my history and track record both before and after my election to the AAEM board and you will find that over the past 20 plus years no candidate has shown a higher level of passion and dedication to the core values that led to the creation of AAEM. Thank you for your support. Andy Walker, MD FAAEM Nominated by: William T. Durkin, Jr., MD MBA FAAEM; and Larry Weiss, MD JD FAAEM Membership: AAEM Board of Directors Common Sense Author , Common Sense Editor EMS Committee EMS Committee Board Liaison 2010 Practice Management Committee State Chapter Committee TN State Chapter Vice President CONTINUED >>> NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 COMMONSENSE 5

6 I must begin by apologizing. I told many of you that I would not be running for re-election to the board of directors. Persistent urging extremely persistent, actually from AAEM s leadership finally changed my mind. In fact, I am writing this just hours before it must be turned in to the Academy s office. I am grateful for and humbled by the confidence other members of the board have shown in me, and would appreciate one last term before I step down and give someone else a chance to serve. I am a founding fellow of AAEM and one of the founders of its Tennessee state chapter, and have served as vice-president since that chapter was founded. I was instrumental in the hard-fought and successful legislative battle to protect Tennessee emergency physicians from restrictive covenants. To this day, emergency medicine is the only specialty in the state not subject to restrictive covenants. I currently lead the fight in Tennessee for fundamental tort reform not just caps on noneconomic damages, but a redefinition of medical malpractice. I am in my sixth year on AAEM s board of directors, and since last spring have been editor of the Academy s newsletter, Common Sense. After completing an emergency medicine residency at Shands-Jacksonville in Florida, I worked for almost four years in community hospital EDs before spending nearly eight years at Vanderbilt as an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine. For the last 13 years I have been part of an independent, democratic group at a community hospital in suburban Nashville. This year, at the end of May, I retired from full-time clinical practice and now work parttime. This has given me more time to devote to AAEM and to editing Common Sense. Most importantly, I am a passionate and dedicated believer in what AAEM stands for and fights for every day: old-fashioned medical ethics that put the patient first; emergency physicians who run their own practices and are free to exercise their professional judgment on behalf of their patients without interference from administrators, bureaucrats, insurance companies, other corporations, or tort lawyers; fair compensation and fair treatment in the workplace for emergency physicians; and the secure establishment of emergency medicine as a legitimate specialty, playing by the same rules as all other specialties, especially in regard to board certification. We seem to have won the battle for board certification, since now even ACEP requires legitimate board certification for fellowship status and the Board of Certification in Emergency Medicine people have sunk back into the woodwork. Eternal vigilance is required, however. New challenges to our specialty will arise with escalating pressure to turn EDs into ambulatory clinics, staffed by Doctors of Nursing Practice rather than emergency physicians. We must not forget why emergency medicine exists we are not primary care physicians; EDs are not clinics; EDs are especially not chronic pain clinics. The other battles are ongoing and the odds are against us. I believe, however, that the best response to bad odds is not to surrender but to try harder which is why I am a good choice for AAEM s board of directors. AAEM is the only organization in our specialty that is always on the right side of every issue fighting for individual emergency physicians and our patients instead of selling out to corporate interests, or compromising on basic principles in return for more members. I want to remain a part of that for one more term on the board of directors, and would appreciate your vote. Joanne Williams, MD FAAEM Nominated by: William T. Durkin, Jr., MD MBA FAAEM Membership: AAEM Board of Directors AAEM/RSA Rules of the Road for Medical Students Author AAEM/RSA Rules of the Road for Medical Students, 2nd Edition Author California Chapter of AAEM California Chapter of AAEM Board Member Caribbean Emergency Medicine Congress Speaker 2009 Education Committee International Committee MEMC Abstract Moderator 2011 MEMC Speaker 2007, 2009, 2011 MEMC Track Chair 2009, 2011 Minority Affairs Committee Chair Operations Management Committee (OMC) Scientific Assembly Moderator Scientific Assembly Open Mic Judge Scientific Assembly Photo Competition Judge 2010 Scientific Assembly Preconference Speaker , 2012 Women s Interest Group I am a Fellow and Founding Member of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine. I have been a community EM doc since 1984 and have witnessed first-hand how some of these physicians are treated in a less than professional manner. While on the board I have been a champion for the community EM doc in areas of due process, workplace fairness, patient advocacy and board certification. I have also worn the hat of an Academician, as a Program Director and faculty in an inner city EM residency program. CONTINUED >>> 6 COMMONSENSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

7 My contributions to the Academy: Board Member At Large for the past 5 years AAEM Committees Education Committee International Committee Women s Interest Group Minority Affairs Interest Group Mediterranean Emergency Medicine Committee Medscape Editorial Board California Chapter of AAEM Past Secretary-Treasurer Current Board Member at Large Directed several Scientific Assembly Pre-Conferences Issues on the horizon that will impact the community ED physician are Healthcare Reform; Medicare, Medi-Cal and Medicaid reimbursement reduction; The Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program and Healthcare Transparency. If re-elected I will include these issues, as well as the aforementioned, in continued advocacy for the community doc and the emergency medicine academician. If re-elected, I will always champion issues that affect each member of the Academy and the well-being of practicing emergency physicians. We must protect our patients and we must protect the integrity of our specialty. We must respect and protect each other as we continue to strengthen the Academy and emergency medicine as a specialty. Show how EM adds value, stand up to any reductions in payments, advocate for fair treatment of EP s, quality CME, improve quality of our training programs, and continue to work with the international community to better the specialty worldwide! Leslie Zun, MD MBA FAAEM Nominated by: William T. Durkin, Jr., MD MBA FAAEM Membership: Disclosure: Current or prior service to other organizations AAEP Board of Directors, ACEP Practice Management Committee, ICEP Board of Directors, Sinai Medical Group employee; Personal interests Consultant, Alexza Pharmaceuticals; Course Director for Behavioral Emergencies Course and author of Behavioral Emergencies text, The Sullivan Group AAEM Board of Directors , AAEM/RSA Board Liaison Academic Affairs Committee Common Sense Author 2011 Education Committee Finance Committee 2012 MEMC Speaker 2009, 2011 Operations Management Committee (OMC) Practice Management Committee PEMC Speaker 2012 Residency Program Visit Speaker 2012 Scientific Assembly Speaker 2007, 2011, 2012 Written Board Review Course Speaker I am running for re-election as member at-large in the American Academy of Emergency Medicine to continue to represent the membership in key topics to advance our specialty. There are many challenges to the practicing emergency physician today including the role of emergency medicine in Accountable Care Organizations, continued presence of contract management companies, and support of our residents and interested medical students. As a board member the last two years, I have made many contributions to our organization. These contributions included AAEM board representative on the AAEM/RSA, AAEM promotion at various residency programs, review and recommendations for AAEM liaison activities, promotion for greater clarity and transparency of our financial statements, promotion of AAEM at the American Hospital Association and American College of Healthcare Executives as well a committee member on practice management, operations management, finance, and education committees. I have had the honor to speak at Scientific Assembly and at the Pan-Pacific Emergency Medicine Congress. There is still a lot to do over the next two years and I wish to continue to serve the membership. Specifically, I plan to pursue the following activities at the board level: (1) Speak at conferences of hospital managers and administrators to increase their knowledge and understanding of AAEM and the value of independent, democratic groups (2) Advance the role of the emergency physician in the new health care payment system (3) Promote the virtues of AAEM to residents and medical students (4) Enhance communications and support between the AAEM and the AAEM/RSA boards (5) Move AAEM s standing by improving and expanding liaison activities with other organizations. (6) Continue AAEM s state of the art conferences and international relationships Thank you for your time and support. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 COMMONSENSE 7

8 Michael Pulia, MD FAAEM Candidate for YPS Director Nominated by: Self-nominated Membership: Leadership Roles: Board of Directors, Young Physician Section Director -Social Media Committee Liaison Young Physicians Section Immediate Past President, Young Physicians Section President, Young Physicians Section Vice President, YPS Editorial Committee Co-Chair, Young Physicians Section At-Large Board Member, YPS Events Committee Chair, Resident Student Assoc. Board of Directors, Education Committee. Chair -Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors (CORD) Representative -RSA Advocacy Committee, Medical Student Section Council Midwest Rep., Committees: Social Media, 2012-present EM Education and Development (EMED) Planning Committee, 2012 Government Affairs, 2010-present Membership, 2010-present Education, 2007-present Meeting Activities: AAEM-RSA Midwest Medical Student Symposium, Invited lecturer AAEM Scientific Assembly San Diego, Planning Committee Member -Photo Competition Judge AAEM-RSA Midwest Medical Student Symposium, Invited lecturer -Simulation and Suture Lab Instructor -Planning Committee Member AAEM Membership Retreat, Young Physicians Section Report, co-presenter AAEM Scientific Assembly Las Vegas, Photo Competition Judge -Planning Committee Member AAEM Scientific Assembly Phoenix, Moderator at Leadership Development Track AAEM Scientific Assembly Amelia Island, Chair of Resident Track Planning Committee & Event Moderator 1st Annual AAEM-RSA Midwest Medical Student Symposium, Chair of Planning Committee & Event Moderator With increasing focus on coordination of care and value in medicine, it is critical that EM professional organizations make a clear case for board certified EPs as the premier providers in the acute care setting. AAEM continues to make great strides in educating important stakeholders about the value of residency training and board certification. In this past term on the Board of Directors (BOD), I have been able to effectively represent our early career physician members by attending several in person meetings and actively contributing to online BOD discussions. Participating in the strategic planning meeting that will shape the future direction of AAEM was both educational and a privilege. My goal, along with the RSA representative, was to offer perspectives from the next generation who will inherit the specialty. In doing so, we leveraged the power of experience and fresh ideas to optimize the organizations growth potential. I m proud to say the BOD enabled me to ensure your voice was heard at every step. This term I was also assigned the role of Social Media Committee Liaison, which provided me the opportunity to guide the direction of AAEM s social media and online presence. This venture will undoubtedly yield massive dividends going forward as new members will increasingly communicate through these powerful programs and they provide unique avenues to disseminate the AAEM message. As the YPS Director position is only a 1 year term, I would like to continue the momentum generated and serve another year in this position. If elected, I will continue to do everything in my power to represent the YPS membership effectively and with great commitment to the future of EM. Sincerely, Michael S. Pulia, MD FAAEM 8 COMMONSENSE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 AAEM