Complete Story
08/19/2016
August President's Message
I know I'm biased, but I don't care. Last Thursday's Ohio Emergency Medicine Residents’ Assembly (#EMRO16) was the best resident conference. Ever. It's not even close. We had 167 residents and medical students from 16 programs around Ohio and 22 Board members, faculty, and poster competition judges, as well as 33 exhibitors in attendance. Certainly, credit goes to Dr. Catherine Marco and the planning committee but most importantly to the Ohio ACEP staff, without whom the day could not have happened.
We had some "big names" in EM speak with the residents. Dr. Kevin Klauer spoke about negotiating that first post-residency employment contract. Dr. Anand "The Swami" Swaminathan of EM:RAP fame and Bouncebacks! author Dr. Mike Weinstock spoke in the afternoon. EMRA returned for the third year in a row for their Quiz Show with Ohio State taking home the first place trophy in a nail-biter that would have made their football counterparts proud. And I would be remiss if I didn’t commend the residents of St. Elizabeth Boardman who finished third and Wright State, the Quiz Show runners-up!
Whenever I go to a conference, I always try to take something home with me that I can use during my next shift—and even better if I can teach my residents about it. I found that “something” when Swami spoke about what he called Dogmalysis, challenging classic teachings and conventional wisdom in EM. He spoke about pretreatment for contrast "allergy" for CTs. Now, I've learned the hard way in the past about “going rogue” late at night and bucking hospital protocols, so my next night shift wasn't the night to die on that hill and fight the almighty CT techs. But Swami provided many references, including the actual American College of Radiology guidelines on contrast allergy that I can take to my director and begin the process of changing hospital policy the right way.
The residents also elected their representative to the Ohio ACEP Board of Directors, Dr. Onyeka Otugo from Akron General Medical Center. I have no doubt she will continue the excellent work of representing her fellow residents on the Ohio ACEP Board, just like so many of the residents who have come before her.
As amazing as this year’s Assembly was, you can be sure we're not about sit back and rest on a successful conference. We've already started planning for 2017! Maybe next year we can break 200 resident attendees? That's my challenge to my fellow program directors out there. Let’s make it happen!
Michael
Michael J. McCrea, MD, FACEP
President, Ohio ACEP
