10/17/2014

October President's Message

Chicago, Chicago, that toddling town…Here we come. ACEP’s increasingly influential Scientific Assembly (ACEP14) returns to the shores of Lake Michigan the last week of October. A great venue for ACEP’s annual assembly, the city boasts wonderful eateries, top notch hotels, a variety of entertainment events (on a visit to the Windy City for a previous SA, I attended a Chicago Bears game in the afternoon, a Chicago Blackhawks game that evening, and had the opportunity to attend a Chicago Bulls game the following evening…I passed), and an assembly hall that can easily and comfortably accommodate this gathering.

As has been the case since the early days of the College, ACEP14 is immediately preceded by the ACEP Council meeting. Whereas ACEP14 is great for education, networking, exhibitor hopping, etc., ACEP Council is where the “business” of emergency medicine gets done. The Board and national leaders of ACEP are elected, the rules governing ACEP and its members are decided, and goals for ACEP are debated and delineated. Recall, the Councillors who make up the Council are representatives of the states and territories, the ACEP Sections, and a few other sources. The Council meeting is run by Council Speaker, currently our own Dr. Kevin Klauer.

The Councillors will have a chance to “get to know” the people running for President-Elect (a position that, as you might imagine, assumes the role of the Presidency the following year) on the first day of the meeting. This year sees three excellent candidates for this position. On Sunday, the final day of the meeting, the Council will select one of these three to assume the President-Elect position. On the same day, they will choose from the slate of candidates the appropriate number of people to fill the Board of Director seats.

The Councillors will spend a good deal of the two days discussing and debating the Resolutions that have been put forth. A handful of these are rather symbolic, commending those in the field for their contributions to emergency medicine and honoring those contributors who have passed on during the past year. Some are simply fixes for the ACEP Bylaws. Usually, there is not a lot of debate or discussion regarding such bylaw fixes, although occasionally prolonged debates can ensue.

There are always a few substantive resolutions that will encourage engaged discussion and debate. Probably this year’s hottest button item deals with the rules of communication as they pertain to those running for the leadership positions previously mentioned. There are a few Resolutions directly dealing with this issue, and heartfelt and well-thought-out discussions are very likely. Other topics of interest contained in the variety of Resolutions include the methodology for paying for the ACEP Report Card, the mechanics for reinstatement of Fellow status should it lapse, and the relevance of human trafficking to those of us working in the emergency care setting (realizing we are often their first, and maybe only, point of contact with society).

For those of you coming to the little berg of Chicago for the ACEP Council Meeting, ACEP14, or both—let us know! Stop by Ohio ACEP’s booth (#1225), chat, and share a cup of coffee.

Finally, I’m sure you’ve gotten the word (email, snail mail, or otherwise) regarding the Ohio ACEP EM Board Review Course in January. Yep…we’re taking it on the road once again! We’ll be returning to Florida, but the location will change slightly, opting for the beautiful city of Tampa. This course will continue the tradition of educational excellence built up over oh these many years. If you’ve got Boards or In-Service Exams on the horizon, or are simply looking for a concise, organized, and relevant review of the basics of emergency medicine, keep Tampa and our January Review course in mind!

Best,

John
John Lyman, MD, FACEP
President, Ohio ACEP