10/17/2014

My First Ohio ACEP Board Meeting

By Tyler Hill, DO; Resident Rep to the Ohio ACEP Board

On October 7th, 2014 I attended my first Ohio ACEP Board of Directors meeting. Arriving half an hour early, I was greeted by warm, smiling faces and friendly handshakes. Immediately, I felt accepted into the Ohio ACEP family and was on the “team.” Then, at 10:01 AM the gavel slammed against the sound block. As the topics of discussion varied, passions flared and territories were protected.

As I looked around the room and observed those present, a controlled tenacity was evident in each, waiting to be evoked whenever a specific issue arose. Even while outside of the emergency department, it was obvious how each would behave while in their work environment. I could not have felt more excited to be sitting amongst the most influential individuals in emergency medicine in the state of Ohio. Very early into the meeting, I realized how fortunate I was. So many of those in our field are unaware of the history of emergency medicine. Several physicians over the years have made great sacrifices and have taken much criticism in the pursuit of advancing the field of emergency medicine. And here I was, sitting in a room with similar individuals who have all chosen to take a stand and represent the field of emergency medicine with the intent to make my future shifts in the ED and patient care that much better. While there has been a significant amount of growth in our field of emergency medicine in the last 40 years, there is still much to be done. Prior to attending this meeting, I had no real “behind the scenes” view of the advancement of emergency medicine. This collective group of physicians assist in making major decisions that directly impact all EM physicians across the country now and for years to come. The privilege of now having an insider’s perspective of this process and being a part of this board is such an honor.

Having a few days to have processed my first Board meeting experience, I have become even more motivated to find my niche while spending this year as the Ohio ACEP Board’s resident representative. I take this role very seriously and desire to help make Ohio the most competitive and desirable state in which to be an emergency medicine resident. My goal is to inspire residents across the state to become influential figures in emergency medicine and to ultimately leave their residencies better than when they arrived. As a resident, take pride in your residency, help push your junior residents and rotating medical students, and get involved in committees determined to make your hospital a better place.

So, I will definitely say that my first experience with the Ohio ACEP Board of Directors was one I will never forget. I look forward to a year of similar experiences and hope that this opportunity propels me into a future position of continuing to aid in the advancement of my passion, emergency medicine.

Thank you for this opportunity to represent all of the residents across the state of Ohio.

Tyler Hill, D.O. PGY-3
Ohio ACEP Board
Chair, EMRO