Meet the Pioneering Women of Emergency Medicine

Nancy Auer, MD

  • 1998 Elected First Woman President of ACEP
  • 1998 President of International Federation of Emergency Medicine
  • 2000 President, Washington State Medical Association
  • 2001 John G Wiegenstein Leadership Award, ACEP
  • 2005 Present Chief Medical Officer, Swedish Hospital, Seattle, WA

Pam Bensen, MD, MS

  • 1971 Founding member of first Emergency Medicine Residency Program (Cincinnati)
  • First Woman Elected to the ACEP Board of Directors
    •  

Diane Birnbaumer, MD

  • ACEP Outstanding Speaker of the Year Award
  • ACEP Outstanding Contribution to Education Award
  • California ACEP Education Award

Michelle Biros, MD, MS

  • Past Editor-in-Chief, Academic Emergency Medicine
  • 2009 SAEM Leadership Award

Diana Fite, MD

  • 1995 First Woman President of Texas ACEP
  • 2013 ACEP James D Mills Award
  • 2007 ACEP Council Meritorious Service Award
  • Has chaired numerous ACEP Committees

Marsha Ford, MD

  • 2012 President, American Association of Poison Control Centers
  • ACEP Council Meritorious Service Award
  • Director, Carolinas Poison Center


Gloria Kuhn, DO, Phd

  • Past President, AWAEM
  • Associate Editor, Academic Emergency Medicine
  • Board of Directors, Michigan ACEP 

Debra Perina, MD

  • 1991 President, South Carolina ACEP
  • 2001 President, CORD
  • 2009 President, American Board of Emergency Medicine
  • 2013 Board of Directors, ACEP 

Laura Pimental, MD

  • Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine
  • Past President, Maryland ACEP
  • CMO, University of Maryland Emergency Medicine Network


Lynne Richardson, MD

  • Vice Chair for Academic, Research and Community Programs, Department of Emergency Medicine, Mount Sinai
  • New York City Board of Health

Sandy Schneider, MD

  • 2010 President, ACEP
  • Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester
  • President, SAEM

Judith Tintinalli, MD, MS

  • Editor-in-Chief, Tintinalli Emergency Medicine
  • Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of North Carolina
  • Founder and First President, CORD
  • 1981 James D Mills Meritorious Achievement Award, ACEP
  • 1990 ACEP National Education Award
  • 1996 SAEM Leadership Award


 

Legacy Videos

AWAEM interviewed 12 of the inspiring women who were the first to enter emergency medicine and take on leadership roles in our specialty, paving the way for current and future generations. Meet them and hear what they have to say here. 

  • Breaking the Glass Ceiling-Our pioneers describe barriers they faced in medicine and emergency medicine due to their gender, and how they overcame them. 
  • Losing a Patient- Losing a patient is always difficult, no matter the circumstance or how long you have been practicing. Hear our pioneers reflect on their own experiences and coping mechanisms. 
  • Women of Emergency Medicine- Our pioneers reflect on their careers and lives as emergency physicians. 
  • Talking Success- The pioneers have been leaders in ACEP, SAEM, ABEM, CORD, and other organizations. Learn their tips and tricks for success. 
  • Giving Advice- Looking back on your career, what advice would you give to your younger self, and to women entering emergency medicine today?  Why I Chose Emergency MedicineHow and why did our pioneers choose to enter the field of emergency medicine at a time when it was particularly new and non-traditional?
  • Dr. Birnbaumer, Dr. Schneider and Dr. Kuhn Roundtable Discussion
  • Dr. Perina, Dr. Benson, Dr. Pimentel and Dr. Biros Roundtable Discussion
  • Dr. Fite, Dr. Ford and Dr. Auer Roundtable Discussion

AWAEM - Losing A Patient 4-24 from Stacy Gitlin on Vimeo.

AWAEM - Women Of Emergency Medicine 4-24 from Stacy Gitlin on Vimeo.

AWAEM - Breaking the Glass Ceiling 4-24 from Stacy Gitlin on Vimeo.

AWAEM - Talking Success With Themes 4-24 from Stacy Gitlin on Vimeo.

AWAEM - Change for women With Themes 4-24 from Stacy Gitlin on Vimeo.

AWAEM - Choosing EM 4-24 from Stacy Gitlin on Vimeo.

AWAEM - Dr. Birnbaumer, Dr. Schneider and Dr. Kuhn Roundtable Discussion from Stacy Gitlin on Vimeo.

AWAEM - Dr. Perina, Dr. Benson, Dr. Pimentel and Dr Biros AWAEM Round Table Discussion from Stacy Gitlin on Vimeo.

AWAEM - Dr. Diane Fite, Dr. Marsh Ford and Dr. Nancy Auer Round Table Discussion from Stacy Gitlin on Vimeo.