Making the Most of Your SAEM Membership (RAMS and Membership Committee Sponsored)

Authors
  • Feeser_2897

    Venkata Ramana Feeser, MD

    Member-at-Large

    Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center

    My education includes BS in Health Policy and Administration from Pennsylvania State University (State College, PA), MD from George Washington University School of Medicine (Washington, DC) and emergency medicine residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore, MD). In addition to being a board certified emergency medicine physician and serving in leadership roles including most recently as interim chief quality and safety officer for VCU Health System from September 2020 through February 2022, I also have been taking on roles of increased responsibility within our national emergency medicine organizations. Specific to SAEM, my initial service began as a member of Research Committee, Ethics Committee and Grant Writing Workshop and more recently has included membership in AWAEM, ADIEM (Secretary-Treasurer 5/2020-4/2021), Equity and Inclusion Committee, and Membership Committee (Chair since 5/2021). I am running for SAEM Member-at-Large because I want to be a part of sustaining the great work that SAEM already does, and if elected, be part of a leadership team that is devoted to that never-ending quest for better.
  • Pierce - 2022 - Ava Pierce

    Ava E. Pierce, MD

    Member-at-Large

    UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas

    Ava E. Pierce, MD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center, the Associate Chair of Diversity and Inclusion for the Department of Emergency Medicine, the Director of the Emergency Medicine Research Associate Program, a Co-Director of the Joint Admission Medical Program (JAMP) at UT Southwestern and works clinically at Parkland Health and Hospital Systems. She obtained her medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine at Shreveport and completed an emergency medicine residency at Emory University School of Medicine.

    Dr. Pierce completed the Medical Education Research Certificate (MERC) Program and the AAMC Healthcare Executive Diversity and Inclusion Certificate Program and is committed to making innovative changes that will enhance diversity and inclusion and improve excellence in health care, thus strengthening a diverse workforce that will provide culturally competent quality medical care to all. She serves as a member UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Medical School Admissions Committee and is a faculty liaison for Housestaff Emerging Academy of Leaders (HEAL), which focuses on professional development and mentoring for residents and fellows from under-represented groups. Her research interests include medical education, diversity and inclusion, and cardiac resuscitation.

    Dr. Pierce has built a steadfast academic career with involvement in numerous capacities at SAEM. She has been actively involved in the Academy for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Medicine (ADIEM) since it was founded and has served as ADIEM’s development officer and president. She was awarded ADIEM’s Outstanding Academician Award in recognition of her impact on the academic success of students and residents from underrepresented minority groups. She has also been a member of SAEM’s Membership Committee, SAEM’s Ethics Committee and SAEM’s Diversity and Inclusion Task Force. She is an elected 2020-2021 member-at Large of the Board of Directors of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM). She is member of the National Medical Association, the AAMC Group on Diversity and Inclusion, and a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians.

  • Dustin Blake Williams, MD

    UT Southwestern Medical Center

    I received my undergraduate degree in biomedical science from Texas A&M University. I then obtained my medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio before continuing on to complete my emergency medicine residency at Indiana University. I continued into a career in academics as faculty at UT-Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) where I currently serve as residency program director. My primary clinical site is Parkland Memorial Hospital, the sole county hospital for the entirety of Dallas county as well as one of the largest and busiest county hospitals in the country.

    I bring a strong work ethic and proven leadership with many years of experience working in a large GME setting. During my time at UTSW I have served in various leadership roles including assistant program director and more recently PD, chair and co-chair of departmental and interdisciplinary committees. I have also had long-standing membership and involvement in both SAEM and CORD, having served on multiple committees including: CORD AA21 DEI mini-track co-chair, SAEM Education Committee and most recently the SAEM Faculty Development Committee. I also currently serve as co-chair of our ADIEM LGBTQIA+ Subcommittee.

    I strongly value the fantastic mentorship and leadership development that I have gained through my involvement in SAEM and ADIEM over the past 7 years. I wish to continue my service to this organization by appointment as Member-at-large to the ADIEM Board. I look forward to positively impacting our organization through continued advocacy for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. I intend to serve as a dedicated member of the team, to be present and engaged, working to seek out diverse opportunities for collaboration, and brainstorming innovative strategies for lasting change in our organization.

  • Hamza Ijaz, MD

    Immediate Past President

    University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

    I did my residency at the University of Cincinnati and received my medical degree from the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. My interest in organized emergency medicine initially started as a Medical Student Ambassador during SAEM18 where I was given the opportunity to gain mentorship from our leaders within emergency medicine. Since then, I have volunteered my time serving on the RAMS Board as a member-at-large and most recently as the current secretary-treasurer. These opportunities have led me to partnering with the SAEM Program Committee, Faculty Development Committee, and Virtual Presence Committee to create resident and medical student focused content.

    As we transition into the next phase of the pandemic, with growing concerns surrounding the future of the EM workforce, I will ensure that our members have a voice at the table so that our concerns are heard. It is crucial that the solutions being considered incorporate the views of the residents and students they will ultimately affect. In addition, with virtual interviews currently ongoing and uncertainty surrounding the next application cycle, I will make it a priority for RAMS to provide our members with high-yield resources to navigate the next cycle.

  • Holly M. Byrd-Duncan, MBA

  • Krystle Ansay

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