The Future of the Emergency Medicine Workforce (RAMS and Workforce Committee Sponsored)
The emergency medicine landscape is rapidly evolving, influenced by changing physician demographics, healthcare policy, and the emergence of advanced practice providers and telemedicine. We recognize the critical importance of addressing these changes and understanding what the future of our workforce may look like – and who will be providing emergency care (and where).
Our didactic will begin with a concise overview of the ten seminal articles that form the basis of our discussion. We will explore topics such as workforce demographics, urban: rural dynamics, the impact of advanced practice providers, physician burnout, and recently published workforce models. Following this literature review, our panel of content experts will engage in a dynamic discussion, sharing their unique perspectives and insights on the future trajectory of the emergency medicine workforce.
Participants in this session will gain a comprehensive understanding of current literature and the challenges and opportunities facing the current (and future) emergency medicine workforce. Participants will learn to recognize key trends and predict potential workforce shortages. By the end of our session, attendees will be equipped with valuable knowledge to help shape the future of emergency medicine and enhance the delivery of quality care in this dynamic healthcare landscape.
Presenters:
- Christopher L. Bennett, MD, MSc, MA
- Cameron Gettel, MD, MHS
- Gillian Schmitz, MD
- Michelle D. Lall, MD, MHS
- Ronny Otero, MD, MSHA
- Laura Barrera, MD
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Christopher L. Bennett, MD, MSc, MA
Stanford University Department of Emergency Medicine
Christopher Bennett, MD, MSc, MA, is a physician scientist in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Stanford University. He is a fellow of both the American College of Emergency Physicians (FACEP) and the American Academy of Emergency Medicine (FAAEM). His primary research interests are in better understanding American's changing access to both emergency departments and emergency physician care.
Dr. Bennett completed residency training at Harvard Medical School's program in Emergency Medicine based at Massachusetts General Hospital. Bennett holds an undergraduate degree from Winthrop University (BS in Biology), a graduate degree from Duke University (MA in Genetics and Genomics), a medical degree (MD) from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, and a graduate degree from Stanford University (MSc in Epidemiology). In addition to his formal graduate training, Bennett was previously a scientist with the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and a researcher with the Emergency Medicine Network based at Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital. -
Cameron Gettel, MD, MHS
Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine
Yale University
Cameron Gettel, MD, MHS, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine, a Clinical Investigator at the Yale Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE), and a Co-Director of the Yale Emergency Scholars Fellowship. Dr. Gettel's research aims to advance the understanding of emergency department care transitions in the growing geriatric population. Dr. Gettel has led work with the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine and the American College of Emergency Physicians respectively addressing fundamental emergency workforce topics and developing innovative models to improve quality measure reporting within the specialty. Dr. Gettel received a BS from Elizabethtown College and an MD from Pennsylvania State College of Medicine. He completed residency in Emergency Medicine at Brown University followed by a health services research and policy fellowship in the National Clinician Scholars Program at Yale University. -
Gillian Schmitz, MD
Uniformed Services University
Dr Schmitz serves as the Immediate President of the American College of Emergency Physicians. She has had an extensive career in academics and has practiced across the country as her husband was serving his military commitment in the Air Force. She served as academic faculty at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Washington Hospital Center / Georgetown University, University of California at San Diego, University of Texas San Antonio and Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC). She is currently a practicing emergency physician and Vice Chair of Education at BAMC in San Antonio, TX and an Associate Professor at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, MD.
Dr. Schmitz brings many years of clinical experience in urban, suburban, government, academic and free-standing emergency practice settings. She has also been involved with emergency medicine research and is a former EMF grant recipient, published author, and reviewer for several medical journals. She has been an advocate for residency training and has served as a speaker at national meetings for ACEP, EMRA, CORD and SAEM. Dr. Schmitz has received several awards for her leadership roles including the National Early Career Faculty Award from the Academy for Women in Academic Emergency Medicine (AWAEM), EMRA’s 45 under 45 and Mentorship Award, and ACEP’s National Teaching Faculty award. -
Michelle D. Lall, MD, MHS
President-Elect
Emory University
Dr. Michelle D. Lall, a board-certified emergency medicine physician, is a Professor at Emory University. She has been on faculty at Emory since 2013 where she served as an Associate Residency Director for 7 years. She is currently the inaugural Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Emory Emergency Medicine. She previously served as the inaugural Director of Wellbeing, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, as well as, the Medical Education Fellowship Director. Prior to coming to Emory, Dr. Lall was an Assistant Professor at Wayne State University beginning in 2008. She was an Assistant Residency Director at the Sinai-Grace/Wayne State University Emergency Medicine Residency Program and the medical student clerkship site director at Sinai-Grace/Wayne State University beginning in 2009. Dr. Lall is a graduate of Wayne State University School of Medicine. She completed her residency and chief residency at Emory University.
Dr. Lall is actively involved in medical education. Dr. Lall’s primary interests are physician wellbeing and the negative impact of bias on equity and inclusion in medicine. She is particularly interested in gender differences in burnout and workplace mistreatment among emergency physicians. Dr. Lall serves as the inaugural chair of the All Emergency Medicine Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force, a national emergency medicine work group focused on exploring and addressing bias and disparities in academic emergency medicine.
Her professional memberships include: American College of Emergency Physicians – where she is a fellow, Society for Academic Emergency Physicians - where she is part of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors, Academy for Women in Academic Emergency Medicine (AWAEM) - where she is a Past President, American Association of Women Emergency Physicians, and Georgia College of Emergency Physicians. She is also a member of the Delta Omega Honor Society. While at Sinai-Grace/Wayne State University, Dr. Lall was a two time "Faculty Teacher of the Year" award winner. At Emory, she has been a two time recipient of the “Faculty Advocate of the Year” award. In 2020, Dr. Lall was named one of the Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association 25 Under 45 Influencers in Emergency Medicine whose contributions embody the spirit of the specialty. Dr. Lall is a recipient of the AWAEM Momentum Award and AWAEM Mid-Career Award. In 2023, Dr. Lall was selected for the prestigious Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine® (ELAM®) program, an intensive one-year fellowship of leadership training with extensive coaching, networking and mentoring opportunities aimed at expanding the national pool of qualified women candidates for leadership in academic medicine, dentistry, public health and pharmacy.
Dr. Lall is committed to caring for underserved patients in a safety net hospital, educating and training the next generation of emergency physicians, and serving the academic emergency medicine community.
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Ronny Otero, MD, MSHA
Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin
Dr. Otero is Professor and Vice-Chair Clinical Operations at the Froedtert Hospital Emergency Department. He is also Director of the Health Executive Administrative Leadership (HEAL) Fellowship. Dr. Otero oversee directions and leadership for operations of all clinical practices in the Department of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Otero has experience in both academic and community emergency department settings. -
Laura Barrera, MD
Virginia Commonwealth University
I obtained my undergraduate degree in Women's Studies from Old Dominion University. I later pursued a post baccalaureate from George Mason University in Biology. In 2021 I graduated from The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) in Bethesda, MD with my MD I am now an emergency medicine resident at Virginia Commonwealth University.
During my medical school training I was selected as the American Medical Association (AMA) Medical Student Section Chair for the Women in Medicine National Committee. I held the position for 1.5 years and during my time I formed the committee, wrote our committee goals and views, and helped produce programming for the national conferences. Our committee also reviewed and wrote several resolutions that went on to be voted on the bigger AMA floor. I was also a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society and the committee leader for the Military Medical Specialty Night. I organized a nationwide event in which military medical students across the country were able to attend online. This event showcases the different residencies that the three main branches of the military offer. This was the first time the event was held via an online platform and the first time military members from across the nation were able to attend. Finally, while I do not have much SAEM experience, I hope to become more involved now that I have started my residency in emergency medicine.
I am running for the position of resident representative for GEMA for two reasons. The first is to pursue my interest of global emergency medicine and humanitarian response. The second is to help develop or enhance an avenue between military humanitarian/global missions and GEMA. I am currently an emergency medicine Intern but when I graduate I will become a flight physician for the Air Force. Our missions take us all over the world and we have a first hand view on the importance of emergency medicine. During my residency I hope to become better acquainted with global emergency medicine so that I may put to practice what I learn. I would also like to highlight global EM via SAEM Pulse by showcasing the experiences of physicians who currently serve.