Greetings from the MPD team at FCEP!

We are absolutely thrilled with the turnout and outcome of Symposium by the Sea this year! The event went off without a hitch thanks to the amazing FCEP staff who brought it all together. This year saw the return of resident competitions and a move to the beautiful Hyatt Regency Coconut Point in Bonita Springs. Thank you to everyone who attended.  Read the recap here. For those who missed out, mark your calendars for next year for August 3-6, 2023 at the same venue. We hope to see you there!

As we continue to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, the MPD committee is coming back bigger and better than ever before. With a record 22 EM residency programs in Florida and a growth in all types of membership, we are actively reaching out to every FCEP member to ensure we meet your needs and foster development at every stage of your career. Please let us know what FCEP can do for you!

EMRAF:

We are thrilled to be working with EMRAF and their new president, Dr. Natalie Diers. Our goal is to connect with all of our resident members to provide education, collaboration, sponsorship, and advocacy. With over 600 resident members, we are actively seeking out representatives and points of contact for every Florida EM program. If you or someone you know would like to get involved with EMRAF, please let us know — we would love to have you!

Early Career Physicians:

With our Early Career Physicians section, our goal is to provide targeted education and collaboration amongst our newer attending colleagues (focused on the first 5 years out of residency). We have had successful virtual meetings throughout the pandemic, but are now looking forward to future opportunities for collaboration, both online and in-person. Continue to look for updates and announcements in the coming months for how to get involved.

Leadership Academy:

Last year saw the rebranding and re-emergence of our Leadership Academy. With Dr. Stephen Viel at the helm, it was arguably one of the most successful years in the history of the program. The program graduated four phenomenal young leaders who will contribute to the specialty of EM on a local, regional, and national level. We are excited to announce the upcoming slate of LA participants for the 2022-2023 cycle:

1. Veronica Bonales, MD
2. Ricki Brown-Forestiere, MD
3. Teri Finklea, MD, MBA
4. Daniel McDermott, DO
5. Joshua Middleton, MD
6. Brandy MilsteadHollingsworth, MD
7. Diana Mora, MD, FACEP, FPD-AEMUS
8. Samuel Muniz, MD
9. James Ontell, DO
10. Jeremy Selley, DO, FACOEP
11. Ian Storch, MD
12. Chrissy Zeretzke-Bien, MD, FACEP, FAAP, FAAEM

Get Involved:

I joined FCEP as a resident member in 2016. Since then, I have served on multiple committees, led the educational planning for Symposium by the Sea, actively participated in ACEP Council, and continue to serve on the Board of Directors. I had no special qualifications and no expertise in any of these areas — simply a desire to learn and a willingness to lead. Now is the time to get involved — all you have to do is show up! Our committee and board meetings take place quarterly at our EMLRC headquarters in Orlando and can be accessed from anywhere online. I urge you to attend and can assure you that we will help you get involved.

FCEP is always getting bigger and better. We are there to serve our members in every facet of their lives and work. Now, more than ever, it is important that we bring together our collective strengths, experiences, and resources to build the best future for our specialty and the millions of patients we serve each year. I look forward to partnering with each of you to ensure this ideal. ■