Fear. Anxiety. Uncertainty.

These are emotions that almost everyone felt early in the pandemic. These are sentiments we are very familiar with as emergency physicians. We don’t always know what comes next or what to do in every single situation, but we draw upon our training: we jump in, we look for answers, and we find solutions. Unpredictability defines us as a specialty.

In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, “the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort or convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.”

We are facing unprecedented challenges: a global pandemic, surprise billing legislation, scope of practice issues, homeschooling our children while simultaneously participating in Zoom meetings (praying you turned off your camera if you forgot to put on pants), and even murder hornets. Just when you thought it couldn’t possibly get any worse, somebody had to throw that into the mix. But in challenging times like these, I think back to how far we have come as a specialty. Fifty years ago, they told us emergency medicine would never exist. They told us we would never be recognized as a specialty. And yet, somehow, we made the impossible possible. We made the invisible visible. We’ve beaten these odds before and this, too, shall pass.

The pandemic has changed my perspective. When I think about COVID now, it is no longer fear or uncertainty that comes to mind. I think of three different words: hope, humanity, and purpose. I saw people gathering on their balconies in the evenings across the globe to clap for healthcare workers. They were clapping for us. I see my community members sewing masks for complete strangers and people buying groceries for their elderly neighbors. Even in a deeply divided country, we have found common ground that demonstrates the power of kindness, compassion, and humanity.

I see a number of opportunities for emergency medicine. The pandemic has been a catalyst in driving transformation for our specialty. What would have taken decades to accomplish with telemedicine, we have been able to do in weeks. CMS and others are recognizing that we are not a location, we are a specialty. We are no longer a room or even a department—we are experts in acute unscheduled care, and a source of inspiration and hope for our country.

I don’t have a crystal ball and I can’t tell you exactly how or when this is going to end, but I can tell you this: emergency physicians will be the driving force that navigates us out of this storm. The skills, credibility, and resilience we have developed as a specialty will serve us well in the legislative battles ahead. We have learned to adapt and overcome. We have transformed our image as healers and heroes.

I am incredibly humbled and proud to be an emergency physician. The last nine months have truly been emergency medicine’s finest hour. It is a constant reminder that what we do has purpose. What we do is important and impactful. What we do not only saves lives; it transforms our entire healthcare system. I ask you to stand with me to fight for our patients and our specialty. Thank you for your commitment, your leadership, and your service to our College. ■