Project Grant R13HS030191

SAEM24 CONSENSUS CONFERENCE ON CREATING A DIVERSE AND SUSTAINABLE EMERGENCY MEDICINE INVESTIGATOR PIPELINE - CREATING A DIVERSE AND SUSTAINABLE EMERGENCY MEDICINE INVESTIGATOR PIPELINE CONFERENCE TYPE: RESEARCH TRAINING, INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT SUMMARY THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING PHYSICIANS WHO SHARE DIVERSE CHARACTERISTICS WITH THEIR PATIENTS, SUCH AS RACIAL AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND, RELIGION OR GENDER, IS ROOTED IN SEVERAL FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE OVERALL QUALITY OF HEALTHCARE AND PATIENT OUTCOMES. WHILE IT'S ESSENTIAL TO NOTE THAT THE QUALITY OF CARE IS NOT SOLELY DETERMINED BY THE DIVERSITY OF THE PHYSICIAN, DIVERSE REPRESENTATION IN THE HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE CAN HAVE POSITIVE IMPACTS FOR SEVERAL REASONS, INCLUDING: CULTURAL COMPETENCE, ENHANCED COMMUNICATION, INCREASED TRUST AND REDUCED HEALTH DISPARITIES. IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE (EM) SPECIFICALLY, THERE IS A GREAT NEED TO INCREASE THE DIVERSITY OF TRAINED PHYSICIANS AND RESEARCHERS TO ADEQUATELY REPRESENT THE POPULATION OF PATIENTS SEEN IN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE NATION. PARTICULARLY, THE CREATION OF A DIVERSE AND SUSTAINABLE EMERGENCY MEDICINE INVESTIGATOR PIPELINE WILL SUPPORT THE ADVANCEMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH IN EM, BUILDING A STRONG NETWORK OF CLINICIAN SCIENTISTS WHO HAVE THE RELEVANT BACKGROUND, TRAINING AND SUPPORT TO CONDUCT HIGH QUALITY RESEARCH REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DIVERSE POPULATION OF PATIENTS SEEN IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT (ED). THE SOCIETY FOR ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE (SAEM) IS A PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION SERVING OVER 8,400 EMERGENCY CARE PROVIDERS WITH AN INTEREST IN ACADEMICS. THE SAEM ANNUAL MEETING (SAEM24) IS THE PREMIER FORUM FOR ORIGINAL RESEARCH AND INNOVATIVE EDUCATION IN ACADEMIC EM. THIS YEAR, THE SAEM24 CONSENSUS CONFERENCE AIMS TO ADDRESS THE AGENCY FOR HEALTHCARE RESEARCH AND QUALITY'S (AHRQ) STRONG AND CONTINUED INTEREST IN ACHIEVING EQUITY IN HEALTHCARE DELIVERY IN THE UNITED STATES BY BRINGING TOGETHER HUNDREDS OF KEY STAKEHOLDERS TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM AIMED AT CREATING A SUSTAINABLE AND DIVERSE PIPELINE OF FEDERALLY-FUNDED CLINICIAN-SCIENTISTS IN THE SPECIALTY OF EM. THE CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD MAY 14, 2024 IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA AT SAEM'S 35TH ANNUAL MEETING. THE SCOPE OF THE PLAN WILL INCLUDE IDENTIFYING AND PRIORITIZING EVIDENCE-BASED STRATEGIES AND TACTICS THAT SPECIFICALLY FOCUS ON UNDERGRADUATE AND MEDICAL STUDENT TRAINING, RESIDENT AND FELLOW TRAINING, EARLY CAREER FACULTY AND MID-CAREER FACULTY TRAINING. IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WHILE PHYSICIAN DIVERSITY IS VALUABLE, IT IS JUST ONE ASPECT OF A BROADER STRATEGY TO IMPROVE HEALTHCARE OUTCOMES FOR ALL PATIENTS. OTHER CRITICAL FACTORS INCLUDE IMPROVING ACCESS TO CARE, ADDRESSING SYSTEMIC BARRIERS, AND PROMOTING CULTURAL COMPETENCE TRAINING FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS. THE OUTCOMES OF THE SAEM24 CONSENSUS CONFERENCE WILL ADDRESS THESE FACTORS AND CREATE A NATIONAL PLAN FOR RESEARCH TRAINING, INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT FOR THE FUTURE. THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONFERENCE ALONG WITH THE PLAN WILL BE SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION AND WIDELY DISSEMINATED THROUGH SAEM'S NATIONAL COMMUNICATION CHANNELS, CREATING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR STAKEHOLDERS TO TAKE MEANINGFUL ACTION TO IMPROVE CURRENT PRACTICES.