Since 1970, advocates for the Emergency Medicine specialty.
“Just Show Up”
VACEP’s Resident Representative Program
The Virginia College of Emergency Physicians (VACEP) is the voice of emergency medicine in Virginia.
Residents always join VACEP for our annual Advocacy Day at the State Capitol, where they learn to advocate on important issues to emergency medicine in front of lawmakers.
With nearly 1,000 members in our chapter and representation of all emergency medicine physicians and ED staff statewide, VACEP maintains a strong track record of forming and advocating policies policy to protect our people and patients. We are led by a board of emergency physicians who volunteer their time to accomplish VACEP’s goals. See our successes at vacep.org and vacep.org/news.
The Board also holds positions for Resident Representatives. This is a unique opportunity for professional development, advocacy, and contribution to the field of emergency medicine, while also providing valuable insights and support to fellow residents and new physicians. For residents who participate, they will benefit from our unofficial mantra on what it takes to succeed: Just Show Up.
Interested in the Residency Representative program?
RESPONSIBILITIES
Attend 4 (quarterly) Board meetings: Attend in person or virtually, to provide input, insights, and perspectives from the emergency medicine resident perspective. Meetings are held in February at our annual conference, and June, September, and December in Richmond. Here’s our calendar.
Represent resident interests: Act as a liaison between our chapter and the residents in training — ensuring that their voices, concerns, and needs are heard and addressed.
Guidance and insight: Offer valuable input during discussions on matters impacting residents and new physicians.
Stay informed and educated: Stay on top of key issues affecting emergency medicine and residency training, staying informed about policy changes, advancements, and challenges in the specialty.
Go beyond the ED: Gain knowledge and understanding of how a medical association board functions, including governance structures, decision-making processes, and strategic planning.
Collaborate with state medical groups and public officials: Interact with other medical specialties, and participate in state work groups to contribute to broader discussions and initiatives related to emergency medicine.
Promote professional development: Encourage and facilitate opportunities for professional development among residents, like attending conferences or workshops.
BENEFITS
Insight into policy: Gain firsthand insight into the development of policies and changes at the state level that impact emergency medicine practice and residency training.
Book-smart emergency medicine residents participate in our annual “Jeopardy!” competition at the annual conference. VCU residents (pictured here) won in 2024. In addition to VCU, each year sees friendly competition from EM residency programs including Navy, Riverside, EVMS, UVA Health, and Virginia Tech/Carilion.
Professional growth: Develop leadership skills, communication abilities, and a deeper understanding of the healthcare system.
Network: Connect with experienced physicians, leaders in emergency medicine, representatives from other medical organizations, and healthcare decision-makers.
Conference credits: Earn continuing medical education requirements for attending the annual VACEP conference in February or other ACEP events.
Advocacy platform: Serve as an advocate for emergency medicine residents, advocating for their interests, concerns, and needs within the association and beyond.
Contribute: Contribute to the advancement of emergency medicine as a field by providing input, feedback, and recommendations on relevant issues and initiatives.
Our Bylaws require representation from emergency medicine residents!
““The Board shall be composed of a minimum of fifteen (15) elected directors, a non-voting resident representative from each ACGME-accredited emergency medicine residency within the state of Virginia, and one non-voting medical student representative, nominated by medical students and appointed by the President, from a Virginia medical school. Each residency may have one representative; however, the residency can change the representative at their discretion.””
Reach out to learn more about the Residency Representative program.