Med Student question

[eadysx]

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I am a first year student, and was thinking of becoming a student member of one of the EM organizations, mostly to get the publications and have an idea about the issues facing EM. Any suggestions on which one to join? ACEP, AAEM, SAEM, some other I don’t know of….. I joined my schools EM club but its not very active and has not really provided me with much. I am to cheep to join them all, doesn’t seem like there would be any advantage to it come 4th year and residency application time. Thanks for the help!

E-

(I looked through the FAQ’s and didn’t see an answer to this type of question, hope I didn’t miss it.)

 

[dlung]

I joined ACEP/EMRA first b/c I got the most free stuff from it. 👍

AAEM is cheaper and they have a lot of free stuff too. 👍

I like the AEM journal the best, but SAEM doesn't give you any free stuff. 👎

 

[docB]

Here's my $.02 which is probably overvalued:
Join EMRA which joins you to ACEP. That will keep you up on major issues (if a one sided view, more on this later) and keep you up on residency related stuff via EMRA. Don't get involved in EMRA's weird political agendas, just use it to be involved and get the lay of the land so you know what's up when you start looking at residencies and and match an so on.
If you want to join one more join SAEM. The majority of the EM docs you interact with during med school and the ones who will write letters and interview you are academics you live or die based on SAEM. If you can ask intelligent questions of your faculty about AEM articles they'll love you.
Now, why not AAEM. AAEM is a great organization but it's core issues revolve around the business of EM, opposition to corporate medicine and contract issues. While important to the practice of EM these issues don't concern you until you are at least in residency.
Again this advice is highly debatable.

 

[Dr.Evil1]

As a 3rd year student I joined EMRA/ACEP. I get all types of stuff in the mail now, almost on a daily basis. Anals of Emergency medicine is an easy journal to read and is very clinically applicable. By joining EMRA you also get newsletters of local EM happenings etc. which can be nice, but truthfully I don't really read them that much. I am very happy with my decision to join EMRA but don't think that it makes one bit of difference if you have/don't have it on your ERAS application for residency.

 

[spyderdoc]

As a 3rd year student I joined EMRA/ACEP. I get all types of stuff in the mail now, almost on a daily basis. Anals of Emergency medicine is an easy journal to read and is very clinically applicable.

Hey, I never got the Anals! I guess this is one that I am glad that I didn't get!

 

[Sessamoid]

Hey, I never got the Anals! I guess this is one that I am glad that I didn't get!

Dude, you've been missing out! 🙂

 

[roja]

When I began thinking about em, I joined EMRA/ACEP. You get lots of free stuff. I didn't really care (at that point) about the political stuff. I just wanted some all around EM stuff and general residency application type stuff. Its good for that. As a med student the SAEM vs ACEP vs AAEM debate is really waaaaaaaaaay out of what you need.

You just need to get the basics and some general info. If I remember, EMRA is also free for med students. SAEM is well established and academic so it doesn't hurt ONCE you have gotten some EM basics down from EMRA.

Hope that helps!

(ps, you might also want to consider finding an EM doc to shadow on your summer break where-ever you are wasting time (my recommendation!) or where you are in med school)

 

[anonymousEM]

all of them have websites you can access for free as well. SAEM has some great databases (although some outdated) about med student rotations, residencies and fellowships. There's also a virtual advisor where you can sign up to be paired with an attending in any region of the country. This can prove to be a valuable resource for email communications and questions, especially if you don't have an EM program in your town. I'd vote for signing up for ACEP/EMRA for the stuff they send students and general info as well.

 

[eadysx]

(ps, you might also want to consider finding an EM doc to shadow on your summer break where-ever you are wasting time (my recommendation!) or where you are in med school)

Please tell me more. 🙂 My plan was to do very little this summer, but if I can help my chances in EM, I am all for it. What should I ask them to let me do? Just tag along in the ED? Should I still do it given that I was a Paramedic for 5 years prior to Med School?

E-

 

[roja]

Well, doing 'not much' is actually a really great plan. However, its pretty easy to shadow a few shifts in that time period just to start stablishing some relationships.

I would just say that wherever you are, contact some of the EM's and ask if you can shadow.

Being a paramedic, while indeed noble, is not the same as functioning as an md. And by shadowing you will get a good feel for what its like to be an EM doc and start establishing some mentoring relatsionships.

It doesnt' take a ton of effort (and shouldn't( you dshould enjoy your time off, but you can do something to start getting you in the direction.


This is, of course, all just my own opinion. 🙂 for what its worth.

 

[emdoc21]

AAEM offers a free trial year to medical students, or you can pay $50 and get full benefits including the Journal of Emergency Medicine.

Learn more at our new website, www.aaemres.org

Mark Reiter
Vice President, AAEM Resident/Student Section