The American Association of Women Emergency Physicians (AAWEP) is thrilled to update the ACEP community on its exciting new projects.

Emergency medicine physicians have been leaders in the realms of social media, blogging, and online education since the Web’s inception. AAWEP’s leadership is now capitalizing on that accessibility and sense of community with an increased focused on expanding our own catalog of online resources. In response to the growing need for a more modern, mobile-friendly platform, our leadership team recently collaborated with ACEP’s information technology department to redesign and launch a vibrant new section website. A first stop for new and old members alike, this intuitive resource provides easy access to the section’s archived newsletters, leadership principles, and recommended readings.

We’ve also ramped up our social media presence with a new Facebook page and Twitter handle (@AAWEPSection), helping our members connect, communicate, and share newsworthy stories with one another and the broader emergency medicine community. Our social media projects went live in April, and since that time, our Twitter followers have grown from zero to more than 300! We love being able to share interesting, relevant articles from newspapers, blogs, and journals with our members and watch those ideas spread from one physician to another. We encourage readers to bring shareworthy pieces to our attention by emailing their finds to aawep.section@acep.org. We also invite nonmembers to plug in; like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay abreast of all our activities.

Watch for details about AAWEP’s upcoming didactic sessions at ACEP15. “Leveling the Playing Field: Negotiation Tools and Strategies for Women” will focus on developing the framework for negotiation, capitalizing on strengths and mitigating weaknesses, and utilizing problem-solving tools. “Chaos Survival Toolkit” will provide concrete tips to manage difficult interactions and strategies to live a more resilient and fulfilled life. “Overcome the Gender Trap: Leadership Lessons for Men and Women” will review research surrounding gender in the workplace and provide practical advice to help both men and women achieve their personal and professional goals. These are sure to be engaging, thought-provoking sessions; don’t miss them!

We’re also honored to report that ACEP recently approved funding for a new AAWEP Section grant. Spearheaded by Elizabeth Lea Walters, MD, FACEP, “Working in Fours—Understanding and Facilitating Intergenerational Communication for Women in Emergency Medicine” will research the effects of the presence of multiple generations in our specialty’s workforce. For the first time in history, there are four generations of women in the U.S. workplace as a whole. The contrast in life experiences between these age groups can be a source of mutual enrichment and potential conflict. This novel project aims to explore these disparities and create a toolkit to support intergenerational communication for women in emergency medicine, with the ultimate goal of promoting professional advancement and leadership skills.