ACEP has 32 Sections of Membership, each with a unique special interest or focus of emergency medicine. Over the next few months, ACEP News will profile the sections.

The ACEP Young Physicians Section (YPS) is one of just a few sections that represent a demographic constituency within emergency medicine. The Section’s operational guidelines clarify the section’s purpose as “to provide a forum in which members of the College new to the practice of emergency medicine can develop a knowledge base, share information, and serve as a resource to the Board [of Directors].”

YPS is the largest section in ACEP. Although the section’s endeavors are targeted toward emergency physicians in their first 10 years of practice, there is no limit on who can join. Leadership within the section is an opportunity for younger physicians within the College to become more involved and “learn the ropes” of ACEP mechanics.

The executive committee consists of an elected Chair, Chair-elect, and Secretary. The Councillor and Alternate Councillor positions are also elected annually during Scientific Assembly.

The section strives to develop meaningful initiatives within the College that help serve the younger physician members. Just as important are the ideas relevant to all ACEP members but conceived from the fresh viewpoint of our section membership.

At the 2011 ACEP Council Meeting, the Council (representing all 53 chapters, 30 sections, Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association [EMRA], Association of Academic Chairs of Emergency Medicine [AACEM], and Council of Emergency Medi­cine Residency Directors [CORD]) addressed resolutions pertaining to EM practice, ACEP bylaw changes, and physician education. Following in the footsteps of YPS’s successful 2010 resolution (which directed ACEP to advocate for national legislation supporting primary enforcement laws to ban distracted driving and promote data collection regarding electronic equipment distraction on police accident report forms), both of YPS’s 2011 resolutions were also passed. The 2011 YPS resolutions directed ACEP to increase and promote resources regarding the professional liability litigation process and professional liability litigation stress support in hopes of increasing awareness of litigation stress and decrease burnout in our specialty.

The section continuously seeks an increase in membership value for younger ACEP members and to serve their unique needs. The Section developed ACEP 101, which covers “need to know” essentials to help reap the benefits of your organizational membership.

YPS develops videos and webinars covering topics relevant to the young physician but not frequently found elsewhere, such as Preparing for a Deposition, Financial Planning for the Emergency Physician, and Top Ten Documentation Mistakes. In Transition, a monthly e-newsletter with information specific to early career development and personal life issues, keeps members up to date.