Dear friends and colleagues,
I trust you are all well and getting ready for a fabulous spring season!
It is almost two months since our fantastic meeting in Tampa—the most attended conference in NAEMSP’s history! Our annual meeting brought us together to exchange new ideas and best practices and continue to build relationships that will last a lifetime.
The past three years have been challenging, to say the least. The difficulties and disruptions in healthcare have placed a significant pressure on the great work you all do to ensure communities and patients are safe and receiving access to high-quality EMS care. I was amazed by all the great research and innovation taking place despite the challenges our specialty is facing. Returning from our national meeting feeling energized, a renewed sense of commitment and inspired by the new ideas and scientific advancements we have learned from others is critical to continuing the work we do.
This year, we had a record attendance of new members and medical students. I learned from one of our new members how much they enjoyed learning about all the opportunities for career growth in our specialty. Other attendees shared how much they appreciated receiving guidance from faculty about how to approach challenges in their communities, while other attendees shared how much they enjoyed networking with others pursuing similar projects or initiatives.
Our Annual Meeting is also a forum that not only fosters the exchange of new ideas but also supports an environment for mentorship for our next generation of EMS clinicians. Sharing knowledge while cultivating relationships contributes to the growth and advancement in our field. Mentorship plays a crucial role in the professional development of individuals by providing them guidance, support, and constructive feedback throughout their professional journey.
I want to take this opportunity to share the Board of Directors’ recent approval of a new national award for our association. This new award—The Nancy Caroline Award—will be awarded for mentorship and education. Thanks especially to the Women in EMS committee for their leadership and for putting forward this proposal. Their wonderful description of Dr. Caroline’s contributions to EMS follows:
Dr. Nancy Caroline is most recognized as the author of the first EMS curriculum and the textbook, Emergency Care in the Streets. In addition to her renowned leadership in education, Dr. Caroline served as the medical director of Freedom House Ambulance, which both pioneered prehospital care as we know it today and demonstrated a clear vision for community representation and inclusion within the EMS profession.
Dr. Caroline embodied many admirable traits. Key among them were her dedication to mentorship of the EMS clinicians with whom she worked and her unwavering pursuit of excellent prehospital care for all patients. The Nancy Caroline Award will be awarded to an NAEMSP member who, through their actions, has demonstrated a relentless commitment to advancing educational excellence and the mentorship of others within the EMS specialty.
Thank you all for your engagement, commitment and dedication to our profession. We had record participation at all our committee meetings, which are the lifeline of the organization. Our committee members are collaborating to provide meaningful impact in our specialty. Please consider sharing your expertise through one of our committees as you all play a critical role in advancing our mission.
I look forward to seeing you all at our Government Relations Academy that will take place on June 8th in Washington, D.C. Please don’t forget to RSVP!
Thank you for all you do,
José