Over the past year, the EMS subspecialty has continued to grow and evolve, thanks in large part to the outstanding research and practice of many members of the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP). At its 2024 Annual Meeting in Austin, TX, NAEMSP honored some of these dedicated professionals with grants, scholarships and awards, including multiple new additions to this year’s slate of awards.
NAEMSP/Stryker EMS Medicine Early Career Medical Director Award
This year, NAEMSP teamed up with Stryker, one of the world’s leading medical technology companies, to reimagine their joint career development opportunities and created a new 24-month, $60,000 funding opportunity in lieu of the previous EMS Medicine Medical Director Fellowship. This award will fund a supervised career development experience in emergency medical services for one candidate with aptitude, talent and potential as an EMS physician medical director. The award will help support the transition from EMS fellow to independent EMS physician at an academic institution and/or health system with involvement in a ground or air medical EMS system.
The 2024 winner of the inaugural EMS Medicine Early Career Medical Director Award is Michael Spigner, MD, NRP, FAEMS.
“I am deeply honored that the National Association of EMS Physicians and Stryker have selected me as the recipient of this prestigious award. This award will be an important catalyst for my growth as a prehospital informatician and will help to sculpt prehospital informatics as a unique and necessary discipline. Much like the growth of prehospital medicine itself, we should not merely implement hospital-based informatics, but organically grow prehospital informatics by establishing best practices and foundational concepts,” Dr. Spigner said.
NAEMSP/GMR Foundation Annual Meeting Scholarship
NAEMSP’s friends at the Global Medical Response Foundation graciously provided the NAEMSP/GMR Foundation Annual Meeting Scholarship again this year. This scholarship provides funding for registration, housing and travel related to the NAEMSP Annual Meeting for professional members who have not previously attended.
This year’s winners are: Christopher Carney, Charles Coyle, Kathryn Ebersole, Chetsadakon Jenpanitpong, Delaney Kenyon, Megan Knoernschild, Taylor Linzey, James McArthur, Edder Peralta, Kyle Rice, Michelle Slawinski, Dayne Stuhr, Sarah Torzone, Benjamin Weitzel, and Jeremy Williams.
NAEMSP/GMR Foundation Emergency Medical Services Fellowship Research Grant
NAEMSP and the Global Medical Response Foundation have provided one-time grant funding of up to $20,000 in direct costs to help an NAEMSP member conduct prehospital care research. This year’s grants will support the following project:
Identifying Medical Causes of Agitated Patients within the Prehospital Setting
David Yang, MD, MHS, Emergency Scholar and EMS Fellow, Yale University
NAEMSP Professional Awards
Ronald D. Stewart Award
The Ronald D. Stewart Award honors a person who has made a lasting, major contribution to the national EMS community. This year’s winner is:
Greg Mears, MD
Medical Director, ZOLL Data Systems
NEW: Nancy Caroline Award for Mentorship and Education
New this year, the Nancy Caroline Award for Mentorship and Education is awarded to an NAEMSP member who, through their actions, has demonstrated a relentless commitment to the advancing educational excellence and mentorship of others within the specialty of EMS. This year’s winner is:
Jane Brice, MD, MPH, FAEMS
Chair of Emergency Medicine, University of North Carolina
Editor in Chief, Prehospital Emergency Care
Keith Neely Outstanding Contribution to EMS Award
The Keith Neely Outstanding Contribution to EMS Award honors an active or past member of NAEMSP who has provided significant leadership to the association. This year’s winner is:
Mike Taigman, MS, FAEMS
Improvement Guide, FirstWatch
NEW: EMS Physician Meritorious Service Award
New this year, the EMS Physician Meritorious Service Award is conferred for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements as an EMS physician. This year’s winners are:
Jason McMullan, MD, FAEMS
Director of the Division of EMS and Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Cincinnati
Woods Curry, MD, FAEMS
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Cincinnati
Friends of EMS Award
The Friends of EMS Award honors an individual or organization furthering NAEMSP’s mission by helping to influence or implement national public policy. This year’s winner is:
American Ambulance Association (AAA)
President’s Award
The President’s Award honors members of NAEMSP who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to the organization by creating new initiatives or furthering the work of the organization. This year’s winners are:
Robert Swor, DO, FAEMS, FACEP
Professor of Emergency Medicine, Oakland University
EMS Medical Director, Royal Oak Fire Department
Beth Adams, MA, BSN, RN, NRP, FAEMS
Quality Manager
Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department
Amber Rice, MD, FAEMS
Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Arizona
Medical Director, Northwest Fire District
Medical Director, Golder Ranch Fire District
New Speaker Series
Language Barriers in Prehospital Care
Andres Camacho, MD
Denver Health
Preterm Resuscitation
Dominique Diggs, MD
UT Health Houston
Rocco V. Morando Lifetime Achievement Award
Presented By NAEMT and NREMT at NAEMSP 2024
The Rocco V. Miranda Lifetime Achievement award is the most prestigious award recognition awarded in joint partnership by the National Association of EMTs (NAEMT) and the National Registry of EMTs (NREMT). The 2023 recipient of this award was unable to attend EMS World, where the award is typically presented, so NAEMSP is honored to bestow it instead at the NAEMSP 40th Annual Meeting.
Debra Cason, RN, MS, EMT-P
Menegazzi Scientific Session Awards
Best Student/Resident/Fellow Research Presentation
Gender and Racial Differences Between Simulated and Clinical Encounters in Initial EMS Educational Program
Conor Narovec
Best EMS Professional Research Presentation
Characteristics of 9-1-1 Calls Associated with an Increased Risk of Violence Against Paramedics in a Single Canadian Site
Justin Mausz
Best Poster Abstract Presentation
Impact of Overturning Roe vs. Wade on Obstetric Emergencies in the Prehospital Setting
Morgan Anderson
Best Cardiac Arrest Presentation
Recovery of Arterial Blood Pressure After Pauses in Mechanical Chest Compressions for Patients with Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
Rose Yin
Best Pediatric Research Presentation
EMS Transport of Pediatric Patients Meeting Termination of Resuscitation Criteria
William Cebulskie
Best Scientific Presentation
Longitudinal Trends in Prehospital Advanced Airway Management in the United States
Henry Wang
About the National Association of EMS Physicians® (NAEMSP®)
The National Association of EMS Physicians® (NAEMSP®) is an organization of physicians and other professionals partnering to provide leadership and foster excellence in the subspecialty of EMS medicine.
Contact: Rachel Nathanson, rachel@naemsp.org; 1-202-207-1115