Students from BCOM’s American College of Emergency Physicians (ACOEP) club recently traveled to Denver, Colorado to attend the ACOEP Scientific Assembly. Alicia Benson, the club’s clinical outreach chair, hopes to one day work as an emergency department physician in her home state of Arizona. She said she joined ACOEP to network with others interested in emergency medicine (EM), become more exposed to the field, and to gain valuable experience in a leadership role.
“What interests me about EM is that you never know what your day is going to be like,” Benson explained. “You could have a shift that’s slow, and then suddenly a huge MVC trauma comes in and you have to act fast to keep that patient stable. I also like how you have to know a little bit about everything. Because you never know what’s going to walk through the emergency department door, you have to stay up to date on a broad spectrum of medicine, and that really attracts me to the field.”
The ACOEP has organized several skills labs on the BCOM campus where students practiced intubation, blood draw, ultrasounds, and other emergency related skills. They’ve also hosted a number of guest speakers, including several EM doctors. Benson said, “Each physician has a little different take on the field and different information to give, which really puts things in perspective and keeps it interesting.”
At the ACOEP conference in Denver, the BCOM students heard lectures from DOs and MDs regarding common issues in EM. They also attended expos on residency programs in EM, participated in practice labs, and networked with other students, residents, and attending physicians. “Personally, what I got out of the conference was learning so much about what it takes to get into an EM residency, tips on how to study for boards, and many contacts for my future,” Benson said. “The most memorable part of the event was bonding with my colleagues over our common interest in EM and getting to learn together. It was a great experience.”
Learn more about the ACOEP at acoep.org.
