Professional Development Committee
Chair: Kristin E Harkin, MD FACEP - Weill Cornell Medical Center ED
Michael Cassara, DO FACEP - North Shore University Hospital
Jeremy T Cushman, MD - University of Rochester
Judith Dattaro, MD FACEP - New York Presbyterian Hosp Weill Cornell Med Ctr
Christopher I Doty, MD - SUNY Health Sciences Center at Brooklyn
Theodore J Gaeta, DO MPH FACEP - New York Methodist Hospital
Raymond Iannaccone, MD - Hudson Valley Hospital Center
Joshua Neil Kugler, MD FACEP - South Nassau Community Hospital
Barbara G Lock, MD - New York Presbyterian Hospital
Daniel G Murphy, MD MBA FACEP - Mercy Medical Center
Michelle R Shaprut, DO - NYCOM/St. Barnabas Hospital
Rahul Sharma, MD MBA - NY Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Ctr

New York and Tri-State area emergency physicians have a new resource for professional career development: the New York ACEP professional development committee.

"The committee was created to assist emergency physicians in making professional career decisions, personal decisions, and lifelong educational decisions to increase personal fulfillment and satisfaction," said Kristin Harkin, MD, FACEP, chair of the new committee. "We intend to serve our fellow emergency physicians by identifying critical stages and topics in professional development, and thus provide educational forums, social networking opportunities, and electronic mediums for a greater exploration of these issues," she said.

The Committee's early events and work has focused on the needs of the emergency resident transitioning to the role of an attending, and the needs of emergency physicians in their early careers. However, the intention of the committee is to ultimately serve the needs of all kinds of emergency physicians, including early, mid and late career physicians; full, part time and non-practicing physicians; physicians practicing in tertiary care academic centers, physicians practicing in private community hospitals, and physicians with alternative careers.

"Emergency physicians are fortunate to have a number of resources to guide them through their careers, including but not limited to those associated with ACEP, EMRA, CORD, SAEM, and AAEM. However, to my knowledge, no one organization incorporates all stratifications of career development in one committee. No one else has integrated all stages of career development across the various practice settings into one resource," said Harkin.

Initial topics considered include: Choosing the Optimal Work Environment; Understanding Productivity Measurement and Incentive Pay; Financial Planning and Retirement; Negotiating the Malpractice Environment; New York Legislative Updates; Preserving Physician Wellness; and Leadership Development.

The Committee has hosted three networking nights at the New York Academy of Medicine for young physicians, and is planning the next for July 5, 2006.

"We invite all New York and Tri-State emergency physicians to inform us of their professional development needs, and to attend the events. The committee was created for you," said Harkin.

- Barbara Lock MD, NewYork Presbyterian Hospital

Helpful Links for Career Development