Let Me Introduce Myself as Your New Chair

Dear ACEP Locum Tenens Section,

I want to begin this email with a round of applause for all ACEP Locum Tenens Section members. Thank you for tirelessly serving your patients during one of the most challenging times of our lives. In 2020, our section officially held its first election before the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic. Many of us had to adapt to the changing climate within Emergency Medicine. Our niche was affected in many ways; however, we persevered. I want to thank our officers and steering committee members for their participation as we navigated through the pandemic as a new section. First, I want to thank Dr. Angela Mattke, Dr. Tom Belanger, Dr. Pamela Ross, Dr. John Dayton, Dr. Charles Caton, Dr. Hamad Husainy, Dr. Carolyn Waldo, and Dr. Gillian Schmitz for your contributions to our section.

Briefly, about myself, I have spent much of my career as a full-time practicing Locum Tenens Physician. I started practicing as a Locum Tenens Physician in 2016 upon completing my residency at the University of Chicago. I was elected as Vice Chair of the ACEP Locum Tenens Section in 2020, and this year have moved into the role of Chair of the section. I want to thank our section members for electing me. My peers' recognition of my work and vision for the section is extraordinary. I am incredibly honored and humbled.

As the incoming section Chair, I am incredibly excited about moving forward in my new role. I look forward to expanding our reach, growing our membership, and addressing the needs of our members. I want to highlight your contributions and collectively build our section throughout 2023.

In December 2022, I was honored to be a guest lecturer for the senior residents at Emory University Emergency Medicine Program. The lecture was a brief overview of Locum Tenen's work as a career option and ways it can help prevent burnout. My primary takeaway was that we must share our knowledge of Locum Tenen's with all physicians, particularly those early in training, so they know their options. The residents were delighted and shared that they wished this was something they had learned about earlier in training.

This section is a platform for us to learn from one another and become stronger as a collective as we navigate through all the nuances of practicing as independent contractors. I encourage you to become involved with the section and utilize our network to learn how to navigate the industry. If you are a current section member, please get engaged. I look forward to being a resource for our section members and those interested in pursuing careers in Locum Tenens. We are looking for members interested in serving as officers and those interested in being contributors to our newsletter and social media communications. If you are interested in learning more about Locum Tenens and how to practice innovatively, please join us at our events over the upcoming year. Our first meeting will be held on February 28, 2023.

I'm excited to meet you all and look forward to introducing myself to you during our upcoming meeting.

Sincerely,

Jamila Goldsmith, MD, FACEP, FAAEM
Chair, ACEP Locum Tenens Section