Why Should I Join SOEM?

Members in the SOEM do amazing things for children and their families. We need your help to fight for key advocacy issues such as access to care, pediatric research and advancing pediatric drugs and devices.

The SOEM advocates for children and PEM physicians in many areas including:

• Access to quality care
• Promotion of child health and injury prevention
• Professional growth and satisfaction of its members
• Recognition of PEM subspecialists as experts who provide the highest level of emergency care for children

SOEM members provide input on issues such as reimbursement and standardized drug dosing and is interested in PEM fellowship and workforce issues. The AAP has a dedicated Department of Federal Affairs in Washington DC that advocates for the health of all children. Through the work of the SOEM and the AAP Washing DC office, we have achieved successes such as:

• Partnering with the AAP Washington, DC office on legislation for emergency medical kit provisions to better care for kids during airline emergencies.
• Introducing the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act to ensure kids transported by EMS get needed medications.
• Advocacy for reauthorization of the federal EMSC Program.

SOEM members participate in the development of policies, guidelines and research in the Pediatric Emergency Medicine field. 

The SOEM is an expert resource to the AAP by providing input to official AAP policy and by working with the national AAP Committee on Pediatric Emergency Medicine to develop new and revised statements. The SOEM  Executive Committee is involved directly in the PEM Collaborative Research Network (PEM CRC) and has a direct link to the HRSA/MCHB-funded Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN). Through the PEM CRC, the SOEM developed a new formal process to apply for surveying members via the SOEM listserv®.

Members in the AAP Committee on Pediatric Emergency Medicine (COPEM) and the Section on Emergency Medicine (SOEM) develop life-saving policies and guidelines for over 74 million children in the US. We need your support to create life-saving policies specific to emergency medicine.

Lend your expertise on policy topics like:

• Emergency Department Readiness
• Prehospital Readiness
• Procedural Sedation
• Overcrowding
• Access to Optimal Emergency Care
• Life Support Training
• Emergency Care of Children with Special Needs
• Medication Safety
• Emergency Drugs
• School Emergencies
• Acute Care Provided Outside the Medical Home
• Management of Mental Health Emergency Care
• Pediatric Trauma
• Ensuring Care of Children in Disasters

Members in the SOEM develop and have access to the ‘gold-standard’ in information and educational resources. The Section also provides expertise for development of evidence-based practice guidelines, clinical algorithms, quality metrics, and education qualifying for Maintenance of Certification. SOEM members are at the forefront in educating pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists about the nuances of pediatric emergency medicine.

The SOEM sponsors scientific abstract presentations, a business meeting, and educational programming each year at the AAP National Conference & Exhibition. The Section also sponsors an annual call for abstracts presented at the national conference and published in the journal Pediatric Emergency Care. In addition, the Section sponsors PEM Landscapes, an intensive PEM review course every 2 years, an annual PEM Fellows Conference, and periodic PEM Leadership Retreats. PREP E-Med, an online subspecialty self-assessment program, is available at a discounted rate for SOEM members. SOEM also sponsors an online image gallery called PEMpix, and a series of PEM coding continuums, both available only to SOEM members. Members of the AAP and SOEM receive discounts on and access to AAP educational resources such as Pediatrics, AAP News, PediaLink, and manuals for health professionals (ie, the Redbook).

National Conference & Exhibition
The SOEM scientific abstract and educational program is held annually during the AAP National Conference & Exhibition.

AAP National Conference & Exhibition
SOEM Program Schedule 2024

SAVE when you subscribe to PREP® E-Med 
PREP E-Med is an online self-assessment geared towards lifelong learning and improvement in patient outcomes. MOC & CME credit also available and SOEM members receive discounted rates. Visit ShopAAP to learn more

Access Life Support Programs like simulation training, PEPP™, NRP™ and much more here.

Members in the SOEM engage in activities to enhance their careers and help kids at the same time. Serving on subcommittees, work groups and editorial boards are just a few of the ways in which members can network contribute and develop career pathways.

The SOEM collaborates with other AAP Committees and Sections and outside organizations (e.g. the American College of Emergency Physicians). SOEM members benefit from these collaborations by networking with other pediatric subspecialists. In addition, SOEM has an active Fellowship Subcommittee and supports a visionary PEM Fellows/PEM Network. The SOEM Committee for our Future advocates for the needs of junior faculty and facilitates training of future leaders. SOEM also sponsors annual advocacy scholarships to the annual AAP Legislative Conference.

Through the AAP SOEM, members can:

• Present abstracts and publish their work.

• Participate on subcommittees, work groups and editorial boards.

• Serve as authors or reviewers of policy statements and other publications.

• Conduct research via Section surveys.

• Apply for research and travel grants.

• Speak at CME events.

• Engage in mentorship (as a mentor or mentee), networking, and career development.

With 11 subcommittees working on efforts specific to the future of PEM, disaster preparedness, advocacy, education, EMS, fellowship, pediatric ED readiness, research, quality, urgent care and workforce, the SOEM has something for everyone. You do amazing work – join us and we'll help you showcase it.

Share your SOEM engagement story and learn about others in the AAP Member Experiences Gallery.

The SOEM has many awards and scholarships available with varying requirements (including membership in the AAP and SOEM).

SOEM Award Categories

Advocacy Scholarship (2) - Biennial
The purpose of this scholarship is to foster advocacy for Pediatric Emergency Medicine and the emergency care of children by supporting attendance at the AAP Legislative Conference in Washington, DC. ($1,000)

Best Abstract Award (1) - Annual
Presented to a Section on Emergency Medicine scientific abstract presenter for Overall Best Paper Presentation in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at the AAP National Conference & Exhibition. ($250)

Best Quality Improvement Abstract Award (1) - Annual
Presented to a Section on Emergency Medicine scientific abstract presenter for Best Quality Improvement in Pediatric Emergency Medicine paper at the AAP National Conference & Exhibition. The project should be prospective and address a gap in quality. ($250)

Best Research Poster Award - Annual
Presented at the annual Section on Emergency Medicine meeting to the best research poster presentation in pediatric emergency medicine. ($250)

DynaMed/EBSCO Clinical Decisions Award for Innovations in Pediatric Emergency Medicine - Biennial
This award recognizes innovations and/or clinical decision making that result in measurable changes addressing a significant problem in Pediatric Emergency Medicine including but not limited to: quality, safety, equity, clinical care, administration, systems, technology, education, evidence-based medicine, and research. The inaugural award was given to the Pediatric Shock Collaborative in 2014. It was changed from an annual to a biennial award in 2020. The award is sponsored by DynaMed and EBSCO Clinical Decisions and presented during the SOEM reception at the AAP National Conference. ($5000 award includes $500 biennial cash prize and balance for annual reception.)

EmeriQuiz Awards (2) - Annual
These awards are presented in recognition of the Best Case Presentation and the Best Discussion of an Unknown Case in emergency medicine. Four cases selected for presentation will be published in Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine. ($250 each)

Jane Knapp Emerging PEM Leader Award - Annual
This award, established in 2022, recognizes an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the field of pediatric emergency medicine during the first 10 years of their career. The award has been created to enhance the diversity, equity and inclusion of SOEM awards. It is named in honor of Jane Knapp, MD, FAAP, a leading female PEM pioneer, in recognition of her decades of service to the PEM community, the Section on Emergency Medicine, and her numerous contributions to supporting, mentoring and sponsoring young PEM colleagues who developed into future leaders in PEM. Dr Knapp was one of the first PEM fellowship trainees at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO and subsequently served as its fellowship director for over 10 years. In the early 80s shortly after the Section was established in 1981, she collaborated with a small group of PEM fellowship directors to form a PEM Fellowship Directors Group. Over the years the group grew and became a SOEM Subcommittee. In the late 80s, with growing popularity of the specialty, and following the 1st PEM Leadership Conference organized by Dr Knapp, the directors agreed to a common notification date to offer positions, and in 1991, became the 1st pediatric subspecialty to join the National Resident Matching Program. Dr Knapp chaired SOEM from 1992-1994 and was editor of the then AAP “Bluebook" on Childhood Emergencies in the Office, Hospital and Community – published in 2000 (now retired). She received the Section's highest award (Jim Seidel Distinguished Service) in 2002 and served as Chair, AAP Committee on Pediatric Emergency Medicine, from 2000-2004. Dr Knapp continued to make significant contributions in the field, foster collaborations internally and externally with the federal EMSC program and other key stakeholders, and to serve the Academy until her retirement. ($500; includes travel)

Jim Seidel Distinguished Service Award - Annual
The award recognizes an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the field of pediatric emergency medicine. ($1,000; includes travel)

Ken Graff Emerging Investigator Award - Annual
This award is for a research project that addresses issues pertinent to the acutely ill or injured child. The first award was sponsored by Roche Laboratories in 1999. In 1995, Ken Graff, MD, a talented young PEM physician and investigator, failed to arrive for his evening shift in the emergency department. He had been skiing in the back-country of Colorado and was the victim of an avalanche. His professional accomplishments in his brief career included receiving the 1994 AAP Willis Wingert Award for outstanding research on pediatric procedural sedation, and receipt of an EMSC grant on the same topic. The Ken Graff Award was established to honor Dr. Graff's memory and support young investigators in their pursuit of quality PEM/EMSC research. The Section has been able to fund junior investigators with the Graff Award annually, with the exception of 2001. Each year, a dozen or more excellent applications from fellows and junior faculty are received, making this grant funding more competitive than the NIH! Thanks to the generosity of donors, the Graff Endowment can now support a larger award, increased in 2012 from $10,000 to $12,500 and in 2019 to $15,000. ($15,000; additional travel stipend of $650 to present project results 2 years later during SOEM program at AAP National Conference)

Michael Shannon Humanitarian Award - Biennial
The purpose of this AAP Section on Emergency Medicine (SOEM) award is to recognize a Pediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) physician who has best demonstrated the potential for emulating the career accomplishments and personal excellence of the late Michael Shannon, MD, MPH, FAAP. Nominees should most importantly have evidence of excellence in his/her involvement and dedication to the community through voluntary service. Other criteria for this award include demonstrated excellence in clinical care, mentoring of peers and trainees, didactic and bedside teaching, and performance of scholarly activities. ($500; includes travel)

PEMPix Visual Diagnosis Competition Award - Annual
PEMPix is the AAP Section on Emergency Medicine's visual diagnosis competition. Entries are traditionally viewed during the SOEM program as well as online at PEMPix.com. Section on Emergency Medicine members vote for their favorite case and select the Audience Award, which includes a $250 prize. A panel of judges is responsible for selecting the finalists, and they choose their favorite case and this winner is awarded a $150 honorarium.

Steve Miller Award for Excellence in Education & Mentorship - Biennial
This award recognizes an individual who has made substantial educational contributions in Pediatric Emergency Medicine. These contributions have impacted education of pediatric emergency providers at a regional, state, national, or international level. These contributions may include preparation of teaching-and curriculum-related materials, participation in the scholarship of teaching and learning, development and communication of innovative teaching techniques, leadership in teaching-related workshops and symposia, involvement in innovative program development, and contributions to the enhancement of teaching and / or PEM subspecialty development at a national or international level. This award will also recognize someone who has excelled as an education mentor to others in this field. The award typically is given for a series of contributions spanning several years or an entire career, although it may recognize a single project of exceptional impact. ($500; includes travel)

Travel Awards for Fellowship Trainees (3) - Annual
These awards are intended to support attendance by PEM Fellowship Trainees at the SOEM program and Committee for the Future meeting held each year in conjunction with the AAP National Conference & Exhibition. PEM Fellowship Program Directors who plan on having PEM Fellows attend the conference may submit the name of their programs into a lottery for these awards. Directors from the programs selected will have discretion to choose one Fellow from their program to utilize the travel grant. The recipient must be a SOEM member, should not be presenting an abstract at that meeting, and is required to attend the Committee for the Future meeting. Up to 2 awards will be selected from Fellowship Programs and 1 by the Committee for the Future. ($500 each)

Willis Wingert Award for Outstanding Resident/Fellow Paper - Annual
The Willis Wingert Award is presented at the annual meeting to a physician in training for outstanding research in the field of Pediatric Emergency Medicine. ($250)

Women in Pediatric Emergency Medicine Award for Excellence in Advancement of Gender Equity – Biennial
The Women in PEM Excellence in Advancement of Gender Equity award, established in 2022, celebrates individuals who exemplify SOEM values and demonstrate exceptional dedication to issues that affect women in Pediatric Emergency Medicine. The award recognizes a PEM specialist whose work has contributed towards progressing the role of women in PEM in an exemplary manner, who exhibits leadership in addressing diversity, equity and inclusion above and beyond their generally anticipated scope of responsibilities, and who has demonstrated documented contributions and accomplishments, within one or more SOEM mission areas, that address issues that affect women in PEM, or in the larger community. ($500)