ACEP is the greatest thing imaginable. Honestly I thought it would be good, but it was just freaking awesome. If you’re not Emergency Medicine (good for you. Less stress and literally years saved outside the walls of your local library/coffee shop) then let me explain: ACEP stands for the “American College of Emergency Physician” and they host a national convention. Once a year. Every year. COVID sure did **** it up last year (nonexistent) but since the creation of the roman coliseum (actually emergency medicine was only just created in 1973. crazy huh?) there was been an ACEP yearly meetings. They jump regularly between major cities like Chicago/Dallas/Denver/etc and this year it will be Boston!

I’ve been only once, Denver of 19′. I was a resident. Never went as a medical student. I’m easily intimidated, poor at networking, was semi-broke and wasn’t buddy-buddy with any other EM peeps. That’s the key and what makes it so great. If you know just ONE person, it’s awesome. When I went it was with my ex. We stayed together, chatted about life/stress/residency, caught up between lectures, eat after, explored the city and just had an awesome time. There wasn’t literally one second of that trip I wasn’t having fun. Sure it wasn’t cheap. The convention itself costs ~$1,000 if you do all the days, add online access with video recorded lectures and that’s not unfortunately adding the cost of the hotel, food, travels, BEER, etc. But it was 1,002% worth it. I was learning, meeting, experiencing, having the excitement/pride of my profession evolve by the hour in front of my eyes. I loved it.

This year it’s a bit different. I’ll be a new attending! The conversations will be different. Me exploring products on the show room floor will be from a different perspective. I’m asking questions about MY future patients and what might save their lives and make me look like the hero of the story. What crazy stories will I have to share? Will I appear bright or dumb and out of touch? Will my residency training “stack up” to others or appear inadequate. No. Freakin’. Clue. But I’m excited!

I’ll share my current itinerary. It’s jammed packed. I did it last time and it was fun. I book sessions from 8 in the morning until 5 at night, all week. You see the placed packkked Monday and deserted Thursday. People show up with all the energy of youth Monday morning and by Wednesday everyone’s burnt out from burning the candle at both ends. There’s lectures from morning to night. There are dinners, both formal networking events and informal reunions. There are parties. There are things to be seen and experienced in the city on your own time. And trust me, EM docs are a group of type-A personality personal with crazy energy, drive and aren’t afraid to lose sleep. A lot… of sleep. When you leave ACEP you’re thoroughly exhausted. My favorite are the booths. There’s an entire showroom, equal to a small auto show like Chicago, FILLED with reps/toys/gizmos and gadgets. If you’ve ever thought of intubating someone while scuba diving, through someone’s belly button, backwards, while being broadcast to Chinese with live subtitles in Uzbek. It’s there and by golly gee, it’s expensive.

Hopefully I’ll snap some photos and share. I know at least 2 people that are going and I’m excited! ACEP tickets bought. Now just gotta find a hotel, fights and what I want to do when I’m not in “class”. Hope everyone is having a great weekend. Hope to see at least one of y’all there!

-Z

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