Committee Descriptions

What to Expect: 

Committee activities vary by year. The examples below reflect current 2026-2027 objectives and illustrate the types of projects members may be asked to support. Individual members may volunteer one or more projects and should not expect to participate in every activity.

Time Commitment and Term: 

Committee terms begin at the SAEM Annual Meeting in May and conclude prior to the following year’s Annual Meeting. Committees generally meet for approximately one hour at the Annual Meeting to kick off the new committee year. The Program Committee is an exception and typically meets each day during the Annual Meeting for brief daily check-ins.

From June through April, most committees meet virtually via Zoom approximately once per month for one hour, depending on the committee’s timeline, workload, and annual objectives.

Each committee works toward annual objectives developed with input from committee leadership and approved by the SAEM Board. These objectives go into effect at the start of the committee term in May. Committee members may volunteer to work on one or more objectives based on their interests and the amount of time they have available.

In addition to regular committee meetings, members who volunteer for specific objectives may participate in smaller working groups, ad hoc meetings, or individual project work throughout the month. Depending on the projects a member chooses to support, this work may require up to a few additional hours per month.

SAEM Committees: Descriptions and Member Activities: 

Awards Committee 

The Awards Committee is responsible for the management of awards presented annually by SAEM and RAMS in recognition of excellence in the field of academic emergency medicine, contributions that improve the health of society, and/or academic achievement. The Awards Committee reviews award nominations and selects recipients based upon predeveloped award criteria and selection guidelines.

SAEM Awards: John Marx Leadership Award, Excellence in Research Award, Hal Jayne Excellence in Education Award, Marcus L. Martin Award, Advancement of Women in Academic Emergency Medicine Award, Mentor Award, Mid-Career Investigator Award, Public Health Leadership Award, FOAMed Excellence in Education Award, Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism in Medicine Award, Amy H. Kaji MD, PhD Early Investigator Award, Early Educator Award and SAEM Outstanding Department for Wellness Award.

RAMS Awards: RAMS Leadership in Emergency Medicine Award, RAMS Excellence in Research Award, RAMS Excellence in Education Award, and RAMS Fellow Award- Critical Care, EMS, Pediatrics and Toxicology.  

Examples of committee member activities:

• Evaluate the number and types of SAEM and RAMS awards and recommend updates to the awards portfolio.
• Help publicize award and scholarship opportunities and encourage nominations and applications.
• Develop ways to recognize award recipients through institutional announcements, SAEM media, and the annual meeting.
• Review award nominations and applications and recommend recipients to the Board for approval.

Committee membership is open to faculty, residents, medical students, and allied health care professionals.  

ED Administration and Clinical Operations Committee

The ED Administration and Clinical Operations Committee provides resources and information to SAEM members on methods that improve clinical operations within the academic emergency department. The committee monitors operational trends and strategies, disseminates clinical operations-related best practices, and creates and promotes opportunities for original research through SAEM channels.

Examples of committee member activities:

• Write or contribute to resources and articles on emergency department administration and clinical operations.
• Develop educational programming and scholarly work on emerging operations topics, including artificial intelligence.
• Help build mentorship opportunities connecting faculty with interested RAMS members.
• Monitor operational trends, legislation, and major issues affecting academic emergency departments and help prepare Board updates.

Committee membership is open to faculty, residents, medical students, and allied health care professionals.

Education Committee 

The Education Committee provides guidance to the SAEM and RAMS boards on all matters regarding undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education. In collaboration with other important SAEM entities (e.g., the Clerkship Directors in Emergency Medicine), the Education Committee focuses on projects that advance the specialty of emergency medicine and enhances the education of medical students, residents, and fellows. In conjunction with SAEM’s Program Committee, the Education Committee also plans and organizes the resident and medical student educational track at SAEM’s annual meeting.  

Examples of committee member activities:

• Develop medical education articles, annual meeting didactics, webinars, and virtual journal clubs.
• Create and update resources on artificial intelligence and emerging technology in medical education.
• Review, update, and develop career roadmaps and practical resources for educators, education researchers, residents, and medical students.
• Support mentoring and annual meeting activities such as Speed Mentoring for Medical Educators.

Committee membership is open to faculty, residents, medical students, and allied health care professionals.

Ethics Committee 

The Ethics Committee reviews all conflicts of interest and makes recommendations to the SAEM board regarding the resolution of disputes. The committee reviews SAEM’s Conflict of Interest Policy annually and ensures the professional standing and integrity of the Society by monitoring the relevant policies of other societies and evaluating recommendations from health care experts, ethicists, and other resources.  

Examples of committee member activities:

• Review ethical issues and conflict-of-interest disclosures and prepare recommendations for the SAEM Board when needed.
• Write or contribute to ethics-related articles and annual meeting didactics.
• Study emerging ethical issues involving artificial intelligence and help develop guidance for acceptable use.

Committee membership is open to faculty and allied health care professionals.

Faculty Development Committee 

The Faculty Development Committee works to achieve objectives set forth by the SAEM president for the development of tools and techniques to assist academic faculty throughout the course of their careers. The Faculty Development Committee is also responsible for identifying resources to assist residents in the successful completion of their residencies and provides guidance to residents and medical students who wish to pursue careers in emergency medicine academics or research. 

Examples of committee member activities:

• Serve as a resource for faculty engaged in administration, clinical operations, education, research, and scholarship.
• Develop tools, resources, and opportunities that support faculty at all stages of their academic careers, as well as residents and medical students pursuing careers in academic emergency medicine.
• Develop guidance on topics such as negotiations, salary transparency, becoming a new attending, and beginning research projects.

Committee membership is open to faculty.

SAEM Federal Funding Committee

The SAEM Federal Funding Committee focuses on building strong, strategic relationships with every federal funding agency and organization, engaging directly with agency representatives, and promoting specific funding opportunities, programs, and resources for our members. It also serves as a vital communication bridge between SAEM and federal agencies, helping to keep our community informed about important policy updates, new funding mechanisms, and evolving priorities in research.

Examples of committee member activities:

• Build and maintain relationships with key representatives at federal funding agencies and participate in agency engagement calls.
• Share federal funding opportunities, policy updates, and agency announcements with SAEM members.
• Identify and advocate for funding mechanisms that support emergency medicine research.
• Develop agency-specific guidance, mentorship, webinars, and reports that help investigators pursue federal funding.

Committee membership is open to faculty with independent federal funding.

Fellowship Approval Committee 

The Fellowship Approval Committee reviews both institutional applications and fellow applications for SAEM approval. SAEM recognizes there are many valuable non-ACGME approved, post-graduate training opportunities for emergency medicine residency graduates. To promote standardization and excellence in training for fellows in these programs, SAEM has used content experts to develop guidelines for fellowship training programs that address milestones in curricular elements, faculty support recommendations, and career development opportunities. Faculty that are experienced in training emergency medicine fellows in the following categories are encouraged to apply for this committee: research, education scholarship, geriatrics, and international/global health. 

Examples of committee member activities:

• Review applications from non-ACGME-accredited emergency medicine fellowship programs and prepare approval recommendations.
• Encourage eligible fellowship programs to apply for SAEM approval.
• Review and maintain the SAEM fellowship directory and help prepare annual program reports.
• Contribute to fellowship-related member education and SAEM Pulse content.

Committee membership is open to faculty.

Finance Committee 

The Finance Committee is responsible for overseeing SAEM’s financial operations and providing input into the sound fiscal management of the Society through monthly financial review, financial policy updates, and budgetary oversight. The committee reviews and makes recommendations to the SAEM Board regarding the annual budget, capital expenditures, and special projects. 

Examples of committee member activities:

• Review monthly and quarterly financial information, annual budgets, audits, and financial policies.
• Review investment portfolios and investment policies and evaluate key financial performance measures.
• Prepare financial recommendations for the appropriate Boards and Executive Committees.
• Work with the Membership Committee on dues and annual meeting registration fees and advise on revenue or expense opportunities.

Committee membership is open to faculty and allied health care professionals. 

Grants Committee 

The Grants Committee supports the mission and goals of SAEM and the SAEM Foundation by developing and implementing grant programs that advance the field of emergency medicine, as well as conducting peer review of submitted proposals in a methodologically rigorous manner. Additional committee tasks may include working with other SAEM committees on projects related to grants, such as the Grant Writing Workshop. The Grants Committee encourages experienced researchers to apply, and may also consider junior-level investigators. Committee members are required to attend the annual grant review at ACEP in the fall and to participate in conference calls as needed. 

Examples of committee member activities:

• Review and score SAEM Foundation grant applications and participate in funding recommendations.
• Review requests for applications and recommend improvements to reviewer training, timelines, and review processes.
• Support the Resident Reviewer Program and help assess the long-term impact of SAEM Foundation grants.
• Identify potential grant sponsors or partners and contribute to grants-related member communications.

Committee membership is open to faculty and residents. Note: Residents must be participants in the SAEMF Resident Reviewer Program. 

Membership Committee 

The Membership Committee is responsible for ensuring that the growing and changing needs of SAEM and RAMS members are met. Through the review of membership statistics, surveys, and trends, the Membership Committee also identifies potential new members and develops mechanisms for membership recruitment and retention. 

Examples of committee member activities:

• Review membership dues, annual meeting registration fees, and membership projections in collaboration with the Finance Committee.
• Identify and recruit members from institutions or groups that are not currently well represented within SAEM.
• Analyze membership surveys and prepare recruitment, retention, and member-needs recommendations for the SAEM Board.
• Help develop new-member onboarding and outreach, including communication with residents and medical students through RAMS.

Committee membership is open to faculty, residents, medical students, and allied health care professionals.

Program Committee

The Program Committee is responsible for the overall planning of the SAEM annual meeting. Members of this committee are required to belong to at least one subcommittee: abstracts, awards, didactics, events, innovations, junior faculty forum, medical student ambassadors, medical student symposium, photo exhibition, program directors, residency and fellowship fair, resident leadership forum, and/or social media. This Program Committee is very active throughout the year, reviewing and scoring didactics, abstracts, and innovations, in addition to other subcommittee tasks. The Program Committee also has general oversight of SAEM regional meetings. 

Examples of committee member activities:

• Help plan the SAEM annual meeting and review existing programs for opportunities to improve or redesign the attendee experience.
• Participate in didactic and abstract review, workshop planning, and other assigned annual meeting subcommittee work.
• Support resident and medical student activities, the Medical Student Ambassador Program, and local volunteer opportunities.
• Review regional meeting applications and assist with CME, submission processes, and annual meeting planning resources.

Committee membership is open to faculty, residents, medical students, and allied health care professionals.

RAMS Nominating Committee

The RAMS Nominating Committee reviews all nominees for RAMS Board positions and recommends an official slate of nominees to the RAMS Board for their approval of the slate of candidates to be voted on by the RAMS membership. 

Examples of committee member activities:

• Review candidates for RAMS Board positions.
• Develop and present a recommended slate of candidates for the RASM Board ballot.
• Maintain a pipeline of potential future elected leaders and encourage prospective candidates to consider running for office.
• Review and improve nominee review and election campaigning processes.

Committee membership is open to residents and medical students.

Research Committee 

The Research Committee serves as a resource for funding information and opportunities for SAEM and RAMS members who are interested, may be currently involved in, or are looking to improve their emergency medicine research. The Research Committee is responsible for organizing the annual Grant Writing Workshop, submitting specialized didactic sessions for SAEM’s annual meeting, and other research-related objectives as required. Experienced researchers and enthusiastic residents and medical students are encouraged to apply. Research Committee members are strongly encouraged to attend the SAEM and ACEP annual meetings and are required to work on at least one of the annual committee objectives and to participate in monthly conference calls. 

Examples of committee member activities:

• Help plan the Grant Writing Workshop, Research Learning Series, research didactics, and education for residents and medical students.
• Work with federal agencies and NIH-related initiatives, including funding education, study-section nominations, and responses to requests for information.
• Support the SAEM Consensus Conference, Program Officer Event, ARMED, and ARMED MedEd.
• Develop strategies, mentorship, and educational resources that increase and diversify emergency medicine research funding and participation.

Committee membership is open to faculty, residents, medical students, and allied health care professionals.

Wellness Committee

The Wellness Committee collaborates with the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and the Emergency Medicine Physician Wellness and Resilience Summit. In addition, the committee is responsible for 1.) addressing physician, resident, and medical student wellness and resilience; 2.) building a knowledge hub of information, resources, models, and tools to be used at the individual and organizational level; 3.) and creating a series of discussion papers, perspectives papers, and white papers to address physician, resident, and medical student wellness.

Examples of committee member activities:

• Develop wellness-related annual meeting didactics and content for SAEM Pulse, including resident and medical student perspectives.
• Work with RAMS on initiatives such as the next phase of the Stop the Stigma Campaign.
• Develop practical wellness resources, including debriefing education related to vicarious trauma and the second-victim phenomenon.
• Examine institutional contributors to well-being, including moral injury, scheduling, boarding, workplace violence, and the work environment.

Committee membership is open to faculty, residents, medical students, and allied health care professionals.

Committees - Member Elections 

Bylaws & Governance Committee 

The Bylaws Committee shall study the potential merits, adverse consequences and legal implications of all proposed amendments or changes in the Bylaws and report their findings and recommendations to the SAEM Board prior to formal consideration of the proposed changes by the membership. The members of the Committee may suggest appropriate amendments to the Bylaws to the SAEM Board. 

Examples of committee member activities:

• Conduct scheduled reviews of SAEM bylaws and policies and recommend updates to the SAEM Board.
• Assess whether policies remain aligned with SAEM's strategic plan, current role, and long-term goals.
• Monitor legislation and regulations that may require changes to SAEM policies or position statements.
• Develop governance resources and member education, such as standardized committee tools and content about the SAEM Bylaws.

Committee membership is outlined in the SAEM Bylaws. 

Nominating Committee 

The Nominating Committee will select candidates to fill the naturally occurring vacancies on the SAEM Board and elected positions on the standing committees of the Society not otherwise designated and provided for by these Bylaws. The Nominating Committee will seek the candidates’ approval for formal nomination and shall place their names in nomination for election. The slate of SAEM Board nominees selected by the Nominating Committee shall be approved by the SAEM Board prior to distribution to the membership for consideration. 

Examples of committee member activities:

• Develop and present a recommended slate of candidates for the SAEM ballot.
• Maintain a pipeline of potential future elected leaders and encourage prospective candidates to consider running for office.
• Review and improve nominee review and election campaigning processes.
• Develop orientation materials that explain leadership roles and requirements to potential candidates.

Committee membership is outlined in the SAEM Bylaws. 

SAEM Foundation Committees

Annual Gifts Committee

The Annual Gifts Committee is responsible for raising annual gifts to support the SAEM Foundation’s mission. Each year, Committee members personally reach out to SAEM members to express gratitude for gifts and to share updates about the SAEM Foundation (stewardship), to renew / upgrade gifts from current donors (solicitation), and to open doors to new donor prospects (cultivation). They lead the personal solicitation of gifts of $1,000+ for the Chairs’ Challenge and annual fundraising Challenge competitions. The Committee is essential for building long-term, lasting donor relationships that lead to future major gifts. 

Examples of committee member activities:

• Personally thank and steward current SAEM Foundation donors and share updates about the Foundation's impact.
• Encourage current donors to renew or increase their support.
• Help identify and cultivate new donor prospects.
• Participate in personal solicitation for the annual fundraising Challenge competitions.

Committee membership is open to faculty, residents, medical students, and allied health care professionals.

Events Committee

The Events Committee is charged with planning and executing fundraising events for the SAEM Foundation. Events include regional dinners and other new event concepts as they arise.

Examples of committee member activities:

• Help plan and execute SAEM Foundation fundraising events, for example, the SAEM Foundation Dinners.
• Contribute ideas for regional, virtual, and other new fundraising event concepts.

Committee membership is open to faculty, residents, medical students, and allied health care professionals.

Legacy Gifts Committee

The Legacy Gifts Committee is charged with increasing awareness about the opportunity to support the SAEM Foundation’s mission through a future planned gift and they help to educate others about how to achieve Legacy Society recognition. Members of this Committee help to identify, cultivate, and solicit people who may be interested in legacy gifts. The Committee will identify enhancements to recognition for the Legacy Society and its donors. While a planned gift may be any amount, the Legacy Gifts Committee is usually focused on major gift fundraising of $10,000+. This Committee is vital to establishing a diversified funding strategy that will safeguard the SAEM Foundation in the future.

Examples of committee member activities:

• Educate members about planned giving and Legacy Society recognition.
• Help identify, cultivate, and solicit individuals who may be interested in making a legacy gift.
• Review and enhance Legacy Society donor recognition opportunities.
• Support long-term efforts to diversify and strengthen SAEM Foundation funding.

Committee membership is open to faculty, residents, and allied health care professionals.