Navigating Promotion Criteria in Emergency Medicine: A Panel Discussion (AACEM Sponsored)

Understanding promotion criteria in academic emergency medicine is crucial for faculty aiming to advance their careers. This session will focus on aligning emergency medicine-specific contributions with institutional expectations. After an introduction outlining best practices, an interactive panel featuring experienced chairs from the Association of Academic Chairs of Emergency Medicine will discuss key promotion criteria, including research, teaching, leadership, and service, from the emergency medicine perspective. Through examples and insights, attendees will gain clarity on how to effectively showcase their achievements and align them with institutional goals. This session will help participants navigate the promotion process and confidently move forward in their academic careers.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this session, participants should be able to:
  • Identify the critical components of promotion criteria in the School of Medicine and ways Emergency Medicine can meet them.
  • Develop actionable strategies for aligning personal academic goals with institutional expectations.
  • Enhance understanding of effective documentation and presentation of faculty contributions in the promotion process.

Presenters:

  • Andra L. Blomkalns, MD, MBA
  • Jane H. Brice, MD, MPH
  • Ian B. K. Martin, MD, MBA
  • Lewis S. Nelson, MD, MBA
  • Mary E. Tanski, MD, MBA
Authors

  • Andra L. Blomkalns, MD, MBA

    Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine

    Stanford School of Medicine

    Dr. Andra Blomkalns is a distinguished physician and academic leader, presently holding the position of Chair for the Department of Emergency Medicine at Stanford School of Medicine. With over 100 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Blomkalns is recognized for her expertise in several critical areas of emergency medicine (EM). Her research portfolio is extensive, with significant contributions to the fields of cardiovascular emergencies, basic discovery science investigating the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysms, innovations in emergency care delivery, healthcare systems management, and the integration of novel technologies into clinical practice.

    As a previous President of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) and a current member of the Executive Team for the Association for Academic Chairs in Emergency Medicine (AACEM), Andra is dedicated member of SAEM. Dr. Blomkalns has played a vital role in many of the organization’s initiatives, contributing to the advancement of academic EM through leadership in research, education, and advocacy for academic EM.

    In addition to her research, publications, and grants, Andra is an influential mentor and educator, actively guiding the next generation of emergency physician leaders. Her involvement in national organizations and educational programs demonstrates her passion for advancing the field and promoting innovation in EM training. Through her leadership, Dr. Blomkalns continues to impact both her institution and the broader academic EM community.

  • Jane H. Brice, MD, MPH

    University of North Carolina

    Jane Brice is the University of North Carolina Chair of Emergency Medicine. A tenured professor of Emergency Medicine, she took the helm of the department in 2015 after 20+ years of service as a faculty member. She holds adjunct appointments in the Departments of Epidemiology and Social Medicine. She is a UNC graduate with degrees in education, physical education (1974), medicine (1994), epidemiology (1998), and business (2024). She is an accomplished investigator having held multiple federal grants with a focus on the care of patients in the out-of-hospital environment provided by Emergency Medical Services personnel. As a well-published and recognized expert in the prehospital care, she is the Deputy Editor for Prehospital Emergency Care. She is a certified coach and invested in her own growth as a person and as a leader.
  • Ian B. K. Martin, MD, MBA

    Ian B. K. Martin, MD, MBA

    President-Elect

    Medical College of Wisconsin

    Dr. Ian Martin is System Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) Medical School and Emergency Physician-in-Chief for Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin Health System. At MCW, he holds appointments as Eminent Scholar and Professor with Tenure of Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine. Dr. Martin is also Professor in the Institute for Health and Equity. Before this, he served as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at West Virginia University School of Medicine as well as Emergency Physician-in-Chief for West Virginia University Health System.

    Before his election to the AACEM Board, Dr. Martin completed terms as Immediate Past-President, President, President-Elect, Secretary-Treasurer, and an At-Large Member of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) – the premier association representing researchers and educators in Emergency Medicine. Dr. Martin is also the founder and a Past-President of SAEM’s Global Emergency Medicine Academy. In 2020, he was appointed by the Mayor of Milwaukee to the City of Milwaukee Board of Health for an indefinite term. The same year, he was also appointed to the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment External Board (the Consortium on Public and Community Health), also for an indefinite term. Finally, in 2021, Dr. Martin was appointed to the Milwaukee Tennis and Education Foundation Board of Directors.

    Dr. Martin is the 2018 recipient of the Marcus L. Martin, M.D. Leadership in Diversity and Inclusion Award by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine. Dr. Martin was recently named recipient of the 2020 Drexel University College of Medicine Distinguished Alumnus Award as well as of the 2020 Georges Benjamin, M.D. Award for excellence in education, service, and research by the National Medical Association’s Emergency Medicine Section. Lastly, in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Martin was named recipient of a “Notable Heroes in Health Care” Award by BizTimes Milwaukee. Recently, members of the Class of 2023 Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) MCW-beta Chapter selected him to join them as an inductee into the prestigious AOA national honor society. In 2023, Milwaukee County honored Dr. Martin with a citation for launching Wisconsin’s first opt-out, universal, emergency department-based HIV testing program.

  • Lewis S. Nelson, MD, MBA

    Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University

    Lewis S. Nelson, MD, MBA is Dean and Chief of Health Affairs and Professor of Emergency Medicine and Medical Toxicology at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University, in Boca Raton, FL. Until December 2024, he was the Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine and Chief of the Division of Medical Toxicology and Addiction Medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, in Newark, NJ. He is board certified in emergency medicine, medical toxicology, and addiction medicine. Dr. Nelson serves as a long-standing consultant to CDC, DHS, and FDA and works closely with several professional organizations addressing clinical management and health policy issues regarding opioids, alcohol, and cannabis. He is the senior editor of the textbook “Goldfrank’s Toxicologic Emergencies” and is the immediate Past President of Association of Academic Chairs in Emergency Medicine.

  • Mary E. Tanski, M.D, M.B.A.

    Oregon Health & Science University

    Mary Tanski, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.E.P. is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, OR. She is co-director of the emergency medicine administration fellowship and serves as faculty in the OHSU Healthcare MBA program, where she teaches the Operations and Quality Improvement course.


    Dr. Tanski was elected to the Board of the Association of Academic Chairs of Emergency Medicine and serves as member at large. She serves on the AACEM Diversity and Equity taskforce and is also active in the Academy of Women in Academic Medicine. Her professional and research interests include emergency department operations, healthcare quality, mentorship, and leadership development. She is an oral boards examiner for the American Board of Emergency Medicine, and a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians.

    Dr. Tanski received her Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from Michigan State University and her medical degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. She completed her Emergency Medicine residency served as Chief Resident at George Washington University, and her fellowship in Emergency Department Administration as well as her Masters of Business Administration at OHSU.

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