Originally Published Oct 2019 via NoWEM: https://www.nowem.org/blog-1/2019/11/12/an-open-letter-to-simon-judkins
Dear Simon,
I’m writing this letter in response to receiving my ACEM acceptance email, and I wanted to take a moment to share something I’ve been mulling over for a while now. It wasn’t long ago that I decided to apply for ED training, probably about a year, but around that time I started to take more of an interest in the college and try to find out more about who I would be joining if I decided that this path was for me.
I quickly found that you were the college president, but to be honest it didn’t really mean much to me at that point. I figured most people in the higher ranks would be a bit removed from the action, and likely wouldn’t reflect the group as a whole. I pictured ACEM, along with other specialty colleges, to be a rather faceless, big organisation with not much interface with trainees or issues outside their direct ranks.
Well, I soon came to realise just how wrong that assumption was.
Throughout the past year I have watched as you speak out decisively on important socio-political issues. Marriage equality, climate change, access to mental health services, clinician wellbeing and gender equity in medicine. You really have left no stone unturned. Watching from afar your vocal support, amplification and genuine ally-ship for women in emergency medicine has not only made me feel welcome, but excited to be joining the ranks.
For prospective trainees, seeing the president of the college step out and advocate hard for marginalised groups, draw attention to social justice issues and take action to improve things both inside and outside of emergency departments makes us want to be a part of ACEM. After all, it’s 2019; this is what all colleges should be doing and many more could take a leaf out of your book.
It can’t have been easy. Taking a firm stance on a particular issue when you are the pointy end of a large cohort must come with its fair share of backlash. But I guess this is why I wanted to let you know on behalf the incoming trainee group—we see you. Thank you for shaping the college into something that we are so proudly looking forward to being part of.
I truly hope that your example will be followed by not only future ACEM presidents but all colleges in Australia and beyond.
Signed,
Charlotte Durand, on behalf of the newest ACEM trainees.
endurancedocintraining 