Who: Dr. Rebecca Parker, 47
New role: One-year term as president of the American College of Emergency Physicians, the 38,000-member association representing emergency medicine. She succeeds Dr. Jay Kaplan, who steps down after completing his term. He will serve on the ACEP board for one year as immediate past president.
Background: Parker is an emergency physician at West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park, Ill., and VP of practice and payment integration at Envision Healthcare, a healthcare solutions and physician staffing company based in Greenwood Village, Colo.
Fostering diversity: Parker said one priority during her term will be to encourage more diversity in emergency medicine, noting the ACEP has launched a task force on inclusion addressing barriers to professional advancement. “We all come with our own story based on our generation, culture and experiences. If we build on that together, we'll be more resilient.”
Focus on gun violence: Parker also plans to continue the ACEP's efforts to help emergency docs treat gun violence victims. The organization's High Threat Emergency Casualty Care Task Force collaborates with researchers and public policy experts to improve treatment and work toward systemic solutions to the problem.
