Program Representatives

An EMRA Program Representative is the delegate from your residency program to the EMRA Representative Council.

The Program Rep is the vital communication link between EMRA and emergency medicine residency programs. They are responsible for bringing concerns and ideas of the membership to the Representative Council in the form of resolutions, idea worksheets, or comments during the town hall meeting. Program representatives receive monthly email What's Up in Emergency Medicine newsletter which outlines upcoming EMRA events, opportunities for further involvement, and provides important information to disseminate to their colleagues. Below is a quick list of yearly expectations.

• Update your Program Representative information annually and maintain updated contact information for yourself by logging in and updating your profile. It is essential to report this information to EMRA so that we can be sure that the correct person is receiving regular correspondence and information about the Representative Council meetings.
• Attend both the fall and spring Representative Council meetings, held in conjunction with ACEP's Scientific Assembly in the Fall and a virtual meeting in the Spring.
• Familiarize yourself with the Representative Council Procedures, Member Benefits and Calendar of Events so you can pass this information along to your fellow residents.
• Contact your program's director and chair regarding approval for your participation at ACEP's Scientific Assembly (each fall) and virtual meeting (in spring) for the Representative Council Meetings. Let EMRA know if your program administrators need written notice of your required attendance at these events by emailing emra@emra.org.
• The representative is responsible for encouraging membership among fellow residents by educating others about the many benefits associated with membership and the importance of becoming active & involved in the specialty.
• Contact your Speaker or Vice Speaker to report on the activities of your program and ask for their support if needed.
• Show the EMRA 101 Power Point presentation to your colleagues annually. Send the link for the presentation to anyone who would like to learn more about EMRA.
• Read and stay current with What's Up in EM newsletter and EM Resident Magazine, and share current events and "talking points" with your program
• Consider additional participation as a committee volunteer, submit resolutions from your residents or jointly with other program representatives, or consider nominating your attendings or fellow residents for an EMRA award or scholarship
• Provide Representative Council Meeting updates and feedback to your program after attending the national meetings
• Assist your program with identification of an Alternate Program Representative (if you are unable to fulfill your duties or attend the bi-annual Representative Council meetings.)
• Assist your program with selection of a new EMRA Program Representative at the end of the year if you are graduating or choosing not to continue as a program representative the following year (i.e provide them with the website information, direct them to the orientation website etc.)
• Provide suggestions for improvement to EMRA Representative Council Officers, Board of Directors or Regional Representative by emailing emra@emra.org or contacting EMRA leaders directly.

Program representatives are expected to be knowledgeable about EMRA and current issues in emergency medicine. Do not hesitate to ask questions of the Board of Directors if you feel you need help understanding how to effectively advocate these issues and answer questions about EMRA's purposes & goals.

Alternate Representatives

Alternate representatives are an additional contact link at your program. Appoint or elect an alternate representative to help share the workload of communication and recruitment, as well as to prepare a junior resident to become the program representative when the representative graduates.

Alternate representatives have the same rights as program representatives. They receive all representative communications, including the Representative Update emails. Alternate representatives are encouraged to attend and participate in Representative Council meetings. The only difference is that only the program representative or alternate may vote or cast ballots during Representative Council meetings (there is no vote splitting or additional voting allowed).

Want to become your program's representative?

Program representatives and alternates are required to be active EMRA members in an RRC-EM approved training program. They are elected or appointed by individual residency programs for a one-year term of service, without term limits. If there is no representative listed for your program, become the program representative!