Este ha sido un año difícil para todos. COVID-19 y otros desastres naturales han afectado la isla en diferentes formas. Todos de una manera u otra estamos trabajando más. Estamos cargando con la gran responsabilidad de cuidar nuestros pacientes, y a la misma vez, mantener a nuestras familias seguras. Lamentablemente éste se ha vuelto nuestro nuevo normal, pero su duro trabajo y esmero es reconocido.

Dentro de todo este caos, queremos recordarle que el capítulo de ACEP Puerto Rico está para servirles. El pasado sábado 14 de noviembre, se llevo a cabo la primera convención virtual del capítulo. Fue todo un éxito en gran parte por los excelentes presentadores. Estamos coordinando para proveer los créditos necesarios. Si de alguna manera podemos asistirle, favor de comunicarse conmigo.

Una vez mas gracias por todo lo que hacen por la especialidad.

Medical Student Corner

The following were written by five-5 Medical Students from UPR School of Emergency Medicine Interest Group - class of 2021.

Being a member of the medical class of 2021 has been synonymous with many unique challenges; especially in Puerto Rico. We were already halfway through our third year of medical school when an invisible threat arrived on our little Island. This time, it was not hurricanes or earthquakes; it was a virus. This brought with it many challenges incredibly arduous for students and faculty. We had to complete our clinical rotations during a pandemic, which meant we had to complete certain clerkships online. Our Emergency Medicine rotations have been especially challenging as we interact with patients, attendings, and residents behind a mask and face shield. Although we are grateful to have the opportunity to complete our rotations on site, it was a challenging time as we knew our attending physicians and residents might have some trouble recognizing us without all the personal protective equipment in the pictures we submitted with our applications.

Thankfully, technology allowed us to hold virtual didactics and case presentations where we were able to interact with our future colleagues. Our local Emergency Medicine Interest Group also took advantage of an online format and provided various activities such as chief complaint-based workshops, which were a big hit for many medical students from the first year all through the fourth year. We were also able to plan special activities to help us navigate the application process and its upcoming changes.

Taking all this into account, let us hear from our fellow fourth-year students as they relate their experiences as students behind a mask. - Adriana Mercado, MS4

“What became clear to me during my rotations at the UPR Carolina Hospital ED was how social determinants of health affect the most vulnerable members of our population during a pandemic. I had one patient, a single mother of two, also caring for her bedridden mother, who tested positive for COVID-19. As I explained what the results meant and educated her on social distancing measures upon discharge, I could not help but share her worry about going back home. I reflected on the privilege that isolation and hygiene could unfortunately represent, especially for low socioeconomic status patients who serve as primary caregivers of children or elders in often crowded households for whom prevention within their own families proves almost impossible. We as doctors must be aware of these disparities to be advocates for health equity.” - Carolina Fuentes, MS4

“COVID-19 affected every part of our last year in Med School, including the residency application. It began limiting us to only one EM rotation in our home school’s hospital, not permitting us to go to the US on away rotations. So that limited our exposure to how EM is in the US, compared to how it is in PR. All the interviews will be virtual, limiting our exposure to the programs since we will not be able to see the hospitals and meet the residents personally.” - Robert Axtmayer, MS4

“The best advice I can give to fellow medical students is to be careful and protect themselves while doing their rotations, but always remember to stay curious. This pandemic has changed how many things are done in the hospital but also provides many learning opportunities. There were times with a decreased patient volume compared to times before COVID, which, although not ideal, provided for learning opportunities as there was more time to teach. As the pandemic is a still-evolving situation, the emergency room provides a great way to stay updated with new guidelines and information and put them to use right away. “ - Julio Velez, MS4

“The Emergency Department is a chaotic but harmonious mess. The COVID-19 pandemic did affect the patient population that visited us at the hospital, but people still came, and we were there for them. Aside from the current virus, there were broken bones, abdominal pains, mental illnesses, among many others. During my patient interactions, even though I was covered with a face mask, shield, scrub hat, glasses, surgical gown, and gloves, you could still feel the Puerto Rican people's warmth. My colleagues and I were able to work with the highly qualified attending physicians and residents of Dr. Federico Trilla Hospital and see what it is like on the battlefield, pandemic-related or not. Their approachability allowed us to further our medical preparation and offer our patients the care they needed and deserved.” - Nazaret Colón-Fernández, MS4

^New Social Media Ambassadors!

“As the world revolves around us, most of us find ourselves spending time on social media to stay connected. We, emergency medicine doctors, are used to a fast-paced life. It is in our limited spare time that we go on websites, read articles, and connect to social media to keep ourselves informed.

Now more than ever, due to the pandemic restrictions, social media has become our main source of information and connection with each other. It is through these platforms that we can also obtain the most up to date information, clinical recommendations, and guidance from the ACEP and its affiliates. In light of this, the Puerto Rico ACEP chapter is doubling down on making our community more accessible and efficient at making our voice heard. That is why we are proud to announce our newest addition to our family: the social media ambassadors. Social Media Ambassadors will be working hard to innovate, communicate and serve our chapter. These members are residents of each training program in Puerto Rico and volunteer their time for the improvement of our mission.

First, we introduce Dr. Liz Rivera Blanco who studied medicine at Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara. She is currently in her second year as a resident of emergency medicine at Hospital Episcopal San Lucas in Ponce. Dr. Rivera is affectionate to traveling, reading, and spending quality time with her family. What she loves about Emergency Medicine is getting to know about each specialty, face-paced and never boring environment.

Our next ambassador is Dr. Pablo Vega Parra. Natural from Chile, raised in Brazil and trained in Argentina, Dr. Vega Parra has always dedicated himself to volunteer work and continues to do so despite his workload as a resident. He is a first-year emergency medicine resident at the UPR. He prides himself on his ability to juggle family life, work, and his passion for community service, and hopes to serve as an advocate for other EM doctors and empower the advancement of our beautiful specialty.”

^New Fellow Designation!

Congratulations to:

Alexandra Ubilla, MD, FACEP

See the ACEP20 Awards Brochure here.

Welcome New Members!

A special welcome to the new members of the Puerto Rico Chapter. We are excited to have you.

Alan Montiel Ramos

Alexandra Maria Salas Sola

Alicia Feliberti, MD

Amanda M Icazatti-Burtell

Gymar Marie Vargas

Joel Andres Diaz

Jose Batista, MD

Juan Sebastian Betancur

Karla M Raldiris, MD

Manuel Antonio Carrasquillo, MD

Marisa Lois, MD

Ninci L Llanos Figueroa, MD

Nora I. Guzman

Saul Omar Santiago Rodriguez

You may wonder if you should get involved with Puerto Rico ACEP or EMRA or at the national level? We encourage you to please get involved!

If you are unsure about how to get involved, feel free to contact the chapter directly.

FROM NATIONAL ACEP

ACEP continues to update its COVID resources regularly to reflect the latest information. Visit the COVID-19 Center for access to all COVID content, including the following most popular tools from the past few months:

NEW Resource: Monoclonal Antibody Toolkit

Federal Regulatory News

Catch up on the latest federal regulatory news with Regs & Eggs. Latest blog post: The Holiday Gift-giving Season (of Regulations) is Here!
On November 17, the FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization to Lucira Health for its COVID-19 All-In-One Test Kit for prescription home use.
On November 10 and 11, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) held a public meeting covering a variety of pertinent Medicare policy topics, including the advanced use of telehealth and access to care in rural areas.
For more information on ACEP’s recent advocacy efforts, watch the Capital (30) Minutes video from November 18. It looks at election results and what they mean for emergency medicine. Other topics include the latest legislative and regulatory updates, potential COVID-19 relief package and more.

EMF Grant Available

The EMF/NIDA Mentor-Facilitated Training Award in Substance Use Disorders Science Dissemination Solicitation is due November 30, 2020. The purpose of the award is to enhance a resident/trainee’s knowledge of SUD treatment research and the dissemination and adoption of evidence-based SUD treatment practices. Apply here.

Address Pressing EM Issues with the Theater of War

After rave reviews of the Theater of War event at ACEP20, another FREE performance has been scheduled for the EM community on 12/2 from 7-9pm. The actors will present scenes from Sophocles' Ajax to create a vocabulary for discussing themes such as burnout, betrayal, personal risk, loss, moral distress, suicide, depression, shame, and working in a complex hierarchy. It's free, but registration is required.

Opioid Webinar Series Continues Dec. 3

Part five of the six-part webinar series on opioid use disorder and federal, state and regulatory considerations examines New York’s I-Stop program and other state initiatives to curb the opioid epidemic. Led by Dr. Keith Grams, this free webinar is 2 p.m. EST on Dec. 3. Register today.

ACEP20 Access Continues, New Option Available for Non-Attendees

If you participated in ACEP20, remember that you continue to have access to the education, Research Forum, exhibit showcase and more. This content will remain on the ACEP20 platform for 90 days post-conference before moving to the ACEP Online Learning Collaborative for the remainder of your three-year access period. This is how you claim CME.

Those who were unable to attend can still can still get the education you missed from ACEP20 Unconventional and earn up to 276 CME hours for three years with the Virtual ACEP20 component. One new element of Virtual ACEP20 compared to previous years is that it includes highlights from Research Forum, including State of the Art and Plenary presentations.

Podcast: COVID-19 and Stroke

With stroke being one of the top three causes of death in the nation, timing is everything. Join the conversation between host Dr. Ryan Stanton and Dr. Aisha Terry as they discuss the different factors that affect the presentations of stroke in the emergency department due to COVID-19 and how you can advocate for improved care for stroke patients. Listen now.

ACEP Leadership and Excellence Awards

The program provides an opportunity to recognize all members for significant professional contributions as well as service to the College. Nominations will open in December and be accepted until March 1, 2021. Some of the newest awards include the Community Emergency Medicine Excellence Awward, the Innovative Change in Practice Management Award, the Pamela P. Bensen Trailblazer Award and the Policy Pioneer Award. Check out all Leadership and Excellence Awards.

JACEP Open is the official Open Access journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). Complementing ACEP’s flagship journal, Annals of Emergency Medicine, JACEP Open welcomes high quality reports representing the full spectrum of emergency care.

Why publish in JACEP Open?

Open access – free to read for everyone
PubMed Central indexed
Fast turnaround times: 17 days to decision, < 30 days to publication
CME for reviewers
Podcasts
Visual abstracts

Submit at www.editorialmanager.com/jacep

JACEP Open is always looking for qualified reviewers. Please send your CV to Stephanie Wauson, Managing Editor, swauson@acep.org.

Follow JACEP Open on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

EMRA Opportunities for Residents and Medical Students

EMRA Committee Leadership applications are due December 1 for Chair Elect and Vice Chair positions for EMRA’s 19 Committees.

EMRA Medical Student Council applications are due December 1 to lead our medical student efforts.

Applications are due for the Class of 2022 for the EMRA/ACEP Leadership Academy on December 31. The EMRA and ACEP Leadership Academy is a leadership/professional development program and virtual community for emerging leaders in emergency medicine.

EMRA Winter Awards Deadline: January 10. Awards and scholarships include a travel scholarship for ACEP21, Resident of the Year, Fellow of the Year, Medical Student of the Year, Chair of the Year, Residency Director of the Year, APD of the Year, Residency Coordinator of the Year and more.

Puerto Rico Chapter

c/o National ACEP

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Irving, Texas 75063-2524

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