Welcome

Welcome to VACEP '27.

Emergency medicine is a field defined by its willingness to confront the unexpected. But today, some of the greatest challenges facing our specialty are entirely predictable.

We know patients will continue to arrive in emergency departments with nowhere else to turn. We know boarding, workforce pressures, workplace violence, and financial uncertainty will continue to strain our ability to deliver timely and effective care. And we know that advances in medicine, emerging technologies, and evolving standards of care will continually challenge us to become better physicians.

Meeting those challenges requires more than clinical knowledge alone. It takes a commitment to lifelong learning, a willingness to advocate for our patients and our profession, and a community of colleagues who understand what we do.

That is what brings us together for the Virginia College of Emergency Physicians' 2027 Annual Conference here in Williamsburg.

Virginia has earned a reputation as a leader in emergency medicine education, policy, and advocacy. For 57 years, our chapter has worked to ensure that practicing emergency physicians have a voice in shaping the future of emergency care. Our influence extends beyond the Commonwealth, where other ACEP chapters have adopted our language and our statewide protocols for emergency care.

But leadership must continually be earned, both in the halls of government and at the bedside.

We must challenge policies that undermine patient care and advocate for the resources our departments need. We must also examine our own practices, embrace new evidence, share what we've learned, and prepare the next generation of physicians to lead. Because if it's not us, then who?

Our program over the next 48 hours reflects that commitment. We will hear from nationally respected colleagues, including keynote speaker Kevin Knoop, MD, and ACEP President (and EM podcast star) Ryan Stanton, MD. Sessions will address clinical challenges ranging from stroke and pediatric respiratory emergencies to tick-borne illness, along with hands-on learning in ultrasound, cardiology, and toxicology.

These sessions are an opportunity to sharpen our skills, question our assumptions, and bring new ideas back to our departments. Whether you've practiced emergency medicine for three years or 30, there is always something more to learn.

Our third annual Emergency Department Leadership Summit will tackle some of the less visible but equally consequential challenges of our profession, including reimbursement, legal proceedings, and the responsibilities of physician leadership. These issues directly affect our ability to practice medicine and advocate for our patients.

Throughout the weekend, we will also invest in the future of our specialty through resident presentations, research, junior faculty discussions, and opportunities for students and experienced physicians to learn from one another. I encourage our more experienced physicians to seek out these younger colleagues. The exchange of knowledge and perspective should go both ways.

Perhaps most importantly, we will have an opportunity to talk openly with colleagues who understand the demands of this profession. Emergency medicine can be isolating, even when we work surrounded by people. There is tremendous value in stepping outside our departments, sharing what is working, acknowledging what is not, and remembering that we have a statewide community standing behind us.

And let's not forget to have some fun. Be sure to get out and enjoy Williamsburg. There's plenty of history and no shortage of places to shop, eat, and exercise. (And in my opinion, a visit here is incomplete without a stop at The Cheese Shop.) Make time for yourself, because you've earned it.

I hope you leave Williamsburg with more than new clinical knowledge. I hope you return to your departments with fresh ideas, stronger professional relationships, a renewed commitment to the people who work beside you, and the confidence that you are part of something larger than your own emergency department.

Our profession will continue to face challenges, some predictable and others we cannot yet imagine. But through education, advocacy, and the strength of our community, we can be better prepared to meet them.

Thank you for being here and for the work you do every day.

Joran Sequeira, MD, FACEP
President
Virginia College of Emergency Physicians