Hi Everyone,
Happy Friday! Here’s a quick look at what’s been happening at FemInEM:
Where We’ve Been: Our Community in Action
Our FemInEM community continues to make an impact everywhere. Check out some of our latest appearances:
Dr. Kimi Chernoby delivered the keynote address at the Ohio State University’s Graduate Medical Education LEAD (Leaders who Learn, Engage, Advocate and Deliver) Forum Day.
National Grand Rounds: FemInEM is continuing to expand our reproductive grand rounds program nationally, empowering emergency providers with the education needed to treat early pregnancy emergencies with the standard of care. Dr. Dara Kass recently lectured at sites in Illinois, demonstrating our commitment to expansion and provision of mifepristone from the ED in progressive states.
Our Voices: New Content from FemInEMs
We love sharing the stories, experiences, and challenges our community takes on every day.
Here are our latest stories that you may have missed:
A New Vital Sign: Why Your Badge Can Do More Than Show Your Name
We became emergency physicians because we wanted to help people on their worst days. We intubate, we resuscitate, we suture and stabilize. But over the years, we’ve both come to recognize something that no amount of clinical training prepared us for: so many of the forces shaping our patients’ health never walk through our doors. They live in policy dec…
The Invisible Tax
The patient is half-curled on the stretcher when I walk in, sweat soaking through the thin hospital gown, legs kicking against the rails, body twisting with the unmistakable violence of opioid withdrawal. He is not “drug-seeking.” He is not comfortable. He is tachycardic, yawning between curses, pupils blown wide, gooseflesh crawling across his arms des…
I Was Sued. Here’s What Happened
I vividly remember the day I was served, about five and a half years ago. The doorbell rang and I opened the door holding my two-month-old, who had been up all night. A man I had never seen before handed me an orange envelope and asked me to sign. I opened it: a claim for medical malpractice.
From difficult shifts to breakthrough moments, from complicated cases to lessons learned, your experiences matter. FemInEM is committed to highlighting the full spectrum of voices in emergency medicine, and we’d love to include yours.
Policy Updates: The Impact of Advocacy:
On June 17th, Dr. Kimi Chernoby attended the signing of landmark reproductive health legislation in Virginia. Governor Abigail Spanberger signed the Right to Contraception Act and the Contraception Equity Act into law, guaranteeing Virginians’ right to access contraception and requiring health insurance plans to cover it, including over-the-counter options. Read the full announcement here.
Get Involved: Opportunities & Resources
The Next Shift Retreat (Now open to women 55+)
Join us for an intimate 3-day retreat designed exclusively for trailblazing women in EM who are ready to define on their own terms what comes next.
This retreat is intended for women to come together and engage in meaningful conversations, collaborative workshops, and peer-led discussions that help you articulate your legacy, navigate your transition into retirement, and connect with a community that truly understands the terrain. A curated agenda will be created based on registration.
Questions or trouble registering? Reach out to emmawalker@feminem.org via email.
Help Shape the Future of Reproductive Health Education in EM: A group of dedicated EM faculty is working to better understand the current state of reproductive health education within EM residency programs — and they need your help! If you are adult EM or PEM faculty, or an EM resident at a U.S. program, please take a few minutes to complete their brief survey. And whether or not you participate, please share it with your colleagues near and far! Study specifics, including IRB approval and contact information, can be found on the first page of the survey.
EM FACULTY Survey Link- https://redcap.link/pkapd00f
EM RESIDENT Survey Link- https://redcap.link/dh3auorf
Have you joined the Total Team Challenge yet? FemInEM's four evidence-based model workplace policies covering fertility care, pregnant physician scheduling, return-to-work support, and lactation accommodations are live! And we are challenging EDs across the country to step up and adopt them. Winning departments will receive FIGS for their whole department and national recognition. Visit the Total Team Contest Page or read our Substack announcement for more details including rules and eligibility.
Are you an emergency clinician (MD/DO, NP, or PA) passionate about expanding reproductive healthcare access? The Access Bridge Fellowship equips you with the tools, mentorship, and community to lead change in your ED and beyond — from implementing evidence-based protocols to educating colleagues and improving care in underserved communities. They’re now accepting applications for their fourth cohort. Applications close August 21, 2026 at 11:59 PM.
Community Highlights
This section spotlights recent articles, podcasts, media features, and events about FemInEM members, our partners, and their work, produced by external organizations. These stories come from beyond our own community and showcase the impact of FemInEM in the wider world.
Miscarriage Is Hard Enough Without the Silence:
Drs. Dara Kass and Kimi Chernoby, along with Dr. Courtney A. Schreiber, published an op-ed in Time this month on the silence surrounding miscarriage. Despite at least 15% of recognized pregnancies ending in miscarriage, more than half of U.S. adults don't know how common pregnancy loss actually is — and that gap has real consequences for patients who arrive in emergency departments unsure whether what they're experiencing is normal or an emergency.
Thank you for reading and being part of our community. None of this work would be possible without your support. If you’d like to help us continue advancing education, advocacy, and resources for women in emergency medicine, please consider making a donation.