Hi Everyone,
Happy Friday! Here is a quick look at what’s new at FemInEM:
Where We’ve Been: Our Community in Action
While several of our state-based projects have concluded, our work in Alabama continues, alongside our “Go Everywhere” Grand Rounds strategy. In a landscape where reproductive healthcare guidance is inconsistent and often unclear, this strategy ensures no physician is left without support, meeting emergency physicians wherever they are and building the confidence and clinical clarity to provide the standard of care regardless of what state they live in.
Dr. Stacy Marshall is continuing our work in Alabama, lecturing at two sites on legally permissible reproductive healthcare in the state.
For a closer look at the programs we've completed and the impact they've made, check out our latest impact report.
Our Voices: New Content from FemInEMs
We’re grateful to share updates, insights, and stories from our growing community. Here are a few recent highlights you may have missed:
Hospital Lawyers Are Getting the Risk Calculus Backwards
In 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe and allowed states to begin legislating abortion bans throughout gestation. The result has been a minefield of abortion bans that physicians are required to navigate in real time at the bedside. And now, it feels like every few weeks there is a new headline describing yet again how hospital lawyers told a physic…
Hospitals aren't a Substitute for Abortion Clinics. Urgent Care Can Be.
In the wake of the Dobbs decision, hospitals increasingly began advertising abortion services to the general public. Prior to the overturning of Roe, most hospitals offered abortion services to patients with later gestational ages or medical complications, focusing on patients that needed specialized treatment rather than serving as a front line access …
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.
Get Involved: Opportunities & Resources
Applications are now open for the next cohort of FemInEM’s Champions of Change! We’re calling on medical students ready to step up, speak out, and lead the fight for better reproductive healthcare.
Through targeted training, participants will sharpen advocacy, leadership, and policy skills while diving into:
Two clinical modules: Early pregnancy loss and mifepristone/misoprostol
Four changemaking modules: Driving change through advocacy, policy, and education
Phase 2: Opportunities to join ongoing FemInEM projects
Applications close on September 1. Feel free to reach out to Asia Nguyen (FemInEM Program Manager) at asiavnguyen@feminem.org with any questions.
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’re challenging EDs across the country to adopt them (and also recognizing departments that already have supportive policy in place). Winning departments will receive FIGS for their whole department and national recognition. Visit the Total Team Contest Page or read our Substack announcement for details and eligibility.
Facing barriers to implementation, or not sure which policy fits your department? Email info@feminem.org and we’ll help you get one adopted.
Join us for an intimate three-day retreat at Basin Harbor Resort in Vermont, designed exclusively for trailblazing women (55+) in EM ready to reimagine what comes next, on their own terms. Participants move from story to strategy: opening with honest reflection on why they’re there, naming what women in this transition actually need, and translating those needs into concrete recommendations, shaping FemInEM’s future work in this space.
Questions or trouble registering? Reach out to emmawalker@feminem.org.
We're excited to announce that FemInEM is now on Roon, a private professional community where physicians can learn from one another and have meaningful conversations without the noise of traditional social media. We've created a dedicated FemInEM space for year-round discussion, whether you're working through challenging cases, sharing resources, asking career questions, or connecting with colleagues passionate about advancing gender equity in emergency medicine.
Our partner, Access Bridge, is recruiting for two new opportunities for clinicians looking to expand reproductive care from the ED.
Opportunity 1: The National Fellowship: Our marquee fellowship supporting clinicians to expand reproductive care from the ED. As one graduate put it: “The experience is invaluable: knowledge acquisition, networking, change-making. It is the real deal.” Help us recruit the next class of champions.
Opportunity 2: Residency Project with CIR: We’re glad to share this new partnership with the Committee for Interns and Residents. Priority given to CIR members, though non-members in regions with critical reproductive care shortages may be considered.
Community Highlights
This section spotlights recent articles, podcasts, and media features about FemInEM members or their work, produced by outside organizations. These are stories from beyond our own community, showcasing the impact of FemInEMs in the wider world.
Law360 published an op-ed titled "Denying Emergency Abortion Care Is A Liability Oversight" by Dr. Kimi Chernoby (JD, MD) and Rachel Rebouché (JD), arguing that hospital attorneys advising physicians to withhold emergency abortion care are miscalculating risk, since documented EMTALA liability, medical board sanctions, and malpractice exposure for denying care far outweigh the vanishingly rare risk of criminal prosecution under state abortion bans.
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.