Know Someone that OWNS Their Career?
Shine a Spotlight with the AAEM Awards
Do you know a remarkable emergency medicine physician, educator, or leader? Each year at the AAEM Scientific Assembly, we shine a spotlight on the extraordinary talent, dedication, and impact within our field through the prestigious AAEM Awards.
These awards are more than just recognition—they honor the individuals who embody the values of our specialty and inspire others through their excellence and leadership.
Awardees will be celebrated live at the 31st Annual Scientific Assembly in Miami, FL from April 6-10, 2025. Be part of this inspiring tradition—where the best in emergency medicine come together!
Submit a Nomination
Nominate a colleague or mentor and give them the recognition they deserve on a national stage. It’s your chance to highlight their achievements and inspire others in the emergency medicine community.
Submit Your NominationsAn active AAEM membership is required to submit a nomination.
Nominations Deadline: January 6, 2025 at 11:59pm CT
AAEM Awards
An individual who has demonstrated passion and expertise in advocating for issues at the federal, state, or local level that are important to the advancement of the mission and vision of the Academy. The award shall be given to a member of AAEM, or to a legislator or a member of their staff, who has been active in advocating for and advancing the mission and vision of the Academy.
View Past Award RecipientsAs an organization, AAEM recognizes Dr. Wagner’s contributions to the specialty by offering an award named in his honor to individuals who have had a meaningful impact on the field of emergency medicine and who have contributed significantly to the promotion of AAEM’s goals and objectives. Dr. Wagner himself was given the first such award in 1995.
View Past Award RecipientsThis award honors individuals who uphold the legacy of Dr. Joanne Williams, the only female founding member of AAEM and first female Master of AAEM. The purpose of this award is to honor trailblazers within the field. The award originated as a Women in Emergency Medicine (WiEM-AAEM) award. Nominees for this for this award must have supported efforts to add gender equity and diversity to AAEM and/or the field of emergency medicine. Nominees must be AAEM members.
View Past Award RecipientsDescription: This award recognizes a sustained outstanding contribution made to further the mission of AAEM by a non-member.
Selection Criteria:
a) Nominee has demonstrated a sustained commitment to furthering the mission of AAEM with multiple measurable outcomes. Examples (not exclusive) may include initiatives to improve the care of the emergency patient, improvements to emergency physician health and wellness, assistance in passing substantial legislation furthering AAEM’s mission, contributing to the long-term financial stability of AAEM, or significantly expanding membership and outreach.
b) Nominee’s service and/or leadership has been sustained for several years. (In extremely special circumstances, an exception may be made for a truly groundbreaking one-time contribution to the success of AAEM.)
c) Nominee must not be an AAEM member, nor eligible for membership.
Nomination Requirements: Nominator must be a full-voting member and must provide one nomination letter as well as two letters of support from full-voting AAEM members.
This award recognizes a resident member who has made an outstanding contribution to AAEM. Nominees for this award must be AAEM/RSA resident members and must be enrolled in an EM residency training program.
View Past Award RecipientsActive members of AAEM may also recommend nominees to the AAEM executive committee for the Master of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine (MAAEM). This recognition of senior AAEM fellows shall be extended to those who demonstrated a long career of extraordinary:
- Service to AAEM
- Service as an exemplary clinician and/or teacher of emergency medicine
- Service to emergency medicine in the area of research and/or published works
- Service as a leader in the hospital, the community or organized medicine
- Service in the areas of health policy and advocacy
- Volunteerism
- Other activities or high honors that distinguished the physician as preeminent in the field of emergency medicine.
Nominees are expected to meet most, but not all of the above criteria. However, with very rare exceptions, nominees must meet the first criterion, extraordinary service to AAEM. Individuals shall not self-nominate. Current members of the board of directors may not receive a nomination, but will become eligible for a nomination two years after completion of their service as members of the board. Those nominees who receive approval from the AAEM executive committee shall receive their awards at the next Scientific Assembly. AAEM authorizes Masters to use the title MAAEM for as long as their AAEM membership remains current.
The nominator should submit the following to the AAEM executive committee:
- Letters of reference for the nominee from three other members in addition to the nominator (Total of 4 letters).
- Provide the nominee’s current curriculum vitae.
Completed nominations, including all letters of reference and the CV, will receive consideration by the executive committee for submission to the board of directors.
View Past Award RecipientsThe international leadership award recognizes an individual who has made an exceptional, longstanding, and profound leadership contribution to the international development of emergency medicine (EM) or to the advancement of EM education worldwide.
View Past Award RecipientsNamed after the founder of AAEM, this award recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to our organization. Nominees for this award must have 10 or more years experience in EM clinical practice and must be AAEM members.
View Past Award RecipientsThis award recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to AAEM through work on educational programs. Nominees must be AAEM members who have been out of their residency for more than 5 years.
View Past Award RecipientsThis award recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to AAEM in the area of academic leadership. Nominees for this award must have 10 or more years experience in an EM academic leadership position and must be AAEM members.
View Past Award RecipientsThis award recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to AAEM through work on educational programs. Nominees must be out of residency or fellowship 10 years or less and must be AAEM members.
View Past Award RecipientsQuestions? Email AAEM or call (800) 884-2236