Women in Emergency Medicine Committee
Annual Report (2025-2026)
Chair:
Dr. Ayesha Zia
Committee Overview
The CAEP WEM Committee continues to support and advance the professional development, leadership, scholarship, advocacy, mentorship, and representation of women and equity-deserving groups within Emergency Medicine across Canada.
Over the past year, the committee remained actively engaged in national and international academic initiatives, conference programming, advocacy work, scholarship, mentorship, and collaborative educational projects. Committee members contributed significantly to research, publications, presentations, leadership discussions, and innovative educational programming focused on equity, inclusion, workplace culture, parental leave, feedback culture, allyship, leadership development, and gender-based disparities in Emergency Medicine.
The committee continues to serve as a national platform for collaboration, community-building, and advancement of equity-focused initiatives within Canadian Emergency Medicine.
Achievements and Highlights
Academic Scholarship and Research
Committee members contributed to multiple peer-reviewed publications and scholarly projects addressing gender equity, parental leave, authorship equity, diagnostic accuracy, feedback culture, and sex- and gender-based disparities in Emergency Medicine.
Highlights include:
Publication of Gender Differences in Patient Assessment Times for Ambulatory Emergency Department Patients in CJEM
Publication of the CAEP Position Statement on Pregnancy and Parental Leave: Executive Summary
Research examining authorship equity within CJEM
Multiple ultrasound and diagnostic accuracy studies led or co-authored by committee members
National scholarship related to feedback culture, equity, and physician practice patterns
National and International Presentations
Committee members presented extensively at national and international conferences including:
International Conference on Emergency Medicine (ICEM) 2025
CAEP National Grand Rounds
NCER 2026
Presentation themes included:
Leadership development in Emergency Medicine
Building Women in EM groups
Allyship and advocacy
Gender differences in physician practice patterns
Feedback culture and professional development
Point-of-care ultrasound research
Notable presentations:
Learning to Lead panel discussion at ICEM 2025
Our Top 5 Tips on How to Create Your Own Women in Emergency Medicine Group
Allyship in Emergency Medicine: Stand Up for What is Right
Educational Innovation and Marketplace Programming
The committee continued to prioritize innovative and interactive educational programming through CAEP and ICEM Marketplace sessions.
Highlights included:
ICEM 2025 Marketplace Session: The X Games
Development of the upcoming CAEP 2026 Marketplace Session: Policy Pit Crew
These sessions focused on engagement, systems thinking, workplace culture, equity-informed policy discussions, and collaborative problem-solving.
Advocacy and Community Building
Committee members contributed to advocacy initiatives related to:
Pregnancy and parental leave
Women physician leadership
Allyship and inclusive workplace culture
Sex- and gender-based disparities in healthcare
Educational equity and representation
The committee also supported storytelling, mentorship, networking, and community-building initiatives through:
ICEM 2025 Soundwaves Storytelling Event
Women Physician Day programming
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism educational workshops
Awards and Grant Success
Committee members received recognition through awards, nominations, and competitive grant funding.
Highlights included:
Dr. Isabella Menchetti receiving the 2026 Ontario Medical Association Resident Achievement Award
Dr. Gillian Sheppard’s nomination for the Dr. Jill McEwan Award
Dr. Ayesha Zia’s nomination for the Alan Drummond Advocacy Award
Successful CIHR, Choosing Wisely Canada, and institutional grant funding totaling over $199,000 supporting sex- and gender-based health research, sustainability initiatives, and educational programming
Impacts and Outcomes
The committee’s work continues to contribute to:
Increased visibility and representation of women leaders in Emergency Medicine
National conversations surrounding equity, workplace culture, parental leave, and leadership
Expansion of mentorship and networking opportunities
Growth of collaborative scholarship and research
Increased dissemination of sex- and gender-informed Emergency Medicine research
Development of innovative educational programming and advocacy initiatives
The committee’s national and international presence has strengthened CAEP’s leadership role in advancing equity and inclusion within Emergency Medicine.
High-Level Indicators of Activity and Impact
During the 2025–2026 year, committee members contributed to:
Multiple peer-reviewed publications
Numerous oral and marketplace presentations at national and international conferences
National educational workshops and grand rounds
Several funded research grants and scholarly initiatives
Equity-focused advocacy and leadership initiatives
Ongoing mentorship, networking, and community-building activities
Committee members maintained strong representation across academic scholarship, clinical leadership, advocacy, education, and research domains.
Looking Ahead: Activities Planned for 2026–2027
The CAEP WEM Committee plans to continue expanding its impact through:
Continued national advocacy initiatives related to workplace equity and physician wellness
Development of additional mentorship and networking opportunities
Completion of ongoing scholarly and research projects
Advancement of breastfeeding and parental support best practice initiatives in Emergency Medicine
Delivery of the CAEP 2026 Marketplace session: Policy Pit Crew
Continued collaboration with national and international Emergency Medicine organizations
Expansion of educational programming focused on leadership, allyship, and inclusive workplace culture
The committee remains committed to fostering a more equitable, inclusive, supportive, and sustainable future for Emergency Medicine in Canada.