Academic Section

This briefing document synthesizes the strategic activities, governance updates, and operational priorities of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP) Academic Section between May 2025 and April 2026. The section is currently characterized by high-performance volunteer engagement and significant expansion in its educational and research portfolios.

Critical takeaways include:

• Organizational Revitalization: The successful resurrection of the Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) Committee to support clerkship directors across Canada.

• Governance Innovation: The implementation of a rigorous seven-step procedure for the evaluation, review, and publication of clinical guidelines and position statements to ensure evidence-based currency.

• Conference Readiness: Comprehensive planning for the CAEP 2026 Winnipeg Conference, featuring a high-stakes Research Abstract competition (226 submissions) and an Academic Symposium focused on leadership wellness and psychological safety.

• Research and Funding Sustainability: The allocation of approximately $60,000 in grant funding through the Emergency Medicine Advancement Fund (EMAF) and the continued success of the Network of Canadian Emergency Researchers (NCER), which recently saw record attendance.

Academic Section Overview and Mission

The Academic Section aims to promote high-quality emergency patient care through world-leading leadership, education, and research. It serves as a hub for fostering academic leadership among physicians, residents, and students while providing mentorship and enhancing academic emergency medicine (EM) at Canadian hospitals.

Executive Leadership (2025–2026) 

Key Strategic Initiatives 

1. Resurrection of Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) 

A primary focus has been the revival of the UME Committee, which had been inactive for several years. 

• Objective: Create a national network for clerkship directors, modeled after successful frameworks in the United States. 

• Implementation: Led by Dr. Elena Poliakova, the initiative involves compiling a comprehensive list of Canadian clerkship directors and securing a dedicated 30-minute symposium slot at CAEP 26 in Winnipeg to launch the working group. 

• Support: The CAEP Board has expressed support for this resurrection, identifying regular resource sharing as a key benefit for those involved in undergraduate medical education. 

2. Clinical Guidelines and Policy Statement Review 

To address concerns regarding the proliferation and potential obsolescence of position statements, the Academic Section has established a formal clearinghouse process. 

• The Seven-Step Procedure: This new protocol ensures guidelines are evidence-based and current. It includes identifying experts for review on a five-year cycle and concludes with a formal publication step in the Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine (CJEM). 

• Ownership and Accountability: While CAEP owns the content, the Academic Section manages the vetting process. Recent priorities include updating the position statement on emergency department overcrowding and access block. 

3. Academic Symposium 2026: "Leading Well in Complex Times." 

The upcoming half-day symposium in Winnipeg is structured around three evidence-based panels designed to deliver practical tools for emergency leaders. 

• Panel 1: Sustainable Leadership and Teams: Focuses on collective thriving across urban, community, and rural settings. It aims to identify drivers of well-being that institutional leaders can influence. 

• Panel 2: Leader Well-Being: Conducts a multicenter assessment to understand the specific pressures and protective factors for those in formal leadership roles.

• Panel 3: Psychological Safety: Addresses leadership in the context of sociopolitical polarization and global crises, offering frameworks for navigating difficult conversations and maintaining inclusive environments.

  
  

Research and Scholarship Updates 

Research Committee and NCER 

The research arm of the Academic Section continues to see high engagement: 

• Abstract Competition: Received 226 submissions for the 2026 conference. A rigorous scoring process is underway to select the top four for the plenary session. 

• NCER Growth: The recent meeting at Mont Tremblant saw the highest attendance in the network's history. Plans are underway for a financial sustainability plan to be presented to the Board. 

• CEDRN: Evolution is continuing from COVID-19 data harmonization to a broader multi-center research infrastructure. 

Emergency Medicine Advancement Fund (EMAF) 

• Grant Funding: In the current cycle, $60,000 of the available $70,000 has been awarded across 28 applications. 

• Fundraising: Strategies to bolster the EMAF include "CodeCycle" (a cycling event with remote and in-person participation options), 50-50 draws, and silent auctions. 

• Requirement Updates: Future grant cycles will place a more prominent emphasis on the requirement that co-applicants must be CAEP members. 

Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (QIPS) 

• National Repository: A proposal has been submitted for a national repository of QI interventions, featuring a standardized submission template to be hosted on the CAEP website. 

• Education: Development of patient safety webinars specifically tailored for residents. 
  

Education Scholarship 

• Projects: The committee is working on a manuscript regarding teaching in crowded emergency departments and a national survey focused on recruitment and retention in emergency medicine. 

• Curriculum Platforms: Plans are finalized to purchase a new course design platform for the 2SLGBTQI+ CME curriculum to roll out new modules. 

  
  
  
  

Operational Action Items and Future Meetings 

The committee has identified several immediate priorities leading into the CAEP 2026 conference: 

• Advocacy Integration: Increasing collaboration between researchers and the communications team to improve the advocacy relevance of research findings. 

• Conference Recruitment: Securing qualified volunteer moderators for poster sessions and judges for the "Grizzly Den" competition. 

• Survey Dissemination: Utilizing the Academic Leadership Listserv to distribute leadership and team wellness surveys to ensure a broad geographic data set. 

• Next Meeting: Scheduled for June 6, 2026, in Winnipeg, Manitoba.