ACEP AAWEP Section Spotlight: A Home for Advocacy, Community, and Career Longevity

In this ACEP Early Career Physicians spotlight, Dr. Laurel Barr talks with Dr. Andrea Austin ( Chair) about the American Association of Women Emergency Physicians (AAWEP). Their conversation centers on why this section matters, what it offers beyond “support,” and how members can turn shared challenges into practical solutions to improve the day-to-day experience of emergency medicine for everyone. 

What the Section offers

AAWEP supports women in emergency medicine and welcomes allies who want to help close the field’s persistent gaps. Its work addresses recurring challenges such as pay equity, advancement, leadership representation, and workplace culture, with the goal of helping members advocate for change and build the careers they want. The section’s role is to help members understand those gaps, advocate effectively, and build better paths forward.

Why this Section matters for early-career physicians

Pediatric patients can be some of the most stressful cases early in practice, where small details matter, emotions run high, and clinical confidence is still developing. The section helps shorten that learning curve by offering accessible education, shared case based learning, and a community that helps members understand what effective pediatric care looks like in everyday emergency practice.

Why this matters for early career physicians

With women now making up more than half of medical students, emergency medicine cannot afford to lose physicians in the early and middle years of their careers. The section focuses on the period when family demands, leadership pressure, and burnout often collide, offering support, practical strategies, and a longer view of career sustainability.

The kinds of conversations members come for

AAWEP makes room for the kinds of conversations physicians often need but do not always find space for, including caregiving, leave, personal health, and career sustainability. Its approach is not just to name those challenges, but to explore practical solutions that improve the work environment more broadly.

Community, events, and connection points

AAWEP keeps members connected through a mix of live and virtual touchpoints, from Scientific Assembly programming and annual retreats to book club discussions and webinars. The value goes beyond events, offering access to a national community that can open doors to mentorship, leadership, and new ways to stay engaged in emergency medicine. 

Advocacy and collaboration

AAWEP approaches advocacy as a collaborative effort, working across ACEP to support shared priorities and contribute to broader policy conversations. From section partnerships to involvement in LAC and Council, the emphasis is on meaningful progress that improves physicians’ working lives. 

Resources you can use now

AAWEP offers ongoing ways for members to stay involved through its newsletter, EngagED listserv, webinars, and section programming, with growing opportunities for leadership development over time. Section involvement also gives members a clearer view of how ACEP works behind the scenes and how ideas move from conversation to lasting change.

How to get involved

Joining AAWEP is straightforward, and the section encourages members to take one clear step toward involvement right away. That might mean volunteering for a committee, contributing to the newsletter, supporting social media, helping write Council resolutions, or assisting with awards. These entry points offer a practical way to engage, build experience, and help increase recognition for women in emergency medicine.

Closing takeaways

This spotlight shows that AAWEP is not just a space to name challenges, but a place to build solutions, strengthen connections, and support long term career growth. Through mentorship, collaboration, and practical resources, the section helps members advocate for fairer systems, stronger representation, and workplaces that better support physicians over the course of a career.

Visit the American Association of Women Emergency Physicians