Celebrating 50 Years of Emergency Medicine Excellence

Thank you to everyone who joined us in Nashville for ACOEP’s 50th Anniversary Celebration and 2025 Scientific Assembly. Together with FOEM, we marked five decades of leadership in emergency medicine through connection, education, and celebration.

Event Recap

A Night to Remember: On Monday, September 22, members gathered at The Twelve Thirty Club’s Honky Tonk for an evening of live music, great food, and a red carpet welcome. The celebration brought together our past, present, and future as we toasted to ACOEP’s 50 year legacy.

2025 ACOEP Award Winners

We are proud to recognize the recipients of the 2025 ACOEP Awards, presented at the Scientific Assembly in celebration of excellence, mentorship, leadership, and service in emergency medicine.

Excellence in Education Award: Spencer Heath, DO
Benjamin A. Field, DO, FACOEP, Mentor of the Year Award: Melody Milliron, DO, FACOEP, FAAEM
Robert D. Aranosian, DO, FACOEP, Excellence in EMS Award: Jack Chambers, DO, FACOEP
Willoughby Award: Christine Giesa, DO, FACOEP-D
Bruce D. Horton, DO, FACOEP, Lifetime Achievement Award: Robert Suter, DO, MHA, FACEP, FAAEM, FACOEP-D

FOEM Competition Winners at the 2025 Scientific Assembly

Clinical Pathological Case Competition: Presenters

First Place: Blake Chatham, DO — First Time Seizure
Second Place: Katarina Werst, DO — Your Favorite Chief Complaint: Weakness
Third Place: Dulari Patel, DO — Splitting Up and Surviving — The Case of an Extensive Aortic Dissection

Clinical Pathological Case Competition: Faculty Discussants

First Place: Shawn Quinn, DO — Teenage Fever Dream
Second Place: Jennifer Jozefick, DO — First Time Seizure
Second Place: Nancy Weber, DO, FACOEP, FACEP, MBA — Your Favorite Chief Complaint: Weakness
Third Place: Natalie Siegfried, DO — Severe Infectious Refractory Keratitis Requiring Escalated Antimicrobial Therapy and Surgical Intervention

Oral Abstract Competition

First Place: Kiratpreet Sraa, OMS-II — Retrospective Analysis of Central Line Complication Rates in a Rural Community Setting
Second Place: Madison Gackle, BS — Assessing Treatment Compliance of Skin and Soft Tissue Infections to Published Guidelines
Third Place: Teddie Dombrowski, BS, OMS-II — Race, Income, Insurance, and Transfers for Hospitalized Pediatric Emergency Department Patients

Congratulations New Fellows

Joshua Nast, DO, FACOEP
Sam Slade, DO, FACOEP
Thomas Stauffer, DO, FACOEP

Congratulations New Distinguished Fellows

Benjamin Godfrey, DO, FACOEP-D
Brian Risavi, DO, FACOEP-D
Duane Corsi, DO, FACOEP-D
Eric Wernsman, DO, FACOEP-D
Katherine Pitus, DO, FACOEP-D

RSO Award Winners

Student of the Year: Ahmed Fall, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Auburn Campus
Club of the Year: Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine Emergency Medicine Club

Photo Gallery

Relive the celebration. Browse and download photos from the 50th Anniversary Reception and 2025 Scientific Assembly.

Open Full Gallery on Dropbox

Read our Special 50th Anniversary Issue of the Pulse Newsletter!

Since 1975, ACOEP has advanced the specialty of emergency medicine and empowered thousands of physicians through education, advocacy, and connection. In 2025, we proudly celebrated 50 years of impact alongside FOEM, marking this milestone with a memorable evening in Nashville that honored our legacy and looked ahead to the next half-century of innovation in emergency medicine.

Thank You for Supporting FOEM

At this year’s ACOEP Scientific Assembly, our community came together to fuel the future of osteopathic emergency medicine. Thanks to your generosity, over $8,000 was raised to support the Foundation for Osteopathic Emergency Medicine (FOEM).

Your donations directly power:

Research Competitions – opportunities for students, residents, and physicians to gain national recognition
Scholarship and Innovation – driving discoveries that shape patient care
Mentorship and Leadership – fostering the next generation of osteopathic emergency physicians

Make a gift today or become a sustaining donor:

Donate to FOEM

Thank You to Our Generous Donors

Because of your generosity, $17,450 was raised in support of ACOEP and FOEM initiatives.
Your contributions ensure that our mission of advancing emergency medicine continues for decades to come.

Thank You to our Party Hat Station & Photo Spot Sponsor!

Thank You to Our Donors!

$2,500 – Kevin Franks, DO

$1,000 – Peter Bell, DO, FACOEP-D

$1,000 – Brandon Lewis, DO, MBA, FACOEP, FACEP

$1,000 – G. Joseph Beirne, DO, FACOEP-D

$1,000 – John Dery, DO, FACOEP-D, FACEP, FAWM

$1,000 – Christopher Posey, Sr., DO, FACOEP

$1,000 – Tim Cheslock, DO, FACOEP-D

$1,000 – Robert Suter, DO, MHA, FACEP, FAAEM, FACOEP-D and Michele Suter

$1,000 – Victoria Selley, MS, DO, FACOEP & Jeremy Selley, DO, FACOEP

$1,000 – Benjamin Godfrey, DO, FACOEP and Alicia Godfrey

$1,000 – Levente Batizy, DO, FACOEP

$1,000 – Christine Giesa, DO, FACOEP-D

$1,000 – Western Journal of Emergency Medicine

$1,000 – Herbert Schiffer, DO, FACOEP

$500 – Mark A. Mitchell, DO, MEd, FACOEP-D

$500 – William Bograkos, MA, DO, FACOEP

$250 – John C. Prestosh, DO, FACOEP-D

$250 – April Brill, DO, FACOEP

$250 – Eric Gloss, DO, FACOEP, MMM

$100 – Paula DeJesus, DO, FACOEP

$50 – Kristina Domanski, MD

$50 – Charles P. Murrah Jr

Share Your Reflections and Memories

We’re continuing to collect memories, stories, photos, and reflections from our members to preserve ACOEP’s history and spirit. Your contributions help shape the next chapter of our story.

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Here’s to 50 years of dedication, innovation, and connection, and to the next 50 to come.
Thank you for being part of our story!