Forming a Section

Upon formal petition of 100 or more or the minimum number of members of the College as evidenced by participation in a Member Interest Group (MIG), and completion by MIG leadership of the corresponding form, the designated authority appointed by the President will help facilitate development of the section and submit a recommendation to the Board of Directors regarding the petition. The Board of Directors may then charter a section of membership.

1. Members who want to form a new section should notify ACEP’s Community and Sections Manager.

2. Information about forming a section will be e-mailed to the section originator.

3. The originator will e-mail ACEP’s Community and Sections Manager: 1) prospective section objectives; 2) description of the subject area that will be addressed by the section; 3) description of how the establishment of a section will further the College’s ability to meet its objectives; and 4) proposed first-year activities.

4. The originator will ask members interested in joining the proposed section to indicate their support for the section by either filling out an online petition or by e-mailing ACEP’s Community and Sections Manager. A sample e-mail supporting the formation of a section is provided below. The section originator will work ACEP's Sections Manager to create the online petition. Supporters will be informed by the originator of the 4 items listed under point #3 above as well as the section dues structure and that by their e-mail they are indicating their intent to become dues-paying members of the proposed section in addition to their regular membership ACEP dues. Dues are $40 per section for regular members. Emergency medicine residents, medical students, and individuals in fellowship training programs receive a free section membership in the Young Physicians Section, may join another section of their choice for free and join additional sections for only $20 each.

5. After the Sections Manager receives 100 names or more, the names of interested members, the proposed section objectives, and proposed first-year activities will be submitted to the Board for approval.

6. If the Board approves these materials by a 2/3 vote, the section is chartered. The Board will use the following criteria when reviewing a section charter:

a. The objectives of the section will assist and be consistent with furthering and supporting the stated mission, values, objectives, or policies of the College.

b. The objectives of the section will be related to the clinical or administrative practice of emergency medicine.

c. Qualifications for section membership will not be based on sex, age, race, or religion.

d. Membership in a section cannot be limited by geography or employment by a single entity.

e. Sections may not duplicate chapters or membership categories that currently exist.

7. Upon approval by the Board of Directors, each member who has emailed his/her interest in joining the section will receive an invoice for section dues.

8. The section becomes operational when 100 members have remitted section dues.

9. If the section fails to enlist 100 dues-paying members within one year following the Board of Directors' approval, the charter for that section will be revoked.

10. The president of the College will assign a member of the Board of Directors to serve as a liaison to the section and the executive director will appoint a staff liaison.

11. The section originator will act as the section chair until the next annual Scientific Assembly.

12. The originator/chair will appoint interim leadership for the section, including a newsletter editor who will serve until the section can meet and hold elections.

13. The section will submit draft operational guidelines to their staff liaison for review and submission to the Board of Directors. Sections are encouraged to follow the template in the Sections of Membership Manual.

Sample Email from Supporter

From: joesmith@anyhospital.com
To: ACEP’s Community and Sections Manager

I am a member in good standing of the American College of Emergency Physicians and support the formation of the ACEP Section: [Insert proposed name of Section].

Thanks,

Joe Smith, MD, FACEP
Any Hospital
Any City, ST, ZIP
ACEP Member ID