The Class of 2018’s Nehal Naik is one of eight members on the Resident and Medical Student Board recently created by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

The Class of 2018’s Nehal Naik

Residents and medical students already constitute half of SAEM’s total society membership. The inaugural RAMS board will give them a stronger voice within the SAEM community by developing educational content and annual meeting programming; promoting mentorship and career development; and identifying leadership and advocacy opportunities of particular interest and importance to our junior members.

“Resident and students involved with SAEM get a jump start on their academic careers by learning from titans of academic emergency medicine,” Naik told Pulse, the SAEM newsletter. “From our speed mentoring sessions to committee work, SAEM creates a pathway for success.”

Earlier this year, Naik completed a yearlong research fellowship in Lima, Peru, where he traveled under the sponsorships of the National Institutes of Health Fogarty Global Health program. He has long had an interest in pursuing a career in emergency medicine.

“By being part of the inaugural RAMS board through SAEM, Nehal is at the forefront of leadership in the next generation in EM, specifically as part of academic EM’s largest organized group,” says Joel Moll, M.D., Naik’s advisor and the residency program director for the Department of Emergency Medicine. “Nehal’s particular interest in the developing world and those who are underserved and under resourced in the U.S. is in keeping with EM’s mission to serve all patients by providing equitable health care.”

Naik grew up in Santa Barbara, California, earned his undergraduate degree from University of California, Berkley and a master’s from Georgetown University. Along the way, he has cultivated enthusiasm for rock climbing, river rafting and salsa dancing. His 12-month term on the RAMS board runs through May 2018.

“Emergency medicine is strategically placed in medicine to understand the needs of our community,” Naik says. “We need to continue our academic efforts to promote public health and be leaders within public health policy.”

SAEM is dedicated to the improvement of care of the acutely ill and injured patient by improving research and education.

By Erin Lucero