SAEM Foundation Donor Guide by Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

The SAEM Foundation is our specialty’s leader in funding research that empowers emergency physicians, saves lives, and improves outcomes for patients everywhere. At a time of great need, we continue to make the largest research investment in our history, year after year—and we need your support to make it possible.

Over the last three decades, we’ve seen the power of research in emergency medicine.

Every time we…

Use the HEART score to gauge a patient’s risk of a major cardiac event

Rely on pre-hospital emergency care to preserve a patient’s best hopes for recovery

Follow stroke protocol to preserve brain function when every minute counts

Recognize and respond to sepsis in time to reduce mortality

Prevent a suicide or save a victim of a drug overdose

…we are standing on our specialty’s foundation of research.

By investing in clinical, translational, and education research, we have saved lives, improved outcomes for countless patients, and supported emergency physicians who commit their careers to caring for every person, in every situation, no matter what. Our growing research base has elevated emergency medicine from an ill-defined and undervalued clinical practice to a highly valued primary board specialty — yet we have only scratched the surface of the possibilities and demands for high-impact research in emergency medicine.

Around the clock, emergency physicians are confronted with some of the most urgent research questions across all areas of medicine, from epidemic disease and gun violence to the complexities of behavioral health and an aging population. In addition to continuing clinical and translational research, we need to invest in operational, implementation and educational research to improve care delivery and train the next generation of emergency medicine physicians and providers.

Continued research in emergency medicine will save lives and sustain healthy generations in our communities. As the largest private foundation of research in emergency medicine, the SAEM Foundation is asking for your support to make the biggest leap forward in research funding in our specialty’s history.

Why I Give

“SAEM has been my home in academic emergency medicine since I was a resident and I thank SAEM Foundation for helping me get my start as a researcher. I am honored to support future generations of trainees and faculty in bringing high-quality research methods to our work.”

- Megan L. Ranney, MD, MPH

Annual Alliance Donor

Former SAEMF Grantee

Former Board of Trustees Member

Emergency physicians count on the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) to advance the science and innovation at the heart of our specialty.

SAEM:

Offers the highest quality continuing medical education in emergency medicine, including two journals and other publications, as well as the SAEM Annual Meeting.

Brings specialists across emergency medicine together through 9 Academies, 15 Committees, and 27 Interest Groups.

Supports medical students, residents, fellows and faculty on their academic career paths in emergency medicine.

Alongside SAEM’s work to strengthen our specialty today, the SAEM Foundation supports the research and researchers who will shape our specialty tomorrow.

The SAEM Foundation:

Is the largest private foundation of research and research training in emergency medicine, funding more than $1M each year.

Represents the gold standard in research quality, with a rigorous peer review process that prepares applicants for the National Institutes of Health.

Makes a career-defining impact on aspiring researchers by funding their work at a critical stage before they compete for NIH funding.

Drives 100 percent of annual fund donor support to clinical, translational, and education research with a singular mission focus and an efficient operation supported by SAEM.

SAEMF Impact on Career Development

EVERY $1 = $3 NEARLY $15.5 MILLION

Each dollar donated leads to increased subsequent federal funding for EM Awarded to more than 630 academicians

14 PUBLICATIONS

Average number of publications per Research Training Grant recipient

61% OF RESEARCH TRAINING GRANT RECIPIENTS received subsequent funding from federal sources1

At a time when early-career researchers face significant challenges finding protected time for research amid their clinical and teaching duties, SAEM Foundation grants give them time to learn research skills and develop their research projects to be competitive for NIH funding.

If you look at the research leaders in emergency medicine today, many built their careers with help from a grant from the SAEM Foundation (or its predecessor grant programs in SAEM) at a crucial early stage.

An SAEM Foundation grant at the right time doesn’t just support a oneoff project—it helps launch a whole career of research impact, which often extends beyond the grantee to include the people they develop and support in their research careers.

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Success Stories

Liz Goldberg, MD, ScM

Associate Vice Chair for Research, Emergency Medicine

University of Colorado Anschutz

• SAEMF Grant: GEMSSTAR Grant 2017

• Subsequent funding: Over $20.5 million and 300 Apple Watch Devices

• Current (PI/MPI): $9.2 Million and 300 Apple Watch Devices

• Current (Co-I): $11.3 Million

• Publications since SAEMF award: 61

Elizabeth M. Goldberg, MD, ScM, is an emergency physician–scientist at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus whose research focuses on improving care for older adults presenting to the emergency department. Her work spans pragmatic clinical trials, health services research, and digital health innovations aimed at reducing fall-related injuries, improving care transitions, and enhancing outcomes for older adults, including those living with dementia. She has led the development and evaluation of the GAPcare model, a nationally recognized emergency department–initiated intervention to prevent recurrent falls.

Dr. Goldberg serves as Associate Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Emergency Medicine and previously served as President of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Academy for Geriatric Emergency Medicine, where she has played a key role in advancing the field nationally. Her early career was supported by NIH National Institute on Aging GEMSSTAR R03 funding, with supplementary support from the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Foundation (SAEMF), which supported her research training plan and enabled her transition into an independent clinical trialist in emergency care. She has since built a robust, federally funded research program, including NIH career development and R01 awards, focused on scalable, system-level interventions to improve the safety and quality of emergency care for aging populations.

“I’m a donor because SAEMF supported me at key inflection points in my career, enhancing my early NIH-funded training and helping me generate preliminary data for my first R01 after transitioning institutions. That support was essential. Without it, emergency clinicians will struggle to compete with more established specialties and to drive the changes our field urgently needs.”

With generous support and smart investments,

the SAEM Foundation has grown its endowment of research funding to over $14 million. These funds are our specialty’s shared foundation for the future of research, and they will generate annual funding in perpetuity to support the most promising researchers and their projects.

The problem we confront today is that our research needs—and promising research ideas—are far greater than we can currently pursue. Inspired by the success of previous grantees, the number and quality of Foundation grant applications has grown considerably. Every year, the SAEM Foundation now receives more high-quality applications than it can fund and has to say no to projects that deserve a yes. We also see that the size of our grants often falls short of the full support that projects need to move forward at full speed and scope.

This means we are falling short of the pace at which we could be advancing research with the power to save lives, improve outcomes, and support emergency physicians. It’s time to invest on a far greater scale to build the research future our specialty needs.

That’s why the SAEM Foundation needs your support now more than ever.

In particular, it will empower the SAEM Foundation to support:

More Research Grants To Launch More Careers

Today, the SAEM Foundation is able to fund roughly more than 30 grantees per year, supporting rising researchers at nearly that many institutions. Every year, SAEM Foundation has to turn down additional high-quality applicants. A greater research fund will, first and foremost, allow the Foundation to say yes to more qualified applicants, supporting more talented physicians as they work to build research careers in support of our field, and launching more research projects with the power to change lives.

Awarding Over $1,000,000 each year!

Larger Grants to Support the Full Demands Of Research

SAEM Foundation grants range in size from $500 to $300,000, the largest being Research Training Grants that provide two years of support for an aspiring researcher to intensively develop their research abilities and project plans. With greater funding, the Foundation will be able to increase the sizes of awards and fund more large grants to accelerate the development of talented researchers and support their work on a larger scale. This might include supporting more established researchers advancing more ambitious research designs to answer larger questions.

New Programs And Partnerships In Our Areas Of Greatest Need

Beyond increasing the scope and scale of existing grants, the SAEM Foundation has regular opportunities to launch new programs and partnerships around some of the most pressing issues in our specialty today—from geriatrics and gun violence to toxicology and domestic abuse and far beyond. With stronger funding, the SAEM Foundation would be able to step forward as an expert partner in coalitions tackling important issues that transcend emergency medicine, amplifying our expert voice to far greater impact beyond our membership.

Conclusion

At a time when our specialty is in the spotlight, we see the extraordinary progress we have made over the past three decades—building a robust and ever-growing base of clinical and translational research, a vibrant academic community, and a position of leadership and influence within the house of medicine.

Yet our commitment to our patients and communities calls us to reach far higher: to respond to new challenges, bring new expertise and knowledge to pressing questions that span the breadth of emergency medicine, and to save lives and improve outcomes for everyone who comes through our doors. Our best investment is our foundation of research and the talented physicians who commit their careers to building it.

Join us today to build the future of emergency medicine.

Meet the Researchers Who Are Transforming

2026 SAEMF Emerging Infectious Disease and Preparedness Grant - $100,000

Mariam O. Fofana, MD, PhD

Emory University School of Medicine

“Spatiotemporal Modeling to Estimate the Risk of Exposure to Emerging Pathogens”

Watch this video to learn about the project.

Meet Mariam

Mariam O. Fofana, MD, PhD, is an emergency physician and epidemiologist whose research focuses on infectious diseases of global health significance. Dr. Fofana’s work emphasizes quantitative epidemiologic methods, including mathematical modeling, to better understand disease dynamics and inform public health responses. Her doctoral research examined the population-level impact of treatment for drug-sensitive and drugresistant tuberculosis. More recently, she has used cohort data to evaluate immune responses to SARS-CoV-2.Her current work focuses on improving preparedness and response to travel-related and emerging pathogens in the emergency department setting across multiple scales.

SAEMF Research Large Project Grant$149,233

Alexander St. John, MD, MS

University of Washington

“Targeting VWF Hyperadhesiveness to Improve Organ Perfusion After Trauma”

Watch this video to learn about the project.

Meet Alexander

Alexander St. John, MD, MS, is a physician-scientist in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. St. John’s research focuses on improving outcomes for trauma patients by advancing understanding of maladaptive processes following severe injury. His work examines trauma-induced coagulopathy and systemic microvascular obstruction as key drivers of organ dysfunction. His research aims to generate foundational insights that inform the development of new therapeutic strategies to expand clinical approaches for treating these conditions.

Transforming Possibilities into Progress

SAEMF/RAMS

Medical Student Research

Grant - $2,500 and the recipient of The Ali and Danielle Raja RAMS Medical Student Research Grant Scholarship

Sophie Boileau Khorasani

Harvard Medical School

“Optimizing Pulmonary Embolism Care Across Resource Settings with Machine Learning”

Watch this video to learn about the project.

Meet Sophie

Sophie Khorasani is a second-year medical student at Harvard Medical School. She earned her bachelor’s degree in statistics from Harvard College, with a secondary field in global health and health policy. Her early research applied statistical and machine learning methods to large-scale Medicare claims data to inform health policy. As a medical student, she conducts research at the Center for Vascular Emergencies at Massachusetts General Hospital under the mentorship of Dr. Christopher Kabrhel and Dr. Drew Birrenkott. Her work focuses on developing machine learning models to optimize treatment strategies for pulmonary embolism. She brings interdisciplinary experience in statistical methods, machine learning, and health care policy and operations, with prior work at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Boston Consulting Group.

Join The Annual Alliance

Join a community of academic emergency medicine leaders who are passionate about improving emergency care. As a member of the Annual Alliance, you will be a part of an esteemed network of leaders in emergency medicine who strive to advance emergency medicine! Donate Now!

Annual Alliance Benefits

Individual Donor

Online Donor Listing

Annual Meeting - VIP Ticket to RAMS Party

Annual Meeting - Name on Digital Donor Display

Annual Meeting - Early Notice of Hotel Registration

Annual Meeting - Early Notice of Course Registration

Annual Donor Pin

Name in SAEM PULSE*

Social Media Recognition

Annual MeetingCoffee and Networking

Annual MeetingVIP Lounge Access

Annual Meeting - Name on Slides at Opening Plenary Session

Annual Meeting - Photo on Slides at Opening Plenary Session

Annual MeetingGuaranteed Room at the Conference Host Hotel

Annual Meeting - Limo Transportation Conference

Named Recognition for Select Grants and Programming

*If donation/pledge is committed by February 1.

100% of donor support goes to research and education programs. 100%

Your gift today is an investment

Annual Alliance donations are the backbone of support for a growing investment in grants and programs that is needed now more than ever. Your donations are put to work immediately through initiatives that are designed to build the pathway for more EM researchers and educators.

“I am incredibly thankful to SAEMF and its donors for awarding me the research training grant. If successful, I believe that this project has the potential to change the way emergency physicians diagnose and risk stratify patients with pulmonary embolism, one of the most challenging diagnoses we face on a daily basis. Further, as a junior researcher, this award is lifechanging and will allow me to build a research career aimed at advancing emergency medicine.”

— Drew Birrenkott, MD, DPhil Mass General Brigham

2026 Research Training Grant Recipient

Meet our researchers, hear more about their work at www.saemfoundation.org

The Transformative Impact of An Annual Alliance Gift

Last year, SAEMF Annual Alliance donors made it possible for SAEMF to:

• Invest over $1 million in research and education grants awarded to SAEM members!

• Encourage more emergency medicine research – SAEMF grant applications continue to surge, year after year.

• Prepare more SAEM members to serve as grant reviewers – over 100 members now participate in the Grants Committee.

• Train future researchers – dozens participate in the Resident Reviewer Program and attend the Grantee Workshop each year.

Unique giving opportunities aligned with your interests

Through a gift to SAEMF, you have the opportunity to invest in EM’s future in unique ways and to align your philanthropy with a cause that is important to you. By establishing a major gift, you not only foster and encourage future research and education leaders like those featured in this Guide — you also help to elevate the awareness about what can be accomplished through a gift to SAEMF.

Why I Give

“I worked with SAEMF to establish a new grant to support geriatric emergency medicine. My goal in starting this grant is two fold. One, I would like to encourage young faculty to continue to improve emergency care and the quality of life for older patients. It is my hope that this grant allows them to continue to pursue a career in research at a junior level. Second, I hope that this important area of geriatric emergency medicine care continues to expand, and that others will follow the lead to support research in this arena. You can also contribute to make the SAEMF Geriatric Emergency Medicine Research Catalyst Grant available in future years. Donate today!”

- Michelle Blanda, MD SAEMF Annual Alliance Enduring Donor

Naming Opportunities

$10,000

/ Partner Grants: Toxicology, ADIEM, AEUS, AWAEM, GEMA, Simulation, CDEM

$10,000

$22,000

$55,000 per year

$82,500 per year

Total commitment is $165,000

$165,000 per year

While unrestricted gifts offer the greatest opportunity to address the areas of need as prioritized by SAEM’s Grants Committee and the SAEMF Board of Trustees (BoT), donors are welcome to propose specific disease states or therapies that align with their intentions for the gift. Donors are also invited to propose new programs for consideration by the BoT. Contact SAEMF to learn about opportunities for longer terms.

Annual Alliance donors who commit a gift or pledge of $10,000 or more per year have the opportunity to be recognized in conjunction with a named grant or program. Opportunities include:

DESCRIPTION

Thanks to you, these essential grants will receive the funding needed to increase research and education in key areas of the specialty’s focus.

Your gift will foster interest in research among EM trainees. The focus is on self-limited research projects that are impactful in the current or future practice of EM and can be completed in a one-year time frame. This may include educational projects.

Your gift will help to recognize the valuable role of EM medical student interest groups (EMIGs) by funding the awareness of the EMIGs and grants to support these groups’ educational activities.

Your gift will foster innovation in teaching, education, and educational research in EM for faculty-, fellow-, resident- and medical student-level learners. The mission of the grant is to provide support for a medical education research project.

Your gift will support the development of a scientist in EM. This grant’s specific goals are to provide support an EM academician awardee for one year of mentored research experience. The award is intended to support the applicant in obtaining preliminary or pilot data for future grant submissions. It also enhances the likelihood of the selection of an academic and research career by the awardee and encourages academic development and involvement in EM research.

Your gift will help foster innovation in teaching, education, and educational research in EM for faculty-, fellow-, resident- and medical student-level learners. The mission of the grant is to develop the academic potential of the selected fellow by providing support for a dedicated two-year training period, including pursuit and preferably completion of an advanced degree in education.

Your gift will help fund an EM faculty member to conduct a large-scale research project to advance his/ her career and subsequently obtain federal funding by developing pilot data. This grant is expected to answer important scientific questions in EM, and help the recipient become an independently funded scientist in EM.

Your gift will be used to support the development of a scientist in EM. The goals are to:

• Provide support to an EM academician awardee for two years of concentrated training and mentorship with an emphasis on learning research methodology. The award is intended to support the development of sound research skills rather than a specific research project.

• Enhance the likelihood of the selection of an academic and research career by the awardee.

• Facilitate the support of research training in the awardee’s host institution for EM research scientists.

We cannot wait to share your act of generosity with others

In addition to recognizing your act of leadership giving, we look forward to telling others about your generous support. One of the greatest opportunities for a growing organization like ours to elevate its philanthropy is to demonstrate that others have made decisions to invest in its success. Whether it’s shared with industry, foundations, or other SAEM members — your story will help to inspire similar gifts. Most SAEM member donors who support at this level will be recognized as follows:

Recognized through naming of selected grant(s) for one year (or, longer if multiple years are committed)

In grants announcements and RFAs, or in conjunction with select communications about the initiative supported

Highlighted in SAEM/SAEMF communications, social media, and website

Annual Alliance Enduring Donor recognition

Annual meeting recognition when available

All naming will be approved by

Thank you

We are grateful to our new Enduring Donors of the Annual Alliance who are leading the way to a stronger specialty through their generosity.

Visit saemfoundation.org to see all of our Annual Alliance donors, then join them by donating at saem.org/donate

Why I Give

“When I earned my credentials over 40 years ago, emergency medicine was a young specialty, and there were only a couple dozen emergency medicine residencies in the entire country. No one knew what an emergency physician was, as most “ER docs” were residents or interns in academic hospitals, or, rotating staff physicians covering the ER in private hospitals.

It was emergency medicine research that defined our place in the House of Medicine, and it continues to refine our practice today. I started contributing to emergency medicine research in 1982 when I completed my emergency medicine residency and started my first academic faculty position. I gave annually, and I gradually increased my contribution as my income increased.”

- David Wilcox, MD, FACEP SAEMF

Legacy Society Donor; SAEMF Annual Alliance

Enduring Donor

Why I Give

“SAEM has been central to my development as an academic emergency physician, providing structured pathways for residents and medical students to engage in education, research, and national leadership. Through curated education resources, meaningful mentorship networks, and crossorganizational collaborative projects, I have experienced firsthand how SAEM equips trainees with the skills to shape the future of the specialty. I support SAEMF because it sustains these opportunities for the next generation of emergency physicians.”

- Daniel Jose Artiga, MD SAEMF RAMS Challenge Donor

SAEMF Dinner Events and Uncorked for EM Virtual Wine Tastings

Dr. Andy Jagoda hosts fabulous dinners at Michelin star restaurants to support SAEM Foundation. Attend an upcoming dinner to network with colleagues in your area or request a dinner in your city by contacting foundation@saem.org.

SAEMF’s Events Committee offers any group of SAEM members who are interested the opportunity to co-host an Uncorked for EM virtual wine tasting to benefit research and education. SAEMF manages the registration, event logistics, and takes care of the wine — your group just shows up and enjoys their time together, as well as a personal tasting from a renowned winery. Contact foundation@saem.org for more information.

Legacy Society

The SAEM Foundation offers charitable giving opportunities to help you achieve your financial and estate planning goals. Thank you for your interest in including the SAEM Foundation in your estate planning.

The SAEMF Legacy Society Donors

Paul S. Auerbach, MD, MS

Michelle H. Biros, MD, MS

Michelle Blanda, MD

Wendy C. Coates, MD

Cherri D. Hobgood, MD

Robert S. Hockberger, MD

Andy S. Jagoda, MD

Gregory L. Henry, MD and the Henry Family

Ken Kaji, Eugene Kaji, and Jining Wang in memory of

Amy H. Kaji, MD, PhD

Gabor D. Kelen, MD

Edward A. Panacek, MD

Ali S. Raja, MD, DBA, MPH

Manish N. Shah, MD, MPH

David P. Sklar, MD

Peter Sokolove, MD

David E. Wilcox, MD

Richard E. Wolfe, MD

Brian J. Zink, MD

If you have also included the SAEM Foundation in your estate planning, please let us know. Contact foundation@saem.org.

Why I Give

During the 25 years I served as department chair at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center I had numerous faculty (including Jim Niemann, Roger Lewis, Wendy Coates, Marianne GauscheHill, Diane Birnbaumer and Amy Kaji) whose careers benefited greatly from their involvement in SAEM. My annual donations to the SAEM Foundation are my thank you to the organization and my contribution to its future success.

- Robert S. Hockberger, MD, Annual Alliance and Legacy Society Donor

A gift by will or revocable trust can be simple to make and provides tax benefits for your estate.

Bequest And/Or Trust Language

I give, devise, and bequeath to The SAEM Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization having its principal offices in Des Plaines, Illinois: the sum of $_____ or _____ percent of my estate. [or all (or _____ percentage of) the rest, residue and remainder of my estate.]

This gift is to be used to further the charitable purposes of The SAEM Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, at the discretion of the foundation’s board of trustees. The SAEM Foundation Taxpayer Identification Number is 26-2371803.

IRA Designations

By designating the SAEM Foundation as a charitable beneficiary of your individual retirement account, you can make a valuable charitable gift, transfer a highly taxable asset to charity tax-free, and reduce your taxable estate. Then other assets, such as real property and appreciated securities, can more readily be transferred with tax advantages to your individual beneficiaries.

Charitable Remainder Trusts

With a charitable remainder trust, you or other named individuals, can receive income for life or a period not exceeding 20 years from assets you give to the trust you create. By designating the SAEM Foundation as a beneficiary, you are helping to secure the future of SAEM Foundation.

Already Made a Commitment?

Several longtime SAEM members have already included the SAEMF in their estate plans. If you are one of these thoughtful donors, please let us know by completing the SAEMF Legacy Society Declaration of Intent and returning it to foundation@saem.org so that we can recognize your generosity.

Honoring a Legacy. Opening Doors for the Next Generation.

Through the generosity of the Henry Family, the SAEM Foundation recently announced a new opportunity for emergency medicine Residents — the Dr. Gregory L. Henry / RAMS Resident Research Grant. This grant that reflects how donors can help launch careers in academic emergency medicine research and education.

Dr. Gregory L. Henry was deeply committed to education and mentorship, always encouraging young emergency medicine doctors to grow, explore, and expand their capabilities. This grant carries that spirit forward by giving Residents something critical at an early stage: the opportunity to lead a funded research project. For many this grant will represent a first step—an introduction to the research process, the confidence that comes with funding support, and a foundation for future scholarly work.

Legacy gifts like this don’t just honor the past—they create meaningful starting points for what comes next. Let us know if you’d like to explore an opportunity. Email foundation@saem.org. You can learn more about this grant, or, apply, at saem.org/grants.

“Over the course of his career, Greg always strived to advance the field of emergency medicine. Above all, he believed in championing the education of young clinicians… We hope that this grant will honor his life’s work by supporting the next generation of emergency medicine doctors.” — The Henry Family

Building Career Investigators

Through SAEMF’s Grants and Initiatives

Success Stories

Paul I. Musey, Jr., MD, MS

Interim Chair, Emergency Medicine

Eskenazi Health Foundation Chair and Scholar of Emergency Medicine

Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine

Indiana University School of Medicine

• SAEMF Grant: SAEMF Large Project Grant 2020

• Subsequent funding: Over $4.5 million as PI, CO-I, or site PI on grant funding from PCORI, NIH, DOD, CDC, AHRQ and other charitable foundations

• Publications since SAEMF award: 80

Paul I. Musey, Jr., MD, MS’ academic work focuses on evaluating and managing psychological contributors to emergency department presentations. He has developed a research program that examines how mental health conditions— including anxiety, depression, and post traumatic stress disorder influence the course of emergency care, patient-centered outcomes, and healthcare resource use. He has served on the SAEMF Board of Trustees since 2023 and currently serves as President-Elect for 2026-27. From 2023–2026, he served as Medical Director for IU Health’s Enterprise Clinical Research Organization (ECRO) before stepping into his current role as Interim Chair of Emergency Medicine at Indiana University.

“Some of my very first research funding came from the SAEM Foundation, and it significantly shaped the direction and trajectory of my career. That early support made it possible to grow as an investigator and leader in emergency medicine, and I am so grateful to all those who have donated to SAEMF and that investment in me.”

Meet SAEMF’s 2026 Research &

Education Grantees

The Power of Possibility in Action: SAEMF Awards $1M+ to Advance Emergency Care

The SAEM Foundation (SAEMF), the philanthropic arm of SAEM, exists to power what’s possible— bridging critical research funding gaps in emergency medicine, advancing the science and innovation at the heart of the specialty, and cultivating the next generation of research and education leaders.

We invite you to join the SAEMF Board of Trustees and our generous community of donors in celebrating our newest cohort of grantees—awarded more than $1 million in research and education funding. These investigators embody the true Power of Possibility: transforming bold questions into discoveries that will shape the future of emergency care.

Their work spans the breadth and urgency of our field:

• Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics: Improving pulmonary embolism diagnosis, optimizing care delivery across settings, and modeling emerging pathogen exposure

• Trauma and Critical Care: Targeting biologic pathways to improve perfusion and advancing real-time resuscitation strategies

• Simulation, Education, and Training: Advancing simulation-based mastery, ultrasound curriculum design, and resident learning optimization

• Public Health and Systems Science: Innovating in wastewater surveillance, ED workload saturation modeling, and patient throughput

• Vulnerable Populations: Addressing geriatric falls, pediatric CNS infections, behavioral health, elder abuse, and inclusive research participation

• Global and Emergency Preparedness: Strengthening disaster recovery, humanitarian response, and community-based participatory research

Beyond discovery, these grants are catalysts. They provide protected research time, foster mentorship and collaboration, and connect emerging investigators with established leaders— accelerating careers while advancing the field. For many recipients, this support represents a pivotal step forward, turning potential into progress.

To our donors—thank you for bringing the Power of Possibility to life. To our grantees—congratulations. We look forward to the impact ahead.

Success Stories

Rebecca Cash, PhD

Investigator, Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital

Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School

• SAEMF Grant: SAEMF Research Large Project Grant, 2023

• Subsequent funding: Nearly $1.5 million as PI, Co-I, or Mentor

• Publications since SAEMF award: 70

Rebecca E. Cash, PhD, MPH, NRP is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Harvard Medical School. She received her undergraduate degree from Boston University; her Master of Public Health from the University of Louisville; and her PhD in epidemiology from the Ohio State University. Dr. Cash completed an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Research Fellowship at the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians during her doctoral training.

Dr. Cash has over a decade of experience working in EMS, first working on an ambulance as an emergency medical technician and paramedic and now as an EMS researcher. Dr. Cash’s research focus is on describing and understanding the EMS workforce, occupational health and safety of EMS professionals, and prehospital care. She is particularly interested in the sleep health and cardiovascular disease risks of EMS professionals. Dr. Cash is currently a faculty member of the Emergency Medicine Network (EMNet), a multi-center collaboration that aims to improve public health through projects in emergency care.

Dr. Cash’s research focuses on prehospital care and EMS systems of care. Based on the funded research, she led the development of the first national dataset linking EMS patient records with verified emergency department capabilities. This work has provided a foundation for examining variation in EMS patient routing and will enable data-informed approaches to real-time prehospital decision-making.

“SAEMF support was instrumental in supporting my growth as an early career investigator and in transforming an initial idea into actionable evidence to improve prehospital stroke routing. Especially right now, when sustained investment in emergency medicine research is critically needed, the funding and career development provided by SAEMF play an essential role in supporting investigators and maintaining impactful research programs.”

Grant Programs

Research Training Grant (RTG) - $300,000 ($150K/year over two years)

The Research Training Grant is intended to provide funding to support the development of a scientist in emergency medicine.

Research Large Project Grant (LPG) - $150,000 ($75K/year over two years)

Supports an emergency medicine faculty member to conduct a large-scale research project to advance his/her career and subsequently obtain federal funding by developing pilot data.

Emerging Infectious Disease and Preparedness Grantup to $100,000

Seeks to support an ambitious program of acute care science in emerging infectious disease that may include diagnostics, patient and provider safety, intervention/ therapeutics, disaster preparedness, or other relevant topic areas.

New eligibility criteria! Education Research Training Grant (ERG) - $100,000 ($50K/year over two years)

The mission of the grant is to develop the academic potential of the selected fellow by providing support for a dedicated two-year training period, including pursuit and preferably completion of an advanced degree in education.

SAEMF/ED Benchmarking Alliance Clinical Operations Research Grant- $50,000

Supports an emergency medicine faculty member or trainee to conduct a research project to promote research on ED clinical operations.

New! The NAEMSP / SAEMF Innovations in Prehospital Care Pilot Grant, In Memory of E. Brooke Lerner, PhD - $50,000

Supports a team of early-career investigators, consisting of one physician/researcher and one EMS professional, in innovating prehospital emergency care.

SAEMF / ARMED Pilot Training Grant - $25,000 (Institution match of $25,000 required)

Supports the development of a scientist in emergency medicine and is intended to support the grantee in obtaining preliminary or pilot data for future grant submissions.

ARMED MedEd Pilot Training Grant - $25,000

Supports the development of an education scientist in emergency medicine and positions grantee to obtain additional extramural funding (either through the development of advanced skills and/or creation of pilot data).

Education Project Grant (EPG) - $20,000

The mission of the grant is to provide support for a medical education research project.

GEMSSTAR for Emergency Medicine Supplemental Funding Program - $25,000 — Check the website this Summer for updates. A matching grant program for recipients of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) R03 award: Grants for Early Medical/Surgical Subspecialists’ Transition to Aging Research (GEMSSTAR) Program. Funding provided by SAEM Foundation (SAEMF) and the Emergency Medicine Foundation (EMF).

Medical Toxicology Foundation / SAEMF Toxicology Research Grant - $20,000

Supports research that advances the science of medical toxicology in emergency medicine. The goals are to foster collaboration between members of the American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) and SAEM and to advance the science of medical toxicology as it relates to all aspects of emergency medicine.

Geriatric Emergency Medicine Research Catalyst Grant, Supported by Michelle Blanda, MD and SAEMF Donors - $10,000

Provides support to address research questions leading to improved emergency care and quality of life of older patients, as well as provide catalyst funding for pursuit of federal or other funding that leads to improving the quality of emergency care received by older patients. Can also be used for preliminary data collection, analysis, or collection of pilot data that will further support greater research endeavors.

SAEMF/Academy of Emergency Ultrasound (AEUS) Research Grant - $10,000

Provides support for research proposals that evaluate the impact of point-of-care ultrasound on clinical practice or characterize point-of-care ultrasound learning curves.

SAEMF/Global Emergency Medicine Academy (GEMA) Research Pilot Grant - $10,000

Provides financial support for a junior researcher in the field of international emergency medicine to enter a mentored project.

Michelle Blanda, MD

SAEMF/Academy for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Medicine (ADIEM) Research Grant - $6,000

Provides support for research that evaluates the state of diversity and inclusion in the field of Emergency Medicine, evaluates interventions to improve diversity and inclusion in Emergency Medicine, or addresses disparities in healthcare outcomes in the practice of Emergency Medicine among underrepresented or marginalized groups.

SAEMF/Clerkship Directors in EM Innovation in Undergraduate EM Education Grant - $8,000

Supports an innovative project that addresses one of the six areas of the CDEM mission and creates knowledge that can be shared across those teaching undergraduate Emergency Medicine. Areas of innovation can include teaching, assessment or faculty development, and should advance understanding or best practices of these or other areas. The grant recipient should study this innovation in some way (ex. validity, effectiveness, etc).

SAEMF/Simulation Academy Novice Research Grant - $5,000

Provides seed funding to support novice investigators in emergency medicine with fewer than 5 years of simulation-based research experience who have shown promise in pushing the research boundaries of simulation-based endeavors in emergency medicine through feasible pilot studies.

SAEMF/Academy

for

Women in Academic Emergency Medicine (AWAEM) Research Grant - $10,000

Supports one early career investigator (fellow, instructor, or assistant professor during the award period) who wishes to address a research question in line with the core ideology of the Academy of Women in Academic Emergency Medicine. This award is intended to allow for preliminary data collection, analysis or collection of pilot data that will further support greater research endeavors.

SAEMF-Residents & Medical Students (RAMS) Research Grant -

$2,500-$5,000

Fosters interest in research among emergency medicine trainees (medical students and residents). The focus is on self-limited research projects that are impactful in the current or future practice of emergency medicine and can be completed in a one-year time frame.

Emergency Medicine Interest Group Grant (EMIG) - $1,000

Promotes the growth of emergency medicine education at the medical student level, identifies new educational methodologies advancing undergraduate education in emergency medicine, and supports educational endeavors of an EMIG.

The highest scoring application for the EMIG grants, as identified by SAEMF and the reviewers, will be honored as The David E. Wilcox, MD, FACEP EMIG Grant Recipient.

Special Funding Opportunities for RAMS

New! Dr. Gregory L. Henry, MD / RAMS Resident Research Grant - $5,000

Encourages more residents to pursue a career in academic emergency medicine research by increasing the funds available for RAMS grants.

The Ali and Danielle Raja RAMS Medical Student Research Grant and Scholarship - $2,500 plus scholarship

National

Encourages more medical students from all backgrounds to pursue careers in academic emergency medicine research.

EMF-SAEMF Medical Student Research Grants in Memory of Dr. Amy H. Kaji - Up to $5,000

The Emergency Medicine Foundation (EMF) and SAEMF jointly award stipends to encourage medical students to engage in and to be exposed to emergency medicine research.

The David E. Wilcox, MD, FACEP Endowed Scholarships - $1,250 per scholarship

David E. Wilcox, MD, FACEP

Elevates funding for RAMS Resident and RAMS Medical Student Research Grants and recognizes excellence. Scholarships will be awarded to the highest scoring RAMS Resident Research Grant and RAMS Medical Student Research Grant recipients.

Dr. Wilcox also makes it possible to offer an annual EMIG Grant of $1,000 through his endowment.

Amy H. Kaji, MD, PhD

Gregory L. Henry, MD

Ali S. Raja, MD, DBA, MPH

Success Stories

Masashi Okubo, MD, MS

Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

• SAEMF Grant: SAEMF Grant: Large Project Grant 2021

• Subsequent funding: Over $1.1 million as Principal Investigator from NHLBI, NIMHD, and AHA

• Publications since SAEMF award: 35

Masashi Okubo, MD, MS, is an associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. He is an emergency physician at UPMC and attends on the University of Pittsburgh PostCardiac Arrest Service.

Dr. Okubo’s primary research domain encompasses the study of cardiac arrest. His research has contributed to national and international resuscitation guidelines (ILCOR, ERC, and AHA) for adults and children.Employing an epidemiologic approach, he utilizes large datasets to discern patterns and outcomes of cardiac arrest. His research sphere includes the examination of prehospital resuscitative interventions, performed by emergency medical services personnel. His research endeavors to determine the impact of these prehospital interventions on the patient’s ultimate health outcomes. Moreover, Dr. Okubo is intrigued by the variations in cardiac arrest outcomes. These variations provide insights into why different patients experience divergent recovery trajectories post cardiac arrest.

“SAEMF allowed me to develop my expertise in resuscitation science, using an epidemiologic approach with large datasets. I greatly appreciate their support.”