The Emergency Medicine Residents Association has selected Wayne State University School of Medicine Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine Anne Messman, M.D., F.A.C.E.P., as its 2018 Associate Residency Director of the Year for her dedication and commitment to the specialty.
Dr. Messman is associate program director for the Sinai-Grace Hospital Emergency Medicine Residency Program in Detroit.
The award, given to one recipient nationally per year, recognizes an assistant or associate residency director who serves as a role model for residents and exemplifies the qualities that residents value in a mentor. The honoree is chosen for going above and beyond to support resident issues, well-being and involvement through emergency training and by fostering active participation in organized medicine, research and community service. The award includes a $1,000 contribution in Dr. Messman's name to the Emergency Medicine Foundation.
She described the EMRA as multi-faceted, dealing with clinical issues in emergency medicine, as well as advocacy, wellness and mentorship.
"I try to remain as well-rounded as EMRA is and not pigeon-hole myself too much into one niche. Of course, medical education is my passion, but I try to focus not just on teaching but on wellness, mentorship and medical education research," she said. "Perhaps this is what attracted them to my application. I also have extremely supportive residents who had to nominate me for this award and write a letter of support, as did one of my colleagues. Having amazing, supportive residents makes the job easy and a pleasure to do."
Additionally, Dr. Messman will receive the Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors' Academy Award for Scholarship in Education, in the teaching and evaluation category.
The CORD Academy Award is presented to attending physicians who are inducted into the CORD Academy of Scholars, which recognizes educators who have an exemplary record of achievement in emergency medicine education and advancing the development of a network of mentors for future growth in emergency medicine education.
She will accept both the EMRA award and CORD award at the CORD Academic Assembly meeting to be held April 22-25 in San Antonio, Texas.
Dr. Messman has been in her current role since February 2016. She previously served as an assistant residency director for one year.
"I think that the residents appreciate me because I try to look at things from their perspective and remember what it was like to be a resident. This helps me to be a better bedside teacher as well as a lecturer. It also reminds me to remain approachable and sensitive to their needs and very supportive," she said. "Being a resident is hard! But I try to remind them that it is temporary and that they worked so hard to get where they are. It's just the last few miles of the marathon."
Dr. Messman received her medical degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and completed her Emergency Medicine residency at St. John Hospital in Detroit.