Navigating CAEP: A medical student’s guide to success

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Every year, thousands of emergency medicine enthusiasts from across the
country gather for the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP) annual
conference. This five day event is a hub for medical students, residents and physicians
to connect, collaborate and share cutting-edge practices and research. For first-time
attendees or junior learners, the bustling atmosphere and packed agenda might seem
overwhelming. To help you make the most of this incredible experience, CanadiEM has
curated a recap of the highlights, tips, and can’t-miss activities to inspire your future
conference adventures.

The CAEP conference has several unique activities that I highly encourage any
medical student to be a part of. The Pre-Conference Student Day is focused entirely
on junior learners with hands on skills sessions, a learner’s lunch and a program
director Q&A panel. This day also includes the qualifying rounds for the Great
Canadian POCUS Championship where teams of medical students, residents, RNs
and paramedics compete against each other in a series of simulations and clinical
cases. Another crowd pleaser and must attend in my books is the Learning Expo
where you can jump into a fun, yet surprisingly intense game of trivia. This past year I
was educated on everything from functional neurologic disorders to responding to an
inflight medical emergency.

Each day of the conference begins with a captivating (and delicious) breakfast
symposium where past topics have included invasive Group A Strep and COPD care.
With such a variety of topics being presented you are guaranteed to find something that
peeks your interest. Check the CAEP website early for the Conference Tracks. Each
Track will host talks, panels and workshops related to their learning objectives. By
downloading the conference app you can easily find the day’s schedule and favourite
the talks you want to catch! My best advice as a student is to not get lost in the weeds
and simply enjoy yourself!

One of the standout features of CAEP is the focus on community building
through thoughtfully planned social events. Whether a wellness afternoon or an evening
of dinner and drinks, attendees are encouraged to explore the host city while meeting
new friends. Perhaps the most iconic example of this is the legendary Docs that Rock
Concert. The Docs have been performing since 2008 and every year people look
forward to screaming along with their favourite rockstars. Secure your ticket when you
register for the conference as this event is sure to sell out!

Now that you’ve been given a peak into the CAEP conference we hope you join
us for this year’s event. This spring, CAEP has the unique opportunity to partner with
the International Federation for Emergency Medicine (IFEM) and play host to the 24th
International Conference on Emergency Medicine! This exciting event will take place
from May 24th to 28th, 2025 in beautiful Montreal, Quebec. We hope to see you all there!

Mackenzie MacAuley

Mackenzie MacAuley

Mack is a 4th year medical student at the University of Saskatchewan and currently serves as a junior editor/infographic designer for CanadiEM. Her areas of interest include emergency medicine, website design and FOAMed. On weekends she can be found playing golf, cooking, or exploring the city with her dog, Walter.