The week of October 24, 2021 was a very busy one for UKEM PGY2 Jessica Murphy. In addition to rounding out her community emergency medicine rotation month, she attended the 2021 American College of Emergency Medicine (ACEP) Scientific Assembly in Boston, MA. It was at this conference that she learned that months of hard work paid off: a resolution she proposed was passed with flying colors, and she was elected to a national position within the Emergency Medicine Resident Association (EMRA). And if that wasn't enough to celebrate, she returned home just as the wedding bells were ringing. She married UK General Surgery resident Dr. Kyle Murphy that very week. Below, Jessica discusses her role with the EMRA Board of Directors, EM Resident Magazine, and how she is bringing UKEM to the heart of a national organization.
In October 2021, our UK EM program funded me attending ACEP21 where I ran for EMRA’s Secretary/Editor position. Representatives from EM programs across the country elected me to the role and thanks to them I’ll be serving as Editor-in-Chief of EM Resident, the official publication of EMRA, for the next two years. As EIC I read, review, and edit every article that appears in the publication, and make decisions about the editorial and management direction of the publication. It’s been an excellent opportunity to learn from our resident authors and hone my own writing and editing.
In addition to EIC of EM Resident, I am Secretary of the EMRA Board of Directors. As a Board member, I’ve gotten to build relationships with some truly inspiring EM residents. They’ve taught me so much about the economic, social, and legislative issues affecting EM, and helped me define my career goals. And they’re just awesome to hang out with!
Prior to this leadership role, my EMRA membership funded by UK EM allowed me to propose policy supporting healthcare equity for incarcerated patients, specifically supporting their right to addiction treatment. EMRA members voted to adopt this policy as EMRA’s own. The next time this comes up in legislation or current events, EMRA will be prepared to join the conversation, and support justice for some of our most vulnerable patients. I’m now writing policy supporting protected funeral and bereavement leave for residents, to include paid leave after events of reproductive loss such as miscarriages, IVF failure, adoption setbacks, and more.
I participate in EMRA because it allows me to make an impact on our specialty and on our patients that is greater than I could make on my own. Next, I’d like to connect more UK EM residents and students with EMRA, and make the most of the memberships that our program sponsors for us. There really is something in EMRA for everyone.
Dr. Jessica Adkins Murphy is a proud Kentuckian, born and raised. When she isn't hustling hard in our Emergency Department, Jess is a doting dog mom as well as the host of Open Airways Podcast on Spotify, a thoughtful and in-depth look at the intersection of healthcare, public policy, and the fight for a better Kentucky.
For her "Let's Talk About Sex, Kentucky!" episode, you can listen here.