The Speaker Development Group (SDG) is a mentorship program that prepares you to be a speaker on a national stage. AAEM matches mentees with mentors who are already experienced, nationally recognized speakers.
The goal for the Speaker Development Group is to help mentees become confident, polished, and engaging speakers. Mentees who successfully complete the program will have the opportunity to gain national speaking experience by presenting a Breve Dulce lecture at AAEM’s Annual Scientific Assembly.
AAEM Full Voting members, Associate members, and Fellow-in-Training members are eligible to participate as mentees. Join AAEM or renew your membership today!
Mentee application submissions for 2025-2026 will open on June 5, 2025.
- Applications Open: June 5, 2025
- Applications Close: July 10, 2025 at 10:59pm CT
- Notification of Acceptance: October 31, 2025
- Guidance and direction from a highly respected, AAEM nationally recognized speaker to enhance speaking skills and content
- Quarterly check-ins with your mentor:
- Quarter One – Set goals and get initial guidance for speaking engagements and confirm topic; read assigned reading material, Presentation Zen
- Quarter Two – Develop slides and content
- Quarter Three – Delivery and review of presentation
- Quarter Four – Give newly improved presentation and discuss next steps
- Mentees are responsible for keeping in contact with their mentors throughout the year-long process. The process is mentee led.
- To complete the program and present at Scientific Assembly, mentees must actively submit materials on time and engage with their mentor for each activity noted. Failure to do so will result in removal from the Scientific Assembly program.
To be eligible as a mentee, the individual should have:
- Demonstrated initiative – The ideal candidate would lead and value the mentor relationship and take responsibility for at least four communication touch-points within the year and follow-up with mentor using available resources (Zoom, phone calls, email.)
- Current AAEM membership – Participation in the AAEM Speaker Development Group is a member benefit. AAEM Full Voting members, Associate members, and Fellow-in-Training members are eligible to participate as mentees. Join AAEM or renew your membership today!
- No formal speaking experience or training required.
The application is a two-step process. You must submit a video with your application, and a Breve Dulce speaking proposal for AAEM26 in the speaking proposal submission portal.
Application questions include:
- Contact information
- Institution and position
- Residency graduation date
- Upcoming scheduled talks
- Upload introduction video (no more than four minutes in length). Your video should include the following information:
- Your name and institution and a brief summary of your training and passion in emergency medicine
- Previous speaking experience
- Mentoring experience or summary of what you have done to improve your public speaking skills
- Expectations/what you hope to gain from the Speaker Development Group
Application Deadline: July 10, 2025 at 10:59pm CT
If selected for the program, you will be invited to give a Breve Dulce lecture (seven minutes speaking time / up to 20 slides) at Scientific Assembly. Please submit a proposal for your lecture via the official speaking proposal submission site. You can browse recent Breve Dulce presentations on the AAEM25 Program Schedule.
Speaking Proposal Submission Deadline: July 10, 2025 at 10:59pm CT
- Maureen Aiad, DO FAAEM
- Jordan Becker, MD FAAEM
- Elisabeth Calhoun, MD FAAEM
- Casey T. Carr, MD FAAEM
- Juliana Jaramillo, MD FAAEM
- Lauren E. Lamparter, MD
- Sarah Lee, MD
- Masood Mohammed, DO MS FAAEM
- Monika Pitzele, MD PhD FAAEM
- Dillon J. Warr, MD
- Amil Badoolah, DO FAAEM
- Brian Cameron, MD FAAEM
- Yash Chavda, DO FAAEM
- Annette Grajny, MD FAAEM
- Brian T. Hawkins, MD FAAEM
- Venkateswara Kotamraju, MBBS MRCS PGDipMedTox MAcadMed CMQ CPPS RCPathME FEBEM FRCEM
- Katherine Darr, MD
- Robert Needleman, MD FAAEM
- Valerie Pierre, MD
- Amy Prescott, MD
- Mark Ramzy, DO
- Angela Regina, DO
- Alan Sazama, MD FAAEM
- Matthew Stampfl, MD
- Molly Boyd, MD
- Neil Dasgupta, MD FAAEM
- Jim Gill, MD MBA FAAEM
- Mercy Hylton, MD FAAEM
- Scott Leuchten, DO FAAEM
- Neeraja Murali, DO MPH FAAEM
- Lauren Murphy, MD FAAEM
- Afrah Abdul Wahid Ali, MBBS
- Andrew M. Bazakis, MD FAAEM
- Jessica Fleisher-Black, MD FAAEM
- Mohamed Hagahmed, MD
- Roberta Enes, MD
- Marco Propersi, DO
- Stephanie (Goike) Schley, MD FAAEM
- Gregory Wu, MD FAAEM
- Vonzella Bryant, MD FAAEM
- Jason Hine, MD FAAEM
- Demis Lipe, MD FAAEM
- Daphne Morrison Ponce, MD FAAEM
- Patricia De Melo Panakos, MD FAAEM
- Alexis Salerno, MD FAAEM
- Randy Sorge, MD
- Celine Thum, MD FAAEM
- Jeffrey A. Baker, MD FAAEM
- Maite A. Huis in ‘t Veld, MD FAAEM
- Robert P. Lam, MD FAAEM
- Samreen Vora, MD MHAM
- Matthew D. Zuckerman, MD FAAEM
- Matthew P. Borloz, MD FAAEM
- Mike Gottlieb, MD RDMS FAAEM
- Danya Khoujah, MBBS FAAEM
- Andrew Phillips, MD MEd FAAEM
- Kraftin Schreyer, MD CMQ FAAEM
- Erica Simon, DO MHA MPH
2024-2025 Speaker Development Group Mentors
Laura J. Bontempo,
MD MEd FAAEM
Ilene Claudius,
MD FAAEM
Peter M.C. DeBlieux,
MD FAAEM
Amal Mattu,
MD FAAEM
Kevin C. Reed,
MD FAAEM
Zachary Repanshek,
MD
Corey M. Slovis,
MD FAAEM FACP FACEP
Michael E. Winters,
MD MBA FAAEM
Julie T. Vieth,
MD FAAEM FACEP
George Willis,
MD FAAEM FACEP
Testimonials from Past Participants
“My experience as a Speaker Development Group mentee was simply perfect. Dr. Winters is calm, efficient, seasoned, and offered the perfect amount of support, advice and direction. I received detailed advice on how to re-word the talk, what steps to take to improve. Probably the one thing I learned most was how to organize and focus the subject matter. I would unequivocally recommend the Speaker Development Group. I’d like others to know there is a unique experience to guide members to be their best presenting self. My advice for future mentee candidates is to listen, learn, absorb and join.”
“My mentor provided excellent feedback and advice for a recent lecture at an outside institution.”
“Dr. Mattu is a world-class speaker, and his willingness to help develop future speakers is awesome.”
“Connecting with and working with rising speakers. Great fun.” (Mentor quote)
“The direct access to experienced speaking experts is a definite highlight of the program. Mike Winters was very approachable and gave excellent advice.”
Questions?
Email Rebecca Sommer, AAEM Senior Education Manager or call 800-884-2236.