President's Message

School's out and Summer is in full swing. I hope you're each able to make some time to get away and decompress! While we have all been hard at work, TCEP has been active on your behalf the past couple of months. In April, ACEP held its annual Leadership and Advocacy Conference in Washington, DC. Texas was well-represented with 27 TCEP members in attendance, including 6 first-time attendees. It's a great opportunity to walk the halls of Congress and interact with our legislators and their staff. Mark your calendar for next year, May 10-12, 2027.

We were relieved when Dr. Rubilez "Bibi" Bolivar Barrios was released from ICE detention on May 13, after being detained for 32 days. ACEP, TCEP, and EMRA remained in close contact with her family and legal team throughout the process. We had the privilege of sharing her story with the other state ACEP chapters the following week. She has resumed work and conducted a medical resuscitation on her first day back.
Finally, it's that time of year again. A significant portion of our membership will have the opportunity to renew in the coming weeks, and I want to take a moment to talk about why that decision matters.

TCEP membership is more than a line item. It connects you to a community of physicians who understand exactly what you're facing in the emergency department, whether that's staffing pressures, regulatory changes, or the daily grind of practicing emergency medicine in Texas. Through TCEP, you get access to education, networking, and a unified voice when it comes to the issues that affect our specialty and our patients.

That voice depends on advocacy, and advocacy depends on resources. This is where EMPACT comes in. Our political action committee gives emergency physicians a seat at the table in Austin. Legislators listen to PACs because PACs represent organized, engaged constituencies. Every dollar contributed to EMPACT strengthens our ability to protect scope of practice, fight harmful legislation, and advance policies that support both our patients and our profession.

As you consider renewing your membership in the coming months, I'd ask you to also consider a contribution to EMPACT. Both investments protect the future of emergency medicine in Texas. Both depend on members stepping up.

Thank you for everything you do for our patients and our specialty.

Warm regards,

Bryan Dunn, MD, FACEP
TCEP President