It is a profound honor and privilege to serve as 
the 53rd President of PACEP.  I do so with a deep 
sense of gratitude and with a clear understanding 
of the responsibility this role carries. In accepting 
this role, I am mindful that no leader stands alone. 
Each of us who has the honor to serve in this 
capacity does so supported by the vision, courage, 
and determination of those who came before. We 
all stand on the shoulders of giants.
That phrase is often repeated, but here, rings 
especially true. The leaders who preceded us did 
not inherit a fully formed specialty or a settled 
identity. They built Emergency Medicine into 
what it is today, often in the face of skepticism, 
limited resources, and evolving expectations. 
They advocated for recognition, for standards, for 
training, and for the fundamental idea that every 
patient, at any hour, deserves expert, immediate 
care. They did not wait for permission to lead, 
they defined what leadership would look like in 
our field.
Because of those who have come before, we 
inherit a College that is respected, resilient, and 
relevant. But we also inherit the responsibility to 
carry that work forward with intention. For a brief 
period, the leadership is entrusted with guiding an 
organization that must continue to grow, adapt, 
and advocate long after our term has ended.
That perspective shapes how I approach this 
year. It demands humility, because we are part 
of something larger than ourselves. But it also 
demands urgency, because the challenges we face 
today are complex, consequential, and will shape 
the future of Emergency Medicine for the state for 
the future.
Among the most important issues before us is 
the effort to advance legislation in House Bill 
2265, supporting physician led care in Emergency 
Departments across Pennsylvania, ensuring the 
appropriate care and expertise patients deserve. 
Communities across our state, whether urban or 
rural, deserve access to the highest standard of 
emergency care. We know that outcomes improve 
when patients are evaluated and treated by 
physicians specifically trained in the breadth and 
unpredictability of emergency medicine.
This initiative is not about exclusion; it is about 
patient care. It is about ensuring that the standard 
continue reading on page 6
EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE 
On the Shoulders of Giants
Blake Bailey, DO, MBA, FACEP
PACEP President 2026-2027
NEWS
PACEP
SPRING 2026
QUARTERLY 
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
CPC 
HIGHLIGHT
PACEP26  
RECAP

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