Our Story
The Origins of EM:RAP GO
EM:RAP (Emergency Medicine: Reviews and Perspectives) was founded in 2001 by Mel and Mary Herbert, Emergency Medicine clinicians working in the public health system in Los Angeles. They were troubled by the disparity between the far-reaching needs of their patients and the quality of educational content available. They endeavored to bring updated emergency medical education directly to the individual emergency care provider through a creative audio experience, in a monthly format.
For over 24 years, EM:RAP has provided the emergency medicine (EM) community with the most up-to-date and comprehensive education program available. EM:RAP features a world-class faculty from around the globe, presenting a range of EM topics in a tightly-edited audio format. Known for its creative storytelling, incisive humor and acclaimed faculty, EM:RAP has become the most widely-acclaimed education program in EM, drawing many tens of thousands of listeners from around the world every month.
The EM community has been incredibly supportive of EM:RAP’s efforts, and we have always understood the importance of giving back. Since our inception, we have supported organizations like Doctors without Borders (MSF), Homeboy Industries, School on Wheels, the Red Cross, Partners in Health, Living Room International, Techies without Borders, and many more. This desire to help those in need is intrinsic to the makeup of EM practitioners. It’s part of our identity.
EM:RAP has also partnered with medical residencies in South America, Africa and Central America, where EM is still developing. In fact, our educational content is often used as the fundamental basis of many residencies’ educational programs. We regularly provide free education to those who need it most, in support of residencies and individuals in countries throughout the world. Likewise, EM:RAP has subsidized clinical work in refugee communities.
Still, we wanted to do more. Ultimately we realized that with 65,000 plus subscribers, the EM:RAP network is larger than many medical institutions and has the potential to make a tremendous impact. We surveyed our members and asked them how many would be interested in financially supporting this important work if we were to formally establish a nonprofit.
The response was overwhelming. More than 65% of respondents said they would help!
And so EM:RAP GO (Global Outreach) was born. While access to emergency medicine has grown rapidly across high resource regions, in low resource areas of the world it is still in its infancy. We feel very strongly that emergency medical services should not be a luxury reserved for wealthy populations. And now, with your help, we are positioned to start making meaningful changes.
We have a simple, but profound saying on the EM:RAP program: “What you do matters.” We say this because the work of emergency clinicians really does matter. It matters to the people’s lives they save. It matters to their family and friends. It matters to their communities.
And now we have the pleasure of saying the very same thing to you. What you do matters. When you support EM:RAP GO you have a direct impact on the lives of emergency clinicians and their patients across the world. We are profoundly grateful that you’ve chosen to take this amazing journey with us.
Thank you,
The EM:RAP GO Family