ABPS EM Board Certification for Career Emergency Physicians
The American Board of Physician Specialties (APBS) is committed to providing career emergency medicine practitioners with the opportunity to demonstrate their mastery in their field by earning EM board certification. We believe that the experience and knowledge gained by these dedicated physicians over the years deserves recognition, and that they, too, should have options when it comes to receiving that recognition.
About 45 percent of the current emergency department workforce nationwide has not completed a residency in emergency medicine, but that should not prevent them from achieving EM board certification. The ABPS and the Board of Certification in Emergency Medicine (BCEM) recognize qualified emergency physicians who may have successfully conducted their residencies in primary care specialties. We believe that experience counts.
We also employ rigorous standards for eligibility, which is why our standards are among the most stringent in the nation. This approach places the priority where it should be – on providing the best possible emergency care to patients. Our clinically based EM board certification exams also provide career emergency physicians a meaningful chance to demonstrate the depth of the skill and knowledge they have accumulated over the years.
To be considered eligible to apply for EM board certification through the ABPS, emergency physicians must be willing to comply with with the ABPS code of ethics. They also can achieve eligibility through one of the three following paths:
- Option One
- Satisfactorily complete an ACGME, AOA, or RCPSC-accredited emergency medicine residency
- Option Two
- Satisfactorily complete an ACGME, AOA, or RCPSC-accredited primary care residency in family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, or general surgery
- Practice emergency medicine full-time for at least five years and a minimum of 7,000 hours
- Option Three
- Satisfactorily complete one of the primary care residencies listed above
- Complete a BCEM-approved emergency medicine graduate training program of 24 months; or complete a 12-month graduate training program and practice emergency medicine for 12 months before or after completing the program
For more information about emergency medicine board certification, or for details about eligibility requirements, contact the ABPS today.