Do you not have to go through EM residency to be EP?

[varicella]

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I read this on the SAEM website:

" It is estimated that there are more than 25,000 physicians practicing in ED's today. Half are believed to be board certified in EM. "

http://www.saem.org/saemdnn/Home/Co...enICompleteMyResidency/tabid/262/Default.aspx


Can you actually work in the ER with out going through an EM residency and passing the board exam? How can this be?

 

[southerndoc]

This topic has been discussed before. I would suggest using the forum search function as you will find more answers that what will be posted here.

There is a shortage of emergency physicians, so at this time, rural hospitals will often staff with primary care physicians. I've even heard of a pathologist providing emergency medicine. It's definitely not the safest thing for patients. An internal medicine physician might be great at adult medicine cases, but would not have adequate training for pediatrics or trauma. A med/peds trained person would do well with nearly all medical related stuff, but would not do well with orthopedics, surgery, trauma, etc. cases.

Most of the non-EM trained physicians practicing are the pioneers of the specialty -- before EM residency training existed.

As time progresses, it will become much more difficult to staff an ED without EM residency training. Many hospitals, including rural hospitals, now require EM board certification, which is only open to EM residency trained individuals.

 

[crewmaster1]

Unless you come to crazy Seattle that has a level one trauma center without boarded EM docs! Just a bunch of medicine attendings playing ER. Ocassionally they have a trauma surgeon down there, but only for trauma codes (level 1 patients). Otherwise they squeak by with senior surgery residents.

 

[southerndoc]

Unless you come to crazy Seattle that has a level one trauma center without boarded EM docs! Just a bunch of medicine attendings playing ER. Ocassionally they have a trauma surgeon down there, but only for trauma codes (level 1 patients). Otherwise they squeak by with senior surgery residents.

I'm surprised that still exists. I'm surprised the UW and Seattle communities haven't pushed for a residency there. Madigan's affiliation was in jeopardy because of Harborview's use of non-EM trained physicians. I think they were placed on probation and were threatened to have their accreditation revoked if they continued to send residents there. Not sure what the ultimate outcome was, but regardless, Seattle needs to get with the times. Such a disappointment in what is normally regarded as a pioneer in the healthcare setting.

 

[zinjanthropus]

I'm surprised that still exists. I'm surprised the UW and Seattle communities haven't pushed for a residency there. Madigan's affiliation was in jeopardy because of Harborview's use of non-EM trained physicians. I think they were placed on probation and were threatened to have their accreditation revoked if they continued to send residents there. Not sure what the ultimate outcome was, but regardless, Seattle needs to get with the times. Such a disappointment in what is normally regarded as a pioneer in the healthcare setting.

ACEP should use the upcoming meeting to craft a statement saying exactly this while in Seattle. This could be accompanied with a "we won't ever have our meeting in Seattle again until this is changed" type of statement.

 

[docB]

ACEP should use the upcoming meeting to craft a statement saying exactly this while in Seattle. This could be accompanied with a "we won't ever have our meeting in Seattle again until this is changed" type of statement.

Bad idea for several reasons. #1 ACEP should really avoid singling out and alienating any city. #2 ACEP would in fact be punishing a city for the actions of some hospitals within that city. #3 ACEP would open itself up to accusations of hypocrisy as it was relatively slow to take up the banner of the BC/BE doc compared to AAEM. #4 ACEP as a convention is not such a major draw as to cause any political reform in a city the size of Seattle.

This situation seems like one much better suited to education than belligerence.

 

[NinerNiner999]

To clarify the OP's initial post, no you do not need to be trained or certified to WORK in an ED. If you want to be called an Emergency Physician, you need the specialized training...