is emergency medicine considered primary care?

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basha

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Apparently, there is a real shortage of emergency physicians, especially in the ny tri-state area, where I would like to practice. I am not sure whether Emergency Medicine is a primary care specialty though. Primary care usually consists of OBGYN, internal med, pediatrics and family practice, but I have heard that now, EM is also considered primary care. Can you guys give some feedback, thanks.

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I haven't heard yet of EM being classified as a primary care specialty, and I'm not sure it should be.

I think the major difference between it and the other primary care specialties is the issue of continuity of care. While EM docs see a LOT of primary care type problems, they don't follow those patients long term like the other primary care specialties.

Also, these patients come to the ED's as a last resort, because they have nowhere else to go. I think this goes against the notion of "primary" care as being the first doc you go to when you have a problem.
 
That was very helpful, thanks a lot. Also, would you know which primary care specialty there is a shortage of, specifically, in the NY area.
 
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I don't know much about the NY area, seeing as I'm from CA, but I believe that there is a general shortage of FP and IM docs nationwide.

I haven't heard of such nationwide shortages in OB/GYN or Peds.

Perhaps someone from the NY area can help us out with this one?
 
Actually, I think EM is considered primary care, because it's the first doctor you see when you have an acute problem. They then channel the patient to the appropriate specialist, if necessary. Some people don't have a regular primary care doc, and use the ER for that purpose (i.e. homeless people, uninsured people, etc.)
 
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