ABPS EM Board Certification for Career Emergency Physicians

EM BoardThe 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.

Nationally Recognized Certification for Experienced Emergency Doctors

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.

Eligibility Requirements for Certification With the BCEM

To be considered eligible to apply for EM board certification through the ABPS, emergency physicians must meet the general requirements set by the ABPS. This includes graduating from a recognized U.S., Canadian, or international allopathic or osteopathic medical school, and holding a valid, unrestricted medical license in the U.S., its territories, or Canada. The BCEM has additional specific requirements for three certification 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
    • Complete an ACGME, AOA, RCPSC, CFPC-accredited primary care residency (Primary care specialties include family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, and general surgery) AND complete a 12- or 24-month Emergency Medicine Fellowship approved by the American Academy of Emergency Physicians (AAEP)

BCEM Board Certification Exam

To earn BCEM certification, candidates in all three pathways must pass both a written and oral exam. Candidates can sit for the written exam at designated testing centers across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. This computer-based exam consists of 325 multiple-choice questions.  Candidates must pass the written exam to take the oral exam, which is offered virtually.

Once obtained, BCEM certification is valid for eight years, expiring on December 31 of the eighth year.

BCEM Invites Physicians to Apply for Emergency Medicine Certification

If you’ve transitioned from primary care to emergency medicine and have substantial, verifiable experience in the emergency department, you are well-deserved of the opportunity to be recognized as an expert in your field. Board certification serves as a respected marker of a physician’s expertise and is often required for career growth and ongoing employment in numerous healthcare settings. Plus, achieving board certification in your specialty brings a sense of personal pride and professional fulfillment.

For more information about emergency medicine board certification, or for details about eligibility requirements, contact the ABPS today.

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House of Delegates & Annual Scientific Meeting
Innovation & Overcoming Challenges
June 10-15, 2022
Patient Care Is Our Priority

Medical organizations throughout North America understand that our rigorous certification standards prove that ABPS Diplomates are capable of delivering the best patient care possible.

Far too often, medicine is led by less than 5% of non-practicing physicians taking away and replacing the voice of the 95% of physicians practicing and placing patient safety and care first on the front lines every day. The American Board of Physician Specialties has raised the standards in physician board certification not only in the quality of their boards of certification, but in hearing and allowing for the voice of those active physicians caring directly for patients. Having been a part of the ABPS over the last 28 years has allowed me to grow as a woman leader in a field often wrought with challenges. It helped me and others raise the bar of the standards of care in my specialty, Emergency Medicine, through their Board Certification in Emergency Medicine (BCEM). ABPS also helped raise the standards of care for 21st century medicine through their certifications in other specialties, particularly in Integrative Medicine & Disaster Medicine. Having physician voices heard matters to medicine and is essential in the betterment of patient safety and care.

Sarah E. Gilbert, MD, FAAEP
Sarah E. Gilbert, MD, FAAEP
Emergency Medicine
On October 18, 2007, President George W. Bush released Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21 (HSPD-21), calling on our nation, among other initiatives, to “collectively support and facilitate the establishment of a discipline of disaster health”. It is a great testament to the wisdom and foresight of the American Board of Physician Specialties that it immediately set to work and created, within the short span of only one year, an educational blueprint and set of certification examinations, both written and oral, for a new subspecialty of disaster medicine—and it is why I chose to be part this vital initiative and this wonderful organization. This is but one of the many innovative programs initiated by the American Board of Physician Specialties over the years, and why I am proud to support its work on behalf of our nation’s public health.

Art Cooper, MD
Disaster Medicine
When the American Board of Physician Specialties offered to host the American Board of Integrative Medicine, ABPS became a landmark organization working to move medicine into the twenty first century. Certifying physicians who have completed rigorous academic training in Integrative Medicine ensures that the field of Integrative Medicine will continue to develop academically, clinically, and professionally. The leadership of ABPS continues to impress me - they are diligent in constantly innovating to provide certifications for physicians who want to advance their careers and their areas of expertise. I am honored to be a part of this organization.

Ann Marie Chiasson, MD
Integrative Medicine
There are many ways board certification advances a physician career. ABPS Board examination verifies your accuracy, precision, and reflects your mastery of your residency training verifying your expertise. ABPS Board certification demonstrates your level of expertise beyond your practice experience, primary education degrees, and training which are necessary for insurance reimbursement and practice privilege requirements. Attaining your ABPS Board Certification will clarify your purpose, secure your practice growth, and expand into leadership positions. Board certification can serve as an indication of a physician’s commitment to medicine, beyond the minimal standards and competency of training, their measurement to quality of care, and attaining an award for excellence.

Chris Kunis MD
Internal Medicine
When I think historically, advancement in medicine and patient safety and care has been driven by the diversity of people and scientific thought. That’s what I found at the ABPS and more. For over 60 years that is just who we are. I found a physician certifying body that provides a choice and voice to all physicians ensuring that patients are always placed first.

Jerry Allison, MD
Emergency Medicine
When I decided to pursue a full time role as a physician executive it was important to me to obtain additional professional training, education and work experience. Board certification through the ABPS in Administrative Medicine is validation of my efforts and a demonstration of dedication to professional development. We need more physicians to become full time health care executives, knowing there is a board certification option in Administrative Medicine encourages physicians to take the leap from full time clinical practice to healthcare organizational leadership.

Richard Paula, MD
Administrative Medicine
The American Board of Physician Specialties has provided me with the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of internal medicine through board certification. As a hospitalist, board certification is an expected credential, and hospitals recognize the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) as one of the three standard credentialling bodies for Internal Medicine. Additionally, the ABPS has helped me develop leadership skills as a Board member and Committee Chairperson. ABPS has also helped me sharpen critical thinking skills as a test question developer and reviewer. The Allopathic (MD) and Osteopathic (DO) physicians in the ABPS are lifelong learners and frequently pursue multiple board certifications. I enjoy the camaraderie of my peers in ABPS.

Loren Jay Chassels, DO
Internal Medicine