The Role of Board Certification in Establishing Competency in Emergency Medicine
When physician board certification first rose to prominence in the mid-20th century, the designation quickly became synonymous with expertise. While the average American citizen may not know what, exactly, goes into the board certification process, they generally do know that physicians who go the extra mile to become board certified are motivated and highly qualified. Indeed, physicians who become board certified in their area of expertise have impeccable credentials and represent some of the most distinguished physicians in their specialty area.
Indeed, board certification has also taken on a whole new level of importance in today’s healthcare environment. Traditionally, the process has been entirely voluntary for physicians – an extra step that the motivated physicians could pursue to set themselves apart from their peers. Today, however, many healthcare organizations are increasingly viewing board certification as a prerequisite for employment or career advancement particularly in Emergency Medicine. This makes sense as healthcare providers naturally want to employ only the very best physicians, and physicians want to work alongside highly competent colleagues.
At the Board of Certification in Emergency Medicine® (BCEM), a Member Board of the American Board of Physician Specialties®, we offer a unique opportunity for physicians who have completed residency training in primary care specialties but who also have experience in Emergency Medicine to pursue Board Certification. As Jerry Allison, MD, a BCEM Diplomate and Emergency Medicine physician leader in Dallas, Texas, explains, the benefits of being able to present yourself as a Board Certified physician are innumerable and can have a profound impact on potential future employment. In his words, “candidates who present the BCEM credential help simplify the hiring and verification process.” “It is an added credential when presented along with other primary care physicians that do not hold this certificate,” he went on to explain.
In other words, primary care physicians who have mastered the core concepts and competencies that define Emergency Medicine owe it to themselves to consider pursuing board certification from the BCEM. As Dr. Allison puts it: “If you practice in the field of Emergency Medicine as your career do you not want to demonstrate your proficiency? If you practice in the field of EM would you not want the colleagues next to you to have demonstrated entry-level competency?”
To learn more about the BCEM, the advantages of Board Certification, and the eligibility requirements to be considered for this distinction, contact us today.
