Are Your Hospital’s Emergency Physicians Board Certified in Emergency Medicine?

Emergency Physicians BCEMAt the Board of Certification in Emergency Medicine – a Member Board of the American Board of Physician Specialties® – we strongly encourage physicians who have made their careers working in the emergency room to consider pursuing board certification. Increasingly, employers, insurers, and other decision makers are prioritizing – if not outright mandating – the hiring of board certified physicians, which is why it’s so important to make the commitment to earning this distinction. Additionally, prospective patients know that board certification is a trusted indicator that a physician is a recognized expert in the field of emergency medicine. If a competing hospital is staffed by board certified physicians and yours is not, patients will take notice.

Yet, one of the problems that many hospitals – particularly rural hospitals – run into is that their emergency rooms are staffed by the available physicians, not necessarily those who have formal residency training in Emergency Medicine. Often, family physicians and other primary care providers step up to fill the need of the community and work in the ER, even though that wasn’t originally their intended career plan. The issue that these highly experienced physicians can run into, though, is that they aren’t technically eligible to pursue board certification in Emergency Medicine because they didn’t complete residency training in the field.

At the BCEM, we want to offer these highly qualified individuals the chance to become board certified. That’s why we allow our physician candidates to qualify two different ways. To be considered, candidates are required to have either completed a residency in Emergency Medicine or to have practiced Emergency Medicine for a minimum of five years on a fulltime basis while accumulating a minimum of 7,000 hours of ER time in that same period, and also have completed a residency in one of the following disciplines:

  • Family Practice
  • Internal Medicine
  • Pediatric Medicine
  • General Surgery

So, ask yourself, are the physicians who work in your ER board certified in Emergency Medicine? If not, it’s important to know that they have options through the BCEM. To learn more about our organization the eligibility requirements to apply, and the benefits to board certification, contact us today. The ABPS is the official certifying body of the American Association of Physician Specialists, Inc.®

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

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
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