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Family Physicians are Vital to Emergency Medicine

A young male physicianThere’s no denying that the medical specialties of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine are intrinsically linked. In fact, when Emergency Medicine first became officially recognized as a specialty in the late 1970s, many of the physicians who worked to first develop the then-emerging field were family physicians by training. The relationship is intuitive in many ways when you consider the inherent overlap between the core concepts of the two multi-disciplinary specialties. Both family physicians and emergency department physicians see patients of all ages, and need to have the broad skillset required to deliver optimal healthcare services to their diverse patient base.

For this reason, many emergency departments throughout the country – particularly in rural communities where doctors with residency training in Emergency Medicine are not always available – are staffed by Family Medicine-trained physicians. Yet, the problem that many of these highly qualified physicians face is that healthcare organizations are increasingly requiring board certification as a prerequisite for employment or career advancement – board certification in Emergency Medicine that family physicians have not been traditionally qualified to pursue. This is happening when about 45% of the nation’s emergency department workforce has not completed a residency in emergency medicine.

The original intended relationship between these two specialties was clearly explained in an October 2016 Viewpoint article published in Emergency Medicine News. Early dialogue among leaders “envisioned extensive cooperative efforts in our training programs … post-graduate efforts … legislative efforts, and residency preparation, acceptable to both family practice and to emergency medicine.” This intended relationship would not only benefit physician specialists in both areas of expertise but also help ensure the highest quality of care for patients in community emergency rooms.

A Pathway for Family Medicine Doctors to Earn EM Board Certification

Sadly, family doctors working in emergency rooms are often not granted the same level of professional respect as colleagues with residency training in emergency medicine. But at the Board of Certification in Emergency Medicine® (BCEM), a Member Board of the American Board of Physician Specialties® (ABPS), we recognize that family physicians serve a vital role in emergency medicine. We believe that emergency room experience and proficiency are invaluable in preserving our nation’s emergency care safety net. And, as the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) states, “Specialty certification alone should not prevent family physicians from practicing in any emergency setting or trauma center at any level.”

That’s why the BCEM offers an opportunity for highly qualified, highly experienced primary care-trained EM physicians the chance to demonstrate their mastery of EM at a time when board certification in the specialty that physicians practice has become very important to hospitals and other employers.

Family medicine doctors with a minimum of five years and 7,000 hours of ER casework are eligible to apply with the BCEM, as are family physicians who have completed graduate training in an emergency medicine fellowship approved by the American Academy of Emergency Physicians (AAEP). Fellowships recognized by the AAEP meet the high training standards that allow physicians to demonstrate mastery in emergency medicine through BCEM certification.

The Benefits of BCEM Certification

BCEM certification is highly competitive, but family physicians who satisfy its eligibility requirements and pass the stringent certification testing will come away with a verifiable record that they have the knowledge and expertise to provide exceptional emergency care in virtually any setting, whether urban or rural. What’s more, BCEM certification indicates that they are ethical practitioners, as all Diplomates must show adherence to the ABPS Medical Code of Ethics. Ultimately, BCEM certification recognizes physicians as eminently qualified EM professionals, positions them as leaders in the healthcare community, and broadens their opportunities for career advancement.

To learn about how the BCEM supports family physicians and offers a unique opportunity in Emergency Medicine to those who have spent substantial time working in an emergency department, contact us today.

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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.

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
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