Rural Hospitals Should Require Specialty Certification in Emergency Medicine
At the American Board of Physician Specialties®, we believe that rural hospitals should require their emergency department physicians to become board certified in emergency medicine. With that said, we understand that many of our nation’s emergency departments are staffed by physicians who completed their ACGME or AOA residencies in a primary care discipline other than emergency medicine. In fact, as many as one out of every 15 family physicians spends as much as 80 percent of their time in emergency or urgent care. To help these highly experienced physicians, the ABPS is pleased to offer a path toward board certification through the Board of Certification in Emergency Medicine (BCEM).
Board Certification for Career Emergency Medicine Doctors
Rural hospitals, in particular, tend to be staffed by physicians who completed their residency training in a primary care field. Often, these hospitals are understaffed and the shortage of EM-certified physicians in more isolated communities is significant. As a result, the physicians who are available frequently find that they spend more and more time offering their services in high-risk, high-volume emergency departments to meet their communities’ needs, even if they completed their residences in a different field of medicine. To accommodate these physicians who have spent their careers in the emergency department, the ABPS is pleased to offer an avenue toward board certification in emergency medicine.
One of the reasons that the ABPS encourages rural hospitals to have their emergency medicine physicians consider board certification is that hospital groups, insurance companies, and other stakeholders are increasingly prioritizing board certified physicians. As a result, qualified physicians who have extensive training and experience in emergency medicine are simply being sensible by pursuing board certification because it indicates their expertise to potential future employers, patients, and management. What’s more, board certification is a source of tremendous pride among our Diplomates, and we want the physicians who work in the nation’s rural hospitals to be recognized for their essential role.
Why Choose to Certify Through an ABPS Member Board?
As a comprehensive multi-specialty certifying body, ABPS recognizes the critical need for specialized training and certification, especially to serve rural communities effectively. This is why we provide board certification in a broad spectrum of medical specialties, from traditional areas like family medicine to emerging fields like integrative medicine. What’s more, seasoned emergency physicians who have completed a suitable residency or an accredited post-graduate fellowship may be eligible for certification through our specialized Member Board, the Board of Certification in Emergency Medicine® (BCEM). Here are other reasons to strongly consider an ABPS Member Board:
- The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Handbook now lists the ABPS as a recognized option for board certification.
- Many state medical boards recognize ABPS as meeting their rigorous standards through explicit acknowledgment in their regulations.
- Our certification exams, procedures, and protocols are clinically, psychometrically, and legally robust, on par with those of ABMS and AOA.
- Prominent credentialing organizations like Greely, HCPro, and NAMSS endorse ABPS as a legitimate choice for physician certification.
Apply for BCEM Certification
The ABPS encourages qualified rural physicians to seek emergency medicine certification. As a nationally recognized certifying body, we are dedicated to enhancing healthcare by providing both allopathic and osteopathic physicians with a clear pathway to board certification.
For information about the application process and eligibility requirements for board certification in emergency medicine, contact us today.