American Board of Emergency Medicine
Emergency Medicine
A physician who specializes in Emergency Medicine focuses on the immediate decision making and action necessary to prevent death or any further disability both in the pre-hospital setting by directing emergency medical technicians and in the emergency department. This specialist provides immediate recognition, evaluation, care, stabilization and disposition of a generally diversified population of adult and pediatric patients in response to acute illness and injury.
Contact the board to learn about specialty and subspecialty certification requirements.
Subspecialties
Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine
An emergency medicine physician who specializes in Critical Care Medicine diagnoses and treats patients with critical illnesses or injuries, particularly trauma victims and patients with multiple organ dysfunction who require care over a period of hours, days or weeks. These physicians also coordinate patient care among the primary physician, critical care staff and other specialists and their primary base of operation is the intensive care unit (ICU) of a hospital.
Emergency Medical Services
An emergency medicine physician specializing in Emergency Medical Services has special knowledge and skills for the delivery of medical care of the acutely ill or injured patient in the pre-hospital setting. This care includes the initial patient treatment, stabilization and transportation in specially equipped ambulances and medical helicopters. The initial care for conditions such as heart attack or stroke may occur in patient homes, public places and wilderness settings. These medical specialists perform life-saving procedures outside the hospital setting, sometimes when people are still trapped in cars or buildings.
Health Care Administration, Leadership, and Management
A specialist in this area has the clinical background and comprehensive expertise in health care administration to manage administrative functions with high-level organizational impact. The specialist is dedicated to a patient’s experience and an organization’s effectiveness while working with stakeholders to improve professionalism/organizational culture and spearhead process improvement and patient safety. These leaders can serve in an executive health care management position, such as a C-suite executive, vice president, dean, or medical director in a hospital, health system, academic setting, or government agency.
Hospice and Palliative Medicine
An emergency medicine physician who specializes in Hospice and Palliative Medicine provides care to prevent and relieve the suffering experienced by patients with life-limiting illnesses. This specialist works with an interdisciplinary hospice or palliative care team to optimize quality of life while addressing the physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of both patient and family.
Internal Medicine-Critical Care Medicine
An emergency medicine physician trained in Critical Care Medicine has expertise in the diagnosis, treatment and support of critically ill and injured patients, particularly trauma victims and patients with multiple organ dysfunction. This physician also coordinates patient care among the primary physician, critical care staff and other specialists.
Medical Toxicology
Medical toxicologists are physicians who specialize in the prevention, evaluation, treatment and monitoring of injury and illness from exposures to drugs and chemicals, as well as biological and radiological agents. These specialists care for people in clinical, academic, governmental and public health settings, and provide poison control center leadership. Important areas of Medical Toxicology include acute drug poisoning; adverse drug events; drug abuse, addiction and withdrawal; chemicals and hazardous materials; terrorism preparedness; venomous bites and stings; and environmental and workplace exposures.
Neurocritical Care
The medical specialty of Neurocritical Care is devoted to the comprehensive multi-system care of the critically ill patient with neurological diseases and conditions.
Pain Medicine
An emergency medicine physician who specializes in Pain Medicine diagnoses and treats patients experiencing problems with acute or chronic pain, or pain related to cancer, in both hospital and outpatient settings and coordinates care needs with other specialists.
Pediatric Emergency Medicine
An emergency medicine physician who specializes in Pediatric Emergency Medicine has special qualifications to manage emergency treatments in acutely ill or injured infants and children.
Sports Medicine
An emergency medicine physician who specializes in preventing, diagnosing and treating injuries related to participating in sports and/or exercise. In addition to the study of those fields that focus on prevention, diagnosis, treatment and management of injuries, sports medicine also deals with illnesses and diseases that might have effects on health and physical performance.
Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine
An emergency medicine physician who specializes in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine treats decompression illness and diving accident cases and uses hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat such conditions as carbon monoxide poisoning, gas gangrene, non-healing wounds, tissue damage from radiation and burns and bone infections. This specialist also serves as consultant to other physicians in all aspects of hyperbaric chamber operations, and assesses risks and applies appropriate standards to prevent disease and disability in divers and other persons working in altered atmospheric conditions.
