Emergency Medicine
The emergency medicine physician is defined by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) as one who is a specialist in breadth, whose training is focused on the acute and the life-threatening aspects of medical care, and who, by nature of his practice, is available when the patient needs him. The American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates defines the emergency medicine physician as the one who recognizes, evaluates, and cares for patients who are acutely ill or injured; administers, researches, and teaches emergency medical care; directs patients to follow-up care in or out of the hospital; provides emergency care, when requested, to hospitalized patients; and manages the emergency medical system for prehospital emergency care. The emergency physician functions both as the manager of the emergency department in a hospital and as the clinician most apt to first see the injured patient.
You found your specialty, now plan the rest of your path.
From specialty exploration to school discovery, interview preparation, and debt planning, all part of the SDN Schools Database.
Key Facts
Core Focus: Immediate diagnosis and treatment of acute illnesses and trauma
Number of Physicians: Large (~45,000)
Training Length: 3-4 years residency
Subspecialties: Toxicology, ultrasound, pediatric EM, sports medicine
Job Progression: Leadership roles in ER, trauma centers, medical directors
Gender Distribution: 35% female, 65% male
Job Outlook: Stable
Work Environment: Emergency departments, trauma centers
Patient Relationship: Short-term, episodic
Schedule: Shift-based, includes nights and weekends
Common Procedures: Airway management, central lines, trauma resuscitation
Residency Length: 3 - 4 years
Fellowship Required: No
Average Annual Income: ~$388,000 - $411,000
Average Weekly Hours: 46 hours/week
Burnout Percentage: 63%
Match Competitiveness: Low to Moderate
Common Work Settings: Emergency departments, trauma centers
❤️ Values and Personality Comparison
Emergency Medicine Top Values
- Good income
- Independence
- Sufficient time off
- Variety
Emergency Medicine Do Not Value
- Achievement
- Creativity
- Feedback from others
- Prestige
- Security
- Working with my hands
🧠 Emergency Medicine Personality Traits
- Rely on experience rather than theory
- Become bored with repetitive activity
- Communicate well
- Be a leader
- Want quick results
- Act decisively
- Be adventurous / like challenges
- Be able to do more than one thing at a time
- Value time off
- Have interests outside of medicine
🔗 Links
Has any information changed? Click here to report an update.