Established in 1976, the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) establishes the requirements for medical ethical principles and ensures adherence to the highest standards in the speciality.
Guided by the motto “Providing and Ensuring the Highest Standards in the Specialty of Emergency Medicine,” the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) certifies healthcare professionals and physicians. These individuals must demonstrate high professionalism and possess credentials that meet national standards.
The American Board of Emergency Medicine Members
The American Board of Emergency Medicine is one of twenty-four medical speciality boards. Sponsoring organizations, including ACEP, SAEM, and AMA, nominate experienced, clinically active emergency physicians to serve on the board. These board members are responsible for regularly conducting and evaluating the qualifying examination and overseeing medical practices in emergency medicine.
The American Board of Emergency Medicine charges fees for the qualifying examination and its regular business operations. However, board members do not receive compensation for their service.
The Different American Board of Emergency Medicine for Speciality and Subspeciality Certificates
| Specialty Certificates | Subspecialty Certificates |
|---|---|
| American Board of Allergy and Immunology | |
| Allergy and Immunology | No Subspecialties |
| American Board of Anesthesiology | |
| Anesthesiology | Critical Care Medicine Hospice and Palliative Medicine Neurocritical Care* Pain Medicine Pediatric Anesthesiology Sleep Medicine |
| American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery | |
| Colon and Rectal Surgery | No Subspecialties |
| American Board of Dermatology | |
| Dermatology | Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery* Dermatopathology Pediatric Dermatology |
| American Board of Emergency Medicine | |
| Emergency Medicine | Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine Emergency Medical Services Hospice and Palliative Medicine Internal Medicine-Critical Care Medicine Medical Toxicology Neurocritical Care* Pain Medicine Pediatric Emergency Medicine Sports Medicine Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine |
| Specialty Certificates | Subspecialty Certificates |
|---|---|
| American Board of Family Medicine | |
| Family Medicine | Adolescent Medicine Geriatric Medicine Hospice and Palliative Medicine Pain Medicine Sleep Medicine Sports Medicine |
| American Board of Internal Medicine | |
| Internal Medicine | American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery |
| American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics | |
| Clinical Biochemical Genetics Clinical Genetics and Genomics (MD) Laboratory Genetics and Genomics | Medical Biochemical Genetics Molecular Genetic Pathology |
| American Board of Neurological Surgery | |
| Neurological Surgery | Neurocritical Care |
| American Board of Nuclear Medicine | |
| Nuclear Medicine | No Subspecialties |
| American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology | |
| Obstetrics and Gynecology | Complex Family Planning Critical Care Medicine Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Gynecologic Oncology Hospice and Palliative Medicine Maternal–Fetal Medicine Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility |
| American Board of Ophthalmology | |
| Ophthalmology | No Subspecialties |
| American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery | |
| Orthopaedic Surgery | Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Surgery of the Hand |
| Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery | |
| Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery | Neurotology Complex Pediatric Otolaryngology* Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck* Sleep Medicine |
| American Board of Pathology | |
| Specialty Certificates | Subspecialty Certificates |
|---|---|
| Pathology – Anatomic/Pathology – Clinical Pathology – Anatomic Pathology – Clinical | Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine Clinical Informatics Cytopathology Dermatopathology Hematopathology Neuropathology Pathology – Chemical Pathology – Forensic Pathology – Medical Microbiology Pathology – Molecular Genetic Pathology – Pediatric |
| American Board of Pediatrics | |
| Pediatrics | Adolescent Medicine Child Abuse Pediatrics Dvelopmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Hospice and Palliative Medicine Medical Toxicology Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Pediatric Cardiology Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Pediatric Emergency Medicine Pediatric Endocrinology Pediatric Gastroenterology Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Pediatric Hospital Medicine* Pediatric Infectious Diseases Pediatric Nephrology Pediatric Pulmonology Pediatric Rheumatology Pediatric Transplant Hepatology Sleep Medicine Sports Medicine |
| American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation | |
| Specialty Certificates | Subspecialty Certificates |
|---|---|
| Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation | Brain Injury Medicine Hospice and Palliative Medicine Neuromuscular Medicine Pain Medicine Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine Spinal Cord Injury Medicine Sports Medicine |
| American Board of Plastic Surgery | |
| Plastic Surgery | Plastic Surgery Within the Head and Neck* Surgery of the Hand |
| American Board of Preventive Medicine | |
| Aerospace Medicine | Occupational Medicine Public Health and General Preventive Medicine Addiction Medicine Clinical Informatics Medical Toxicology Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine |
| American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology | |
| Psychiatry Neurology Neurology with Special Qualification in Child Neurology | Addiction Psychiatry Brain Injury Medicine Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinical Neurophysiology Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Epilepsy Forensic Psychiatry Geriatric Psychiatry Hospice and Palliative Medicine Neurocritical Care* Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Neuromuscular Medicine Pain Medicine Sleep Medicine Vascular Neurology |
| American Board of Radiology | |
| Diagnostic Radiology, Interventional Radiology, and Diagnostic Radiology Medical Physics (Diagnostic, Nuclear, Therapeutic) Radiation Oncology | |
| Hospice and Palliative Medicine Neuroradiology Nuclear Radiology Pain Medicine Pediatric Radiology | |
| American Board of Surgery | |
| General Surgery Vascular Surgery | |
| Complex General Surgical Oncology Hospice and Palliative Medicine Pediatric Surgery Surgery of the Hand Surgical Critical Care | |
| American Board of Thoracic Surgery | |
| Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery | Congenital Cardiac Surgery |
| American Board of Urology | |
| Urology | Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Pediatric Urology |
Steps of Certification to the American Board of Emergency Medicine
The American Board of Emergency Medicine is responsible for certifying physicians and other healthcare professionals who meet standard protocol requirements and examination standards, ensuring their expertise in Emergency Medicine. The certification process involves the following steps:
- To apply for certification with The American Board of Emergency Medicine, the program starts annually in mid-April. Application availability for physicians graduating occurs in October and November of the current application period. It’s essential to complete the application, including additional document requirements, early to avoid late fees. Required documents include the application fee. The processing of applications typically takes about a week for board members to review the provided information thoroughly.
- The next step is to take the Qualifying Examination administered by the American Board of Emergency Medicine. This exam assesses applicants’ knowledge of diagnostic reasoning and medical theory. It is computer-based and conducted at over two hundred Pearson VUE centres across Canada and the United States. Board members of the American Board of Emergency Medicine review the final evaluation.
- The final step includes an oral examination, a standardized test assessing Emergency Medicine knowledge and real-life clinical cases, which is crucial for American Board of Emergency Medicine verification. Due to pandemic conditions, the oral examination is conducted virtually. Once applied, applicants are assigned a date and time for the oral certification process by the American Board of Emergency Medicine board members.
- Professionals must enter a five-year certification period to retain their certification license from the American Board of Emergency Medicine.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the condition for continuation of the American Board of Emergency Medicine certification?
Once certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine, the professional is expected to follow compliance with the American Board of Emergency Medicine Policy on Medical license after American Board of Emergency Medicine verification.
Is it mandatory to follow compliance with the American Board of Emergency Medicine approval requirement?
To practice and continue medical professionalism in the United States and Canada, the professional must hold an American Board of Emergency Medicine approval. The professional might hold other licenses issued until valid, full, unrestricted and unqualified.
