Overview of the Specialty
Emergency medicine is the specialty that focuses on the recognition, evaluation, and care of patients who are acutely ill or injured. It is a high-pressure, fast-paced and diverse specialty that requires a broad base of medical knowledge and a variety of well-honed clinical and technical skills. The emphasis is on pre-hospital care and the acute care aspects of the other specialties. Emergency physicians treat all age groups in a myriad of conditions with varying degrees of severity. Emergency medicine training also encompasses clinical areas such as disaster medicine and mass gatherings.
At a Glance
Training
- 3-4 years of residency
- Categorical and advanced positions available
These are minimum requirements. Some programs may have longer residencies.
Fellowships
| Subspecialty | Length |
|---|---|
| Disaster Medicine | 1 year |
| Emergency Ultrasound/Imaging | 1 year |
| EMS-Prehospital | 1 year |
| Medical Toxicology | 2 years |
| Pediatric Emergency Medicine | 2 years |
| Sports Medicine | 1 year |
| Critical Care | 2 years |
Lifestyle
| Median, Academic Salary | $272,000 |
| Median, Clinical Salary | $320,000 |
Source: Association of American Medical Colleges
Training Requirements
Training consists of a minimum of three years of postgraduate education in one of 3 formats (PGY 1-3, PGY 2-4 with separate internship, PGY 1-4). There were 167 emergency medicine residency training programs accredited by the ACGME for 2014/15 that offered 1,821 categorical/advanced positions.
Matching Program Information and Match Statistics
Emergency medicine residency training programs participate in the NRMP. Match results through the NRMP and competitiveness information for emergency medicine residency training programs are summarized in the U.S. Match Statistics table below.
US Match Statistics |
2015 |
2014 |
2013 |
2012 |
| Competitiveness* | Interm | Low | Interm | Interm |
| # Categorical/ Advanced positions available for U.S. Seniors | 1821 | 1786 | 1744 | 1668 |
| % U.S. Seniors matched* | 95% | 97% | 93% | 95% |
| # Unfilled Categorical/ Advanced Positions | 4 | 14 | 3 | 0 |
| # Unmatched U.S. seniors | 66 | 44 | 90 | 65 |
Source: NRMP Match results for U.S. seniors applying in a single specialty. *Competitiveness is based upon the percentage of U.S. Seniors who ranked each specialty as their only choice.
WUSM Match Statistics
For a list of WUSM match statistics for the past several years, please visit Search for WUSM Statistics. (password protected)
Subspecialty/Fellowship Training
Subspecialty/fellowship training following completion of an emergency medicine residency training program is available in sports medicine, pediatric emergency medicine, EMS-prehospital, disaster medicine, medical toxicology, emergency ultrasound/imaging, palliative care, and critical care (coming in 2012 and conjoint with ABIM). Detailed information about the scope of these subspecialty training programs, number of positions offered, and length of training is available at the FREIDA website.
Visit AMA website »
Visit FREIDA website »
Career Information
FREIDA physician workforce information for each specialty includes statistical information on the number of positions/programs for residency training, resident work hours, resident work environment and compensation, employment status upon completion of program and work environment for those entering practice in each specialty.
Washington University Resources
- Washington University Office of Graduate Medical Education (GME): Information about graduate medical education at Washington University
- Emergency Medicine Division
- Emergency Medicine Elective Recommendations
- Database of WUSM alumni searchable by Specialty, Year, and/or State (password protected)
Faculty Contacts
| Rebecca Bavolek, MD | 362-2457 |
| SueLin Hilbert, MD, MPH | 362-2182 |
| Albert Kim, MD | 747-5990 |
| Jason Wagner, MD, FACEP, FAAEM | 747-4878 |