Your certification matters a great deal. It matters to patients receiving care in this country. It matters to other stakeholders in medicine such as employers, insurers, and hospitals. From a recent market research study, EM employers stated that, “Universally, being board certified or board eligible in emergency medicine is the driving factor in hiring decisions.” And it matters to your patients. A recent ABEM/Harris Poll* found that over three quarters of Americans (76%) think it’s very important that an emergency physician be board certified.
Board certification is important to you as well. It signifies that you have met the training and examination standards set by ABEM, and that you participate in continuing certification. ABEM feels that these accomplishments should be more widely recognized, so we are working hard to promote the value of your board certification. A pilot campaign was conducted in three markets (urban, suburban, and rural) that included billboards and other environmental ads, a digital campaign, and pre- and post-campaign surveys. Among the findings were:
- Health systems expressed value in hiring board-certified emergency physicians and confirmed that health systems highly value hiring ABEM-certified physicians for the emergency department.
- The campaign’s cobranded advertising between ABEM and local hospitals/health systems strengthened relationships with ABEM.
- Emergency Medicine professionals, physicians, hospital leaders, and other certifying boards expressed interest in this ABEM-sponsored effort.
Participating in the continuing certification process is an indicator that you are dedicated to ongoing learning. Taking MyEMCert modules on an annual basis reveals an ongoing commitment to demonstrating competency and keeping current with the evolving practice of Emergency Medicine. Key Advances are newer practice concepts that may not have been taught in residency training. It is important for certified physicians to demonstrate the most appropriate decisions in evaluating and treating emergencies. Important guidelines, such as those for resuscitating pediatric and medical emergencies, are being continually updated. MyEMCert modules will help ensure that certified emergency physicians are keeping pace with these changes.
ABEM will also continue to promote the value of your certification to the public and health systems. They need to know why it is important to be ABEM certified. Patients do not get to choose their emergency physician, so it is important that their physician meet the gold standard of care—being ABEM certified.
* Survey Method
This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of ABEM from January 12-17, 2023, among 2,082 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.8 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact ABEM at communications@abem.org.
