A Message from the ABEM President: Diane L. Gorgas, M.D.
Having been a part of the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) for several years, I am excited to announce my new role as ABEM president.
Even though I am actively serving on the ABEM Board of Directors, I continue to practice as an emergency physician. My daily experiences shed light on hospital staffing concerns, departmental wait times, patient and physician mental health, and the escalating violence in the ED. Despite the challenges, as emergency physicians, we remain committed to delivering top-notch care to every individual who seeks our help.
Just like frontline physicians, the ABEM Board of Directors is continuously exploring ways to enhance outcomes and uphold the highest standards in Emergency Medicine.
Establishing a Certification for the Future of Emergency Medicine
Becoming Certified
Following a comprehensive three-year effort involving collaboration with over 4,300 individuals to revamp the certification process for early-career physicians, the ABEM Board is set to introduce a new Certifying Exam in 2026, replacing the Oral Exam.
This innovative exam will evaluate competencies beyond those covered in the Qualifying Exam or the existing Oral Exam. ABEM certification differentiates physicians from other providers who do not undergo an assessment that’s nearly as rigorous, or any specialty focused assessment at all. The new Certifying Exam will integrate feedback from the EM community, hospital systems, and the public. Early-career physicians completing residency in 2025 or later will sit for the new exam at a professional assessment center in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Certifying Exam will offer candidates an improved onsite experience with more flexible scheduling options throughout the year. Find out more information.
For those who are already certified, you will not be taking the Certifying Exam. However, insights, findings, and highlights from this modern Certifying exam will be shared with the Emergency Medicine community.
Staying Certified
ABEM actively engages with the Emergency Medicine community to provide a flexible and meaningful continuing certification process without compromising standards. In 2021, ABEM introduced MyEMCert assessment modules in place of the ConCert Exam and transitioned to a 5-year certification cycle with an annual fee.
Feedback on MyEMCert has been positive, and improvements have already been made based on your valuable input. The 5-year certification cycles do not impose additional burdens but align with the activities ABEM-certified physicians were already completing every five years.
All these initiatives are geared towards refining the certification process, ensuring fair, reliable, and valid assessments, and maintaining the gold standard of certification. We are dedicated to delivering top-tier care.
In an emergency, the public and our patients can place their trust in your ABEM certification as a marker of excellence. It is a privilege to collaborate with each of you, and I invite you to connect with ABEM for inquiries and to share your experiences.
