How to Become an ER Doctor
Emergency medicine has been a specialty for just a few years, but it is rapidly becoming one of the most important. Emergency room doctors must be quick-witted and knowledgeable in all areas of medicine. They never know what they will see during a work shift.
- Difficulty:
- Challenging
Instructions
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Preparing for a Medical Career
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1
Investigate medicine as a career. Be sure that this is a profession that you feel passionately about and are willing to work long hours for.
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2
Discuss a medical career with counselors at your high school as well as advisors at colleges and universities where you plan to apply.
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3
Find out what college courses are a prerequisite for medical school. Include them in your 4-year college curriculum.
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4
Take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).
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5
Investigate medical schools. Include schools of osteopathic medicine. Doctors of osteopathy (DOs) have all the same rights and privileges as doctors of medicine (MDs).
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6
In your senior year of college, apply for admission to the medical school of your choice and secure funding.
Becoming an Emergency Room Doctor
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1
Complete the third year clinical rotations before choosing a specialty.
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2
Investigate emergency medicine at the American Board of Emergency Medicine.
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3
Take extra electives working the emergency room, perhaps in the subspecialties of emergency medicine/pediatrics, emergency medicine/internal medicine or emergency medicine/critical care.
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4
Decide what kind of residency you want to enter. There are 3-, 4-, and 5-year training programs. The 5-year programs lead to board certification in two specialties; for example, family practice and emergency room medicine.
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5
Participate in the residency matching program.
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6
Finish your residency.
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7
Firm up job opportunities early in the next to last and last years of your residency.
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8
Comply with the requirements for board certification. These requirements are defined by the American Board of Emergency Medicine.
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1
Tips & Warnings
While in training, it is possible to develop a network that will assist you in securing employment. This network should include attending physicians, residents that preceded you in the training program and contacts gained through conferences and meetings.
