History of EMS
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) medicine is a relatively new subspecialty that trains emergency physicians in the practice of pre-hospital and event medicine after successful completion of an emergency medicine (EM) residency. Additional focus is placed on leading emergency care systems in system design, administration, emergency preparedness, and clinical care. EMS Medicine is an exciting and dynamic subspecialty, with new research, policies, and guidelines constantly changing the face of the field.
Despite not becoming an official American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) subspecialty until 2010, it is the largest subspecialty of the American Board of Emergency Physicians (ABEM) with over 800 fellowship-trained physicians. Currently, there are 84 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited, one-year fellowships throughout the country. Each EMS fellowship offers diverse training opportunities, with fellows training in areas from hazmat operations to rural critical care transport and paramedic supervision/education. Additionally, many fellowship programs also integrate scholarly research into their curricula.
Insider Advice
"There are two things I love about my EMS job. One of the most rewarding things is being able to advance the care provided to my community and their loved ones even before they arrive at the hospital. The best part day-to-day is working with my pre-hospital providers. They are some of the most dedicated, humble professionals out there, and I am lucky to be able to work alongside them to further the care in my county."
-Krystal Baciak, MD
