Home > Emergency Medicine > Definition of Emergency Medicine > History of Emergency Medicine in the United States

1968 - The American College of Emergency Physicians formed

1970 - First emergency medicine residency program established at the University of Cincinnati

1973 - Emergency medical services and system established by law

1975 - Standards for emergency medicine residencies recognized

1979 - Emergency medicine was recognized as the 23rd medical specialty by the American Medical Association and the American Board of Medical Specialties

1980 - EM certification exams began

1989 - Primary board status was granted by the American Board of Medical Specialties

2000 - There were 60 academic EM departments and 125 EM residency programs. Emergency medicine had ranked in the top three specialty choices of medical students.

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Read this excellent article "Emergency medicine as a career choice" by Society of Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM)

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