Whether this graduate has passed the ABEM written and oral exams, or is still in the process (and therefore board-eligible), there should be no doubt that this individual does not need any “short courses” for privileges or employment…

Scenario Two: It is now 8 years later, and this same individual has decided to change jobs, and is therefore applying to a new hospital for credentialing and privileges. The physicians’ first job was at an academic medical center, with EM residents, that was not a trauma center. The new job is at community hospital, with no residents, that is a level II trauma center, with the level I center 50 miles away.

Based on the ACEP Policy: Physician Credentialing and Delineation of Clinical Privileges in Emergency Medicine: this process “must be defined by the medical staff and department bylaws, policy, rules or regulations”.

It goes on to state that “ACEP believes the ED medical director is responsible for periodic assessment of clinical privileges for emergency physicians; the ED medical director will, with the input of department members, determine the means by which each emergency physician will maintain competency and skills and the mechanism by which to monitor the proficiency of each physician.”¹

“At a minimum, those applying for privileges as emergency physicians should be eligible for ACEP membership. Board certification by ABEM or AOBEM is an excellent but not the sole benchmark for decisions regarding an individual’s ability to practice emergency medicine. Other qualifications may include objective measurement of care provided; sufficient experience; prior training; and evidence of continuing medical education.”¹

The ACEP Policy Resource and Education Paper has a sample of requested procedures, and states that specific procedures and qualifications to perform each of them can include graduate training, postgraduate training (may include human in-vivo, postmortem or animal laboratory experiences. The medical director may determine other acceptable training methods (i.e., computer aids, mannequin simulation, applicable CME or other educational technology).”³