get certified in
Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Certification Exam
Dates & Fees | |
| Exam Date | TBD 2027 (Offered in odd-numbered years) |
| Application & Registration Window | TBD 2026 |
| Application Fee* | $470 |
| Exam Fee* | $1,750 |
What is PEM?
Pediatric Emergency Medicine focuses on the care of the acutely ill or injured child in an emergency department.
How This Subspecialty Works
Person or Entity | Responsibility |
| Physician Candidate |
|
| American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) |
|
| American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) | Develops and administers the PEM Certification Exam |
Eligibility Criteria
Emergency physicians seeking to take the certification examination in Pediatric Emergency Medicine must:
- Be certified by ABEM or the American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine (AOBEM)
- Successfully complete an ACGME-approved Pediatric Emergency Medicine fellowship program or fulfill the eligibility criteria of the Dual Certification pathway
- Complete and submit the application to ABEM
- Actively participate in ABEM’s continuing certification process or the AOBEM Osteopathic Continuous Certification Program
- Fulfill the ABEM Policy on Medical Licensure
- Comply with the ABEM Policy on Board Eligibility for Subspecialty Certification
Exam Content
The content outline for the examination and a tutorial are available on the on the ABP website.
Certification Process
Apply
Physicians applying for the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Certification Examination must complete the certification application form available in their ABEM Portal. Complete applications include:
- Completed PEM certification application
- Application and examination fees U.S. funds
This application fee covers the cost of processing the application only, and cannot be refunded.
Final review of an application will be completed when all information is received. Applications that are incomplete will be closed in September of the following year. Physicians with closed applications who want to take the exam must submit new applications and meet all requirements in place at the time the new application is submitted.
The application fee and exam fee are paid at the same time during application submission, and physicians are considered registered at that time.
Scheduling
ABEM forwards a candidate’s examination authorization to the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) on a weekly basis, who will contact candidates with information on how to schedule their exam appointment through the ABP platform.
Results & Scoring
Exam results are released by the ABP to ABEM, who then sends candidates the results of their examination via email. Results are also posted on a physician’s ABEM Portal.
