Become an ABEM Volunteer

Make a difference in the specialty of Emergency Medicine by getting involved with ABEM.

ABEM volunteers include oral examiners, item writers, subspecialty representatives, and participants in special projects, such as standard-setting studies.

The Board reviews nomination materials and appoints new examiners and item writers at its summer Board meeting each year, usually held in July. Nomination materials must be complete and submitted to the ABEM office by May 1 in order to be presented to the Board in July of the same year.

The number of new volunteers appointed varies each year based on the needs of ABEM’s oral and written exams. Nominees are notified of the results in writing following the summer Board meeting.

Oral Examiner and Item Writer Criteria

  • Must be an ABEM diplomate for the past five years
  • Be actively participating in the ABEM MOC Program
  • Must have completed an ACGME- or RCPSC-accredited EM residency
  • Be clinically active in the practice of EM

Nominees who have served as examiners or writers in the past must meet the same criteria.

An individual can serve as both an examiner and an item writer simultaneously but cannot be nominated for both positions in the same year.

Submit an Examiner Nomination

  • Nominees submit the Examiner Nomination Form and include a current CV.
  • Someone who knows the nominee well enough to comment on their strengths and weaknesses completes the Examiner Recommendation Form. ABEM uses the Oral Examiner Attributes to describe a successful examiner.
  • If the Recommendation Form is not completed by a current or senior member of the ABEM Board of Directors, the nomination will require a Board member endorsement. To endorse a nominee, a Board member should send an email indicating his or her support of the nominee to volunteer@abem.org.

Submit an Item Writer Nomination

Board of Directors Endorsement

A solicitation is sent to all Board members in the winter of each year with a list of applicants who have submitted materials but do not have a Board member’s endorsement. One of them may choose to nominate someone on the list at that time.

Only nominees endorsed by a current or senior director are forwarded to the Board for consideration.

For more information about new examiner or item writer elections, please contact Amy Will at awill@abem.org, or 517-332-4800, ext. 354.