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Physicians seeking Emergency Medicine certification through ABEM are required to complete an accredited residency training.

EM Training Programs

Emergency Medicine training programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) take roughly 3–4 years to complete and are configured one of two ways:

  • PGY 1-3: A three-year program
  • PGY 1-4: A four-year program

A current list of ACGME-accredited EM training programs is available on their website.

In-Training Exam

The In-Training Examination (ITE) is an exam adminstered once per year to eligible residency programs. The exam is designed to provide an individual resident with an estimate of the likelihood that they will pass the Qualifying Examination. The ITE is designed to test complex cognitive skills such as diagnostic processing as well as medical knowledge of the specialty.

2023 ITE Exam
Exam: Tuesday, February 21 – Tuesday, February 28, 2023
Exam Fee: $125

Learn more 

ABEM Certification - Bringing Value to Your Career

ABEM certifies emergency physicians who meet its educational, professional standing, and examination standards. ABEM certification is sought and earned by emergency physicians on a voluntary basis. ABEM certification is an accomplishment in which the emergency physician can take pride. It represents physicians’ highest professional credential, reflecting that they have met an externally developed national standard. 




Apply for ABEM Certification

To meet ABEM credentialing requirements physicians must: 1) Successfully complete an Emergency Medicine residency training program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC). 2) Meet board eligibility requirements.  

Residents should plan to apply for initial certification in the last year of their EM residency. Once their application is approved and verified, they will be eligible to register for the Qualifying Exam administered in the November after they graduate. 

Residents who pass the Qualifying Exam will be assigned to an Oral Certification Examination the following year. Physicians earn ABEM-certified status upon passing the Oral Exam. Following that pattern, EM graduates are able to achieve certification within 10-16 months of their residency graduation.

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Residency Visitation Program

Every 3-4 years, residency programs are offered a presentation by an ABEM Director. Presenters are available to answer your important questions about certification, training, and other issues in medicine and EM. The presentation includes additional options to share topics of interest with EM residency programs, faculty, and attending physicians.

Update Your Information with ABEM

Near the end of your residency, when you will be applying for the certification examinations, it is important that we have the correct contact and personal information for you.
Update your demographic information

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