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What is an emergency medicine physician?
Oct 5, 2021 · Sound and quick decision making, good communication skills, flexibility and adaptability, attention to detail, resilience are only some of the qualities that are looked for in potential emergency medicine doctors.
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- Overview
- What does an emergency medicine physician do?
- Pros of being an emergency medicine physician
- Cons of being an emergency medicine physician
A career in medicine can be a rewarding and exciting way to help others. Emergency medicine physicians are extremely important medical professionals who offer lifesaving care to patients in immediate need. If you're considering a role as an emergency medicine physician, it's often helpful to review the advantages and drawbacks of working in the pos...
Emergency medicine physicians, or emergency room (ER) doctors, offer care to sick or injured patients who need immediate medical attention. The work they perform can be lifesaving, and they typically treat patients of all ages, regardless of the patient type or condition. When a patient comes to the emergency room, the physician has to guide the care team in performing whatever tests, procedures or therapies the patient needs. Often, once a patient is stable, they refer them to a specialized doctor capable of offering ongoing care.Here are some common emergency medicine physician duties:
•Assess severity of patient illness and injury
•Request medical tests
•Run diagnostics tests
•Create patient treatment plans
•Administer medications
Exciting
One benefit of being an ER doctor is the exciting and fast-paced environment the work offers. Doctors' shifts are often busy, and they see many types of patients every day. This keeps their work interesting and diverse and exposes them to new situations every day. ER doctors can also benefit from stimulating work environments where they get to be on their feet, actively working and thinking all day.Related: How To Become an ER Doctor
Important
Another pro of becoming an emergency medicine physician is the importance and value of the work. ER doctors perform critical operations and offer important care to those in need. The work they do saves lives and helps people in dangerous or harmful situations. Their skills, experience and knowledge are essential to those in need of their expert care. Helping solve problems and treat severely injured patients can offer a sense of fulfillment, and their communities often respect their work and hold the position in high esteem.
Experience
Emergency room doctors see many types of injuries, illnesses and conditions. Exposure to a variety of patient ailments can increase their experience working with many health concerns. Rather than working as a specialist who has in-depth knowledge in one area, emergency physicians have to know how to respond to many situations. Their involvement with such diverse circumstances can grow their knowledge and understanding of medicine and better prepare them to provide care to those who need it.
Demanding
One potential drawback of the role is how demanding it can be. For emergency doctors, they may have to perform challenging interventions or help multiple critical condition patients in a single evening. They often have to be on call even when away from the emergency room, meaning they have to remain available to come to the hospital for special circumstances. The role can also be emotionally exhausting because doctors often see severe patients or undesirable patient outcomes.
High pressure
The role can come with a lot of pressure. Some patients' needs may extend beyond the help the physician or care team can offer, leading to unfortunate patient outcomes. Doctors might have to assist multiple patients at once or make immediate decisions regarding the care a patient needs. Emergency physicians often see serious and extreme cases and are some of the first medical professionals to intervene and help. Offering quick, accurate and concise direction can drastically improve patient outcomes.
Irregular hours
ER doctors often fill shifts to ensure patients have 24-7 care. This can require them to work inconsistent hours or work overnight, on the weekend or during holidays. Shifts typically last between six and 12 hours, and most doctors work from three to five shifts per week. While most doctors work around 40 hours a week, some may work more or less depending on their employer and specific job requirements.
- You have composure. Cases can vary substantially for doctors who are working in the ER, and they need to be able to rapidly refocus between cases to meet the unique needs of every patient.
- You work well with others. Research suggests that being team-oriented is one of the hallmark personality traits of emergency physicians. This makes sense when you consider how much collaboration the role entails.
- You’re great at multitasking. A busy emergency department can easily have more than 10 patients at any given time, all with varying needs. The physician running the floor needs to figure out a way to manage all those cases simultaneously.
- You’re decisive. Minutes, sometimes even seconds, matter in the ED. This means that emergency physicians need to be able to evaluate situations and make decisions very rapidly.
- Flexible schedule. This is definitely one of the benefits of the specialty. For the most part, in EM we work scheduled shifts, so your schedule is pretty predictable.
- Breadth of cases. When I started medical school, I was certain that I wanted to become a primary care family medicine physician. However, after completing my third year of medical school, I realized that I was looking for something different.
- Procedures. One of my favorite parts of EM is the chance to “get my hands dirty” nearly every shift with the abundance of opportunities to do procedures.
- Research Opportunities. Before starting residency in emergency medicine, I wasn’t aware of the many opportunities for research in this field. While opportunities may vary from one institution to another, in general, EM is a great field for research.
Oct 4, 2022 · Which branches you take depends on many factors, including risk tolerance, location, family considerations, finances, personality, mentorship, and support. While family physicians may need to get creative when it comes to building their skills, they are clearly needed in EDs across the country.
An emergency medicine physician is a medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of acute and life-threatening medical conditions that require immediate intervention.
Jan 30, 2024 · Physicians in emergency medicine provide quick evaluation and care for acute illness and injury in adult and pediatric patients. There is a high percentage of time spent in direct patient contact, with the potential for immediate impact on the patient’s health.
