Emergency Medicine

Competitiveness: Medium

Emergency Medicine is a specialty with high variety and pressure and a mix of primary care and procedures. Like many other specialties, Emergency Medicine has seen a surge of competitiveness over the last few years. The specialty is a trendsetter in residency applications as it is the only specialty to require its own unique Letter of Recommendation called the Standard Letter of Evaluation (SLOE). Emergency Medicine was also the first specialty to implement the Standardized Video Interview (SVI) as a part of its application. Emergency Medicine training is typically three to four years and can follow any of three formats: PGY 1-3, PGY 2-4 with separate PGY-1 internship, or PGY 1-4. Residency applicants interested in applying to Emergency Medicine programs will want to do well in their audition clinical rotation and join as many Emergency Medicine organizations as they can to get further guidance.

ENTER YOUR CREDENTIALS Customize your Emergency Medicine program list

IMG Profile

Average Stats for a Matched US IMG in 2020:

  • USMLE Step 1 score: 230
  • USMLE Step 2 CK score: 240
  • Research: 1.6
  • Abstracts/Presentations/etc: 2.5
  • Work: 4.7
  • Volunteer: 5.7

Average Stats for a Matched Non-US IMG in 2020:

  • USMLE Step 1 score: 231
  • USMLE Step 2 CK score: 242
  • Research: 3.5
  • Abstracts/Presentations/etc: 10.8
  • Work: 7.5
  • Volunteer: 6.9

Specialty Factors

Every specialty has unique factors they want each candidate to have in their residency application. NRMP conducts regular Program Director surveys to identify which parts of the residency application are most important in differing specialties. Among the information gathered, Program Directors were asked to cite factors they used to select candidates for interviews. They were also asked to rate each factor on a scale from 1 (least important) to 5 (most important).

The Top 5 Most Important Emergency Medicine Application Factors

Percentage of Programs Citing Each Factor

  1. Letters of recommendation in the specialty (97%)
  2. USMLE Step 1 score (95%)
  3. USMLE Step 2 CK score (84%)
  4. Any failed attempt in USMLE (76%)
  5. Perceived commitment to specialty (76%)

Average Importance Rating for Each Factor (scale of 1 to 5)

  1. Specialty specific Letters of Recommendation (4.9)
  2. Audition elective/rotation within your department (4.7)
  3. Grades in clerkship in desired specialty (4.7)
  4. Away rotation in your specialty at another institution (4.7)
  5. Any failed attempt in USMLE (4.6)

Fast Facts

Total Training 3 years
Average Residency Salary $61,500
Average Physician Salary $332,000
Average Work Week 46.4 Hours
Peak Interview Months November, December
Key Organizations and Societies: Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Emergency Medicine Residents Association
American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)
American Academy of Emergency Medicine
Royal College of Emergency Medicine
Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors
Emergency Medicine Residents Association
Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM)
Society for Academic Emergency Medicine: Medical Student
  • Many programs require at least one (even two) LoRs from an EM faculty member LoRs from EM faculty must be “Standardized Letter of Evaluation ” (“SLOE”) form developed by the Council of Residency Directors (“CORD”).
  • Join professional groups like Medical Student section of the Emergency Medicine Residents Association to help your application

Match Statistics

Main Residency Match and Post-Match Stats

185

IMGs Matched

256 /
2,665

Number of Programs/Positions

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Post-Match SOAP Unfilled Positions

Main Residency Match

PGY-1
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Post-Match SOAP

Program Track PGY-1
Participating Programs 5
Filled Programs 4
Positions Available 11
Filled Positions 10

Subspecialties

  • Medical Toxicology
  • Pediatric Emergency Medicine
  • Sports Medicine
  • Emergency Medical Services
  • Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine