Guidelines for Undergraduate Education in Emergency Medicine
Revised and approved by the ACEP Board of Directors April 2008
Reaffirmed by the ACEP Board of Directors October 2001
Revised and approved by the ACEP Board of Directors January 1997 replacing policy statement with the same title originally approved September 1986
As an adjunct to this policy statement, ACEP’s Academic Affairs Committee developed a Policy Resource and Education Paper (PREP) titled, "Guidelines for Undergraduate Education in Emergency Medicine."
ACEP believes that all medical students should be taught the basics of emergency medical care. ACEP further believes that every medical student should receive clinical exposure to emergency department patients and care. ACEP also believes that the public expects all medical students to be able to provide basic emergency care.
The curricular basics can be accomplished by a specific curriculum designed by emergency medicine faculty, or by incorporating essential topics of emergency medicine into the existing curriculum. The clinical exposure should occur during the clinical years.
Such a curriculum should include the following:
- Assessment and management of the acutely ill or injured patient.
- General assessment skills of the undifferentiated patient.
- Basic life support skills, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
- Injury prevention and disease identification.
- Awareness of capabilities and limitations of EMS, such as in a mass casualty incident, and awareness of disaster management.
- Cost efficient and evidence-based care.
- Basic procedural skills, such as airway management, wound management, and venous access.
- Understanding of diagnostic tests, indications, risks and benefits.
- Development of a differential diagnosis.
- Development of a treatment plan and disposition.
- Assessment of interpersonal skills to include interacting with consultants and delivery of bad news.
- Assessment of professionalism with dedication to the fiduciary agreement of patient care.
Teaching emergency medicine to medical students may vary by local abilities, resources or curriculum needs.