American Academy of Emergency Medicine
The American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM) www.aaem.org is the specialty society of emergency medicine. AAEM is a democratic organization committed to the following principles: Every individual should have unencumbered access to quality emergency care provided by a specialist in emergency medicine. The practice of emergency medicine is best conducted by a specialist in emergency medicine. A specialist in emergency medicine is a physician who has achieved, through personal dedication and sacrifice, certification by either the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) or the American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine (AOBEM). The personal and professional welfare of the individual specialist in emergency medicine is a primary concern to the AAEM. The Academy supports fair and equitable practice environments necessary to allow the specialist in emergency medicine to deliver the highest quality of patient care. Such an environment includes provisions for due process and the absence of restrictive covenants. The Academy supports residency programs and graduate medical education, which are essential to the continued enrichment of emergency medicine, and to ensure a high quality of care for the patient. The Academy is committed to providing affordable high quality continuing medical education in emergency medicine for its members. The Academy supports the establishment and recognition of emergency medicine internationally as an independent specialty and is committed to its role in the advancement of emergency medicine worldwide.
History
In 1992, under the alias "The Phoenix," James Keaney published The Rape of Emergency Medicine, which detailed corruption that negatively impacted patient care. He maintained that exploitation of emergency physicians was rampant. Many "leaders" in the field were siphoning significant profits through unfair business tactics and hiring unqualified emergency physicians willing to work for less pay. This wake-up call beckoned the formation of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM). AAEM was established in 1993 to promote fair and equitable practice environments necessary to allow emergency physicians to deliver the highest quality of patient care. Its first Scientific Assembly was held in 1994. AAEM initially defined a specialist in emergency medicine as board-certified by ABEM and this definition was later expanded to include those certified by AOBEM, pediatric emergency medicine (by ABEM or the American Board of Pediatrics) and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. AAEM requires board certification in emergency medicine of each and every full voting member. Currently, the only means of acquiring this is to complete an emergency medicine residency or pediatric emergency medicine fellowship. http://www.aaem.org/about-aaem/aaem-history
Principles
The American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM) is the specialty society of emergency medicine. AAEM is a democratic organization committed to the following principles:[1]
- Every individual should have unencumbered access to quality emergency care provided by a specialist in emergency medicine.
- The practice of emergency medicine is best conducted by a specialist in emergency medicine.
- A specialist in emergency medicine is a physician who has achieved, through personal dedication and sacrifice, certification by either the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) or the American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine (AOBEM).
- The personal and professional welfare of the individual specialist in emergency medicine is a primary concern to the AAEM.
- The Academy supports fair and equitable practice environments necessary to allow the specialist in emergency medicine to deliver the highest quality of patient care. Such an environment includes provisions for due process and the absence of restrictive covenants.
- The Academy supports residency programs and graduate medical education, which are essential to the continued enrichment of emergency medicine, and to ensure a high quality of care for the patient.
- The Academy is committed to providing affordable high quality continuing medical education in emergency medicine for its members.
- The Academy supports the establishment and recognition of emergency medicine internationally as an independent specialty and is committed to its role in the advancement of emergency medicine worldwide.
Resident and Student Association
The resident section of AAEM, which was formed in 1999, became an organization independent of AAEM in 2005 called the AAEM Resident and Student Association (or AAEM/RSA) www.aaemrsa.org. Its purpose is to provide EM residents a forum and a means to specifically address resident concerns and issues, develop their own programs and services and have a representative that can impact on the direction and mission of AAEM.
