Why Should You Choose a Career in Emergency Medicine: The Pros and Cons

Emergency medicine (EM) is a specialty that is becoming more competitive and popular for medical students to pursue. There are many benefits of becoming an emergency physician including the length of residency, subspecialty opportunities, and job expectations. There are also negative aspects including the high burnout rate and consequences of this, increase in malpractice claims, and requirement of oral boards. Not everything about becoming an emergency physician is one-sided; some of the areas can be both favorable and unfavorable. These areas include work environment, shift work, and scheduling. There are many reasons to choose a career in emergency medicine and every doctor must consider the pros and cons against the future goals they have for themselves.