For Health Professionals

About International Emergency Medicine

International Emergency Medicine is a complex and multifaceted field that can comprise specialization or involvement in many aspects of global health.

Delivery of humanitarian assistance

Participation in established programs (e.g., MSF, PHR ,WHO, ICRC).
Refugee and internally displaced persons aid.
Disaster management.
Short-term medical missions and intervention work.

Research

Clinical research.
Surveillance: Disease epidemiology, monitoring of baseline health indicators.
EM systems research.

EM systems evaluation and development

Needs and resource assessment.
Educational activities: Certification courses, training of trainers, conferences.
EM residency training programs.
Prehospital care systems.
Physician exchange opportunities.
EM immersion programs.

Specialty advocacy

EM legislation.
Injury prevention.
Specialty status.

Interest in IEM work is substantial and growing among emergency physicians in the United States and other countries. This interest in and need for IEM has been fueled by population growth, rapid urbanization and economic growth of many developing countries. As a result, there has been an increase in the demand for EM services abroad and more emergency physicians working in international relief and development.

EM professional organizations in the United States with active member sections devoted to IEM include the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, the American Academy of Emergency Medicine and the National Association of EMS Physicians.