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Emergency Medicine Physicians

Typical education: Doctoral or professional degreeHigh pressure

What they do

Make immediate medical decisions and act to prevent death or further disability. Provide immediate recognition, evaluation, care, stabilization, and disposition of patients. May direct emergency medical staff in an emergency department.

Kinds of work

  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $335,550 Median per year · $161.32/hr Most earn $103,610–$495,910

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Perform such medical procedures as emergent cricothyrotomy, endotracheal intubation, and emergency thoracotomy.
  • Analyze records, examination information, or test results to diagnose medical conditions.
  • Identify factors that may affect patient management, such as age, gender, barriers to communication, and underlying disease.
  • Select, request, perform, or interpret diagnostic procedures, such as laboratory tests, electrocardiograms, emergency ultrasounds, and radiographs.
  • Stabilize patients in critical condition.
  • Consult with hospitalists and other professionals, such as social workers, regarding patients' hospital admission, continued observation, transition of care, or discharge.

Job outlook

United States
3% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 900 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Offices of physicians45.3%
  • General medical and surgical hospitals33.9%
  • Colleges, universities, and professional schools4.6%
  • Self-employed (their own business)3.7%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Doctoral or professional degreeExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Emergency medicine physician is not an entry-level job. It usually takes about 11 to 15 years after high school: a bachelor's degree, medical school, and a residency in emergency medicine before you can practice on your own.

  1. Bachelor's degree in a science such as biology or chemistry

    4 years

    You build the science background and strong grades that medical schools look for, and you take the entrance exam (MCAT) near the end.

  2. Medical degree (MD or DO)

    4 years

    You learn anatomy, disease, and medicine in classes and hospital rotations, including time in emergency departments, which helps you choose this specialty.

  3. Emergency medicine residency

    3-4 years

    You train as a resident physician in a hospital emergency department, handling real patients under supervision, until you are ready to work independently.

  4. Emergency Medicine Physician

    Ongoing

    You make fast, life-saving decisions, stabilize patients, and direct the emergency team in an emergency department.

Where it can lead

  1. Emergency Department Medical Director

    5+ years of experience first

    You take on leadership of the emergency department, including scheduling, staff quality, training, and working with hospital administrators, usually after years of clinical experience and proven leadership.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology, chemistry, and mathThese classes build the foundation you will need for a science-heavy college major and medical school.
  • Volunteer at a hospital or nursing homeHands-on time with patients shows you what healthcare work is really like and looks good on applications later.
  • Join a science or health clubClubs like HOSA (Future Health Professionals) or a science club let you learn teamwork and practice skills in a group.
  • Get certified in first aid and CPRBasic life-support training is a low-cost first step and teaches you how to respond calmly in an emergency.
  • Look for a starter job in a caring fieldWork as a camp counselor, lifeguard, or pharmacy or clinic aide to build responsibility and communication skills.

In college

  • Major in a science such as biology or chemistryA strong science major covers most of the prerequisites for medical school and prepares you for the MCAT.
  • Work or volunteer in a hospital or emergency settingRoles like patient care tech, scribe, or ER volunteer give you direct exposure to fast-paced emergency care.
  • Get EMT certificationBecoming an Emergency Medical Technician teaches you emergency assessment and stabilization, and you can often earn it while still in school.
  • Join a pre-health or pre-med student groupThese groups share advice on applications, MCAT prep, and shadowing opportunities with physicians.
  • Build research or lab experienceWorking on a research project shows you can think critically and follow a complex process, which medical schools value.

Tips for getting started

  • Get real exposure early. Volunteering or working in a hospital, clinic, or ambulance service lets you see emergency care up close and confirm that you like the pace.
  • Keep your grades strong in science and math, since medical schools look closely at them. Good habits now make the long training path easier.
  • Talk to working emergency physicians or residents. Ask what their shifts are like, what they enjoy, and what they wish they had known earlier.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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