ABPS Emergency Medicine (BCEM) study guide
ABPS Emergency Medicine (BCEM) · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Board of Certification in Emergency Medicine (BCEM) certification is offered through the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS), a multi-specialty certifying body that states it has certified physicians since 1960, with Diplomates across all 50 states as well as Canada and Puerto Rico. BCEM certification lets a successful candidate present to the public as a qualified specialist in emergency medicine, and ABPS describes the process as indicating mastery of emergency medicine knowledge and experience plus a commitment to its Medical Code of Ethics. It suits physicians who have completed an ACGME-, AOA-, or RCPSC-recognized emergency medicine residency, or primary care-trained physicians who completed an ACGME-, AOA-, or RCPSC-accredited primary care residency plus at least five years and 7,000 hours of emergency department casework. Candidates must satisfy general ABPS requirements first, including a recognized U.S. Topics on this exam: Emergency Medicine - Written Examination (subject areas not enumerated in source) and Emergency Medicine - Oral Examination (subject areas not enumerated in source). The ABPS Emergency Medicine (BCEM) study guide has 2 sections and about 649 words.
01Emergency Medicine - Written Examination: Core Content and Question Traps
The written examination samples broadly across undifferentiated emergency care, so the highest-yield strategy is a systems framework rather than rote lists. Anchor yourself in resuscitation priorities (ABC → physiology → definitive care) , time-critical diagnoses (ACS, aortic dissection, pulmonary embolism, ectopic pregnancy, necrotizing fasciitis, compartment syndrome, testicular and ovarian torsion, meningitis, sepsis), and disposition reasoning - the exam frequently tests whether you would admit, observe, transfer, or discharge.
329 words, about 2 min02Emergency Medicine - Oral Examination: Structured Clinical Reasoning
The oral examination assesses clinical reasoning under uncertainty , not recall. Examiners present a stem and expect you to organize your approach out loud : initial assessment, differential, prioritized investigations, management, and disposition - with explicit reasoning at each step.
320 words, about 2 min