Emergency medicine: the growth of training programs and residency positions 1971–2001

Abstract

Purpose: Over the past 30 years and especially in the last decade, emergency medicine has grown rapidly. The purpose of this study is to review the diffusion and distribution of emergency residencies in the United States. Methods: Data on spatial distribution and residency numbers were obtained from the AMA Annual Directory of Graduate Medical Education. Results: The growth of emergency medicine has been substantial, encompassing 121 programs in 33 states. Currently, nearly 3,600 residents are in training, nearly double the number of trainees 10 years ago. Conclusion: The rapid growth of the pool of emergency medicine physicians is now and will be increasingly a force to reckon with in the allocation of responsibility for performance and interpretation of emergency imaging studies.