PEDIATRICS Vol. 84 No. 2 August 1989, pp. 336-342
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Li, M.
Right arrow Articles by Ropp, L. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Li, M.
Right arrow Articles by Ropp, L. J.

Pediatric Emergency Medicine: A Developing Subspecialty

Marilyn Li MD1, M. Douglas Baker MD1, and Leland J. Ropp MD1

1 The Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Questionnaires were sent to 245 North American institutions with pediatric residency programs. There was a 69% response rate. Pediatric emergency care is provided in three types of facilities: emergency departments in pediatric hospitals, separate pediatric emergency departments or combined pediatric and adult emergency departments, in multidisciplinary hospitals. There are at least 262 pediatricians practicing full-time pediatric emergency medicine. The majority work in pediatric emergency departments, an average of 30.7 clinical hours per week. There are 27 pediatric emergency medicine programs with 46 fellows in training and 117 full-time positions available for emergency pediatricians throughout North America. Varying qualifications for these positions include board eligibility in pediatrics, certification in Basic Life Support or Advanced Trauma Life Support, and a fellowship in pediatric emergency medicine. The demonstrated need for pediatricians, preferably trained in emergency care, clearly indicates that pediatric emergency medicine is a rapidly developing subspecialty of Pediatrics that will be an attractive career choice for future pediatricians.

Key Words: physcian • emergency medicine • demography

Submitted on October 4, 1988
Accepted on January 11, 1989