Pediatric emergency medicine

Pediatric emergency medicine is a medical subspecialty of both pediatrics and emergency medicine.

Training

Canada

In Canada, aspiring paediatric emergency physicians must first complete a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) and then apply to a paediatrics or emergency medicine residency program, both of which last on average five years. Residents, however, will not complete the entire residency program as they will, upon starting their final year of residency, switch to the other residency program in order to receive training in both specialties. This switch usually extends the length of the residency by a few years. As such, the residency program in its entirety usually has a length of about 6 years and leads to certification by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.^[1]

Many institutions, such as McGill University, Université de Montréal, Université de Sherbrooke, and Université Laval in the province of Quebec, offer this residency program in collaboration with various hospital training centres. Other Canadian universities, such as University of Toronto, University of Ottawa, University of Calgary, University of Saskatchewan, and University of British Columbia, also offer post-graduate medical programs in emergency medicine and paediatrics.

Another general certification program is available for family physicians. Upon completing a two-year residency in family medicine, one has the possibility of completing a third year of residency in the emergency medicine enhanced skills program. Certification is awarded by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and allows family practitioners to work as emergency physicians in most emergency departments across Canada. The specialty training of family physicians allows them to treat patients of all ages affected by almost any type of disease. In that sense, family physicians who hold the emergency medicine certification may work with paediatric patients.

References