Creating the model of a clinical practice: the case of emergency medicine

Medical schools and specialty societies have struggled to define a core content for medical students and practitioners but, to date, have been stymied by both political considerations and the sheer burden of the innumerable decisions that must be made to define the essence of a medical specialty. Six professional organizations representing the field of emergency medicine recently collaborated with the National Board of Medical Examiners to accomplish this objective by developing a Model of the Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine. This document will provide support for the development of medical school and residency curricula, training program accreditation standards, board certification test specifications, and organizational agendas for postgraduate education, research, and patient advocacy for the specialty of emergency medicine. The authors present a description of the model and the process that was used to develop it with the belief that other medical disciplines that face similar issues and challenges could benefit from a similar undertaking.