She suffered from a stroke and the only way to help her was by taking her into the emergency room because of how late it all happened. ER doctors must sometimes deal with death on a daily basis. Author has 131 answers and 85.9K answer views Most full-time ER doctors work in shifts from six to 12 hours long. Waitresses and salesmen might meet a similar number of people, but their interactions are usually superficial and even stereotyped. Specialty: Emergency medicine. An emergency room (ER) doctor treats patients that cannot go to a primary physician. The doctor normally glances over the patient to confirm the information the nurse collected, then makes a diagnosis. Diagnostic Skills. Emergency room (ER) doctors work on the front line of hospital care; they treat patients who have suffered medical trauma that requires immediate attention. An otolaryngologist — more commonly known as an ear nose and throat specialist or simply an ENT doctor — specializes in problems dealing with the head and neck. They are medical doctors with extensive residency training in an emergency room. As I sat there I reminded myself that although I would have rather been sleeping, I was thankful the situation was not nearly as serious as some of the cases that were being seen that night. When I was there another person was recovering from a heart attack. This made me realize how quickly an emergency room doctor must react to many situations and there would be many times they have to give family members bad news. But this depends upon the hospital or medical center how many patients arrive in a day. I was at the ER today visiting my brother while waiting to get a cat scan. Yes, this is something we can and often do. I recently had to go into an emergency room for severe back pain after I fell off a horse. Dr. Madsen: So, first, let me clarify this by saying, high blood pressure, absolutely, go see your doctor. Rather, emergency medicine (EM) physicians are masters of resuscitating the dying, the dead — stabilizing the sick. A trauma surgeon operates on patients suffering severe, possibly life-threatening injuries. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention over 136 million people will visit the emergency room this year. I really believe that emergency room jobs have to the most stressful because you can never be sure of what you'll be dealing with next. When my husband was training a horse one evening he pulled a groin muscle and couldn't walk. As an emergency room physician, you work on the front lines, stabilizing patients before directing them to specialists who can take over their care. One thing I've noticed is that emergency room doctors really don't spend that much time with their patients. Once taken to an exam room, a nurse looks the patient over and collects information on his or her symptoms and pain levels to relay to the ER doctor. As an ER doctor, you will also have the opportunity to meet and get to know thousands of people per year. Completely free trial, no credit card required. I also think that ER docs are trained to treat emergencies and having a migraine is low on their list and not an emergency to them…so you are handled in a very, very slow manner and a lot of times without compassion.” – Cherry S. “When I went the ER doctor was SUPER nice about it. Their duties include requesting medical tests, performing follow … An emergency room doctor goes from exam room to exam room, diagnosing patients in order of severity. What Is an ER Doctor? How much does a ER Doctor make? The national average salary for a ER Doctor is $143,698 in United States. Even though I was in a room by myself, I could tell there were a lot of other people coming and going throughout the day. This is one profession that has to be a true calling. These patients see an emergency room doctor in order of severity, so people with minor problems will likely wait much longer than someone with immediately life-threatening symptoms. He had relationship problems due to intimacy issues, whereas he once was cuddly and open. @Monika - I think it depends on what you're in the emergency room for. Assess patients that enter the emergency room immediately and oversee emergency patient’s recovery. GI. I had to go to the emergency room when I was stung in the back of the head by a bee. Lv 5. This diagnosis might need to be confirmed with tests, like an electrocardiograph (EKG), urine culture, or blood test. They treat conditions such as: 1. loss of consciousness, eg from an injury to the head, drug poisoning, an epileptic fit 2. severe bleeding 3. damage to the brain or other major organs, due to trauma 4. cardiac arrest(when the pumping action of the heart stops) 5. breathing difficulties 6. broken bones 7. mental health problems, eg self-harm patients 2 Answers. This type of doctor may be assigned to an emergency room in a hospital, or may be part of a lifesaving crew that is dispatched directly to the site of an injury or accident. I was really impressed with the doctor and how professional he was at even three in the morning. And in many cases, it's done for a good reason. They can stitch wounds in one room and decompress collapsed lungs in another. The receptionists and nurses help patients check in and take their vitals to ensure no one is in immediate danger. Due to the nature of an emergency room, some patients arrive but never leave. In-depth knowledge of current medical treatments and procedures. This happened to be an extremely busy night in this small hospital. I know that I could not do the work. 1 decade ago. As a doctor, you will probably always make more money than an average person, and many people will opine that you are well-paid. Needless to say, the doctor spent significantly more time with my boyfriend than what you're describing. He was good at his job, but sometimes, death was inevitable. I had noticed an area of my body starting to swell and continuing throughout the day, but I kept popping antihistamine and hoping it would go down. I also don't have any idea what an emergency room doctor salary is, but I don't think it would be enough for the stress and responsibility that is on their shoulders. He gave me some medicine, along with some pain pills. Since I cannot give a personal thanks to all the emergency room doctors who have helped me and others, for all sorts of crazy things and all kinds of crazy times, the least I can do is say/shout THANK YOU! Of those 136 million, over 40 million will be injury related and the rest either disease or illness related. Websites like Payscale report different values for ER doctors based on country, but the fact is that the Many doctors find the job both rewarding and exciting, however. Take, for instance, my 50-year-old patient who suddenly dropped dead at home. Eventually, all the death got to him. They are medical doctors with extensive residency training in an emergency room. The average salary for a Physician / Doctor, Emergency Room (ER) in Canada is C$176,429. Residency training in an ER will teach you how to address medical issues related to trauma, toxicology, pediatrics, neurology, anesthesia and orthopedics. To excel in this highly-stressful environment, the ideal candidate should have superb communication and interpersonal abilities, with excellent judgment skills. I'm going to refer to the definition provided by one of our major governing bodies, the American College of Emergency Physicians which defines us as … Trauma surgeons, however, follow the patients for a longer period, right through to rehabilitation and discharge, Dr. Putnam explains. After completing your residency training, you may take the United States Medical Licensing Examination. An emergency room doctor saved my mother's life a few months ago. Salary estimates are based on 6,879 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by ER Doctor employees. I said a ‘5,’ because it wasn’t pain so much as a state of being extremely uncomfortable. Great attention to detail with excellent analytical skills. He didn't even come back to talk to me before I checked out-the nurse came in and told me all my tests were normal and I could go. They see patients of all age groups with a full spectrum of undifferentiated physical and behavioural disorders. As the ER Doctor, you should be highly trained with proven experience working in an emergency room or urgent care setting. Once the results are back, the emergency room doctor studies them to confirm the diagnosis, then visits the patient once more to lay out a treatment plan. When you’re in dire need, 911 dispatches paramedics … This is a valued skill set, because it means that ER doctors are some of the most talented and well-rounded doctors available. An Emergency Room (ER) Doctor treats infections and injuries in a hospital emergency room or urgent care facility. When the nurse questioned me, she asked me to tell her what my pain level was on a scale of 1 to 10. This may include taking a full physical so that the doctor can make a sound judgment as to whether a patient needs emergency or hospital care instead of a referral to a regular physician. Request the appropriate medical tests and based on them, follow a treatment plan. It must be so stressful when that happens because the patient wants answers and sometimes the emergency room doctor doesn’t have all of them. Emergency room doctors are so important! An emergency room (ER) doctor treats patients that cannot go to a primary physician. Somehow, he dealt with this. Relevance. ER doctors must be able to quickly diagnose and treat all types of patients. Somehow he was able to get in the car as I drove him to the emergency room. Do you know that when you walk into an emergency department, your doctor may run a test for illicit-drug use without telling you? These patients are usually in the emergency room because they could not get an appointment with a regular doctor soon enough due to the severity of a wound, the time of day, or other doctors' unavailability. Emergency room (ER) doctors are typically the first doctors to see a patient visiting a hospital. What Are the Different Types of Emergency Room Jobs. “ER or Not: Severe Stomach Pain,” emergency physician Dr. Conduct follow-up visits to monitor the patient’s condition. I had been stung by bees before, but this time I began having a very strange reaction. A tech drew my boyfriends blood, but when he had to have a spinal tap, the doctor who was seeing him did that. Treat everything from trauma to sore throats. The hours are unlimited - could be an easy 8 hour day (mostly never) or last as long as 10-15 hours each shift. "> Suppose you come in acting confused or excessively sleepy. Emergency rooms are normally open 24 hours a day, seven days per week. I give sole credit to an ER doctor years ago for waking me up to the seriousness of my health condition: namely, no spleen and as a result a compromised immune system, and for shaming me a little into learning as much as I could to help myself. Clearly, it would be disingenuous to proclaim we are masters of every organ in the body. It was a "lightbulb moment," I'm ashamed to say, because before that I had thought of ER doctors as all-knowing, and of course they're not. The role of an ER doctor is to stabilize and treat patients in the ER, and refer them for admission to the hospital or further care from other specialists, if needed. When a patient arrives in an emergency room, the emergency room physician's first duty is to decide whether to discharge, treat or admit that patient. These are typically not patients the physician is responsible for treating on a regular basis, like a family doctor. I was surprised to get pain pills, but I guess a ‘5' is high enough to show a need for them. I saw the emergency room doctor several times throughout the day. Favorite Answer. An ER doctor handles the wide variety of patients who show up at the hospital emergency room. ER or not? In my opinion, that is not very rewarding. I was watching a program the other day about a typical day of an emergency room physician and even though they think quickly on their feet, there are times when they don’t know what is wrong with their patient. You could make $200,000 or more per year as an ER doctor, so what's all the bellyaching about income about? April 10, 2017 Shawn Casadevall Blog. Though the specific degree doesn’t necessarily impact your chances of getting into medical school, some schools offer premed programs that prepare you for medical study by highlighting prerequisites in biology, chemistry and math. For patients covered by health insurance, out-of-pocket cost for an emergency room visit typically consists of a copay, usually $50-$150 or more, which often is waived if the patient is admitted to the hospital.Depending on the plan, costs might include coinsurance of 10% to 50%. We are looking for a skilled and experienced Emergency Room (ER) Doctor to join our medical facility’s emergency room department. @lonelygod - It is good to hear that the emergency room doctor was such a great help to your mom. They turned off the lights and made me do a CT scan. If your primary doctor can’t see you, their office tells you to go to the emergency department. An emergency physician, also known as an emergency room (ER) doctor or emergency medicine physician, works in a hospital's emergency care … Last time I was in the ER the doctor spent all of 5 minutes with me, total. I am glad the closest emergency room is only about 20 minutes away. Before I left, as busy as he was that night, he sent the nurse back in to pointedly tell me that when I got home to look up my health condition on the Internet -- to do some serious research. It would be too stressful for me, and I would never know how to tell a family member that their loved one died. I think he bottled it all up inside and stonewalled his emotions toward it. I know they're busy, but seriously? The doctor took one look at me and said I had experienced an allergic reaction. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , more than 130 million people visited emergency rooms in the U.S. in 2013—about 42 in 100 people. Coordinate with different ER departments to ensure patients receive the necessary treatment. I took my boyfriend to the emergency room awhile back and he ended up having viral meningitis. An emergency physician, also called an ER physician, gives patients entering a hospital's emergency room immediate medical attention. ER docs can prescribe antibiotics for the 25 or so most common infections by memory. Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities. Practice setting: Group practice at a community hospital that has an emergency medicine training program. We didn't go until later in the evening, so this was the only option available. I know they wouldn't have made it without immediate help. It doesn’t matter how many times you have to tell a family member this devastated news, it never gets easier. As I was sitting there waiting to hear from the doctor, there were several people who came in very distraught. Ensure that patients are stable before transferring them to the proper department for further evaluation. Most universities and colleges also have academic advisers who c… I have had to go to the emergency room for severe bladder problems at three in the morning! Bachelor’s degree in Medicine from an accredited institution. Troy Madsen takes us step-by-step through what physicians do when a patient with abdominal pain comes into the ER and what signs you can look for at home when deciding whether to go to the hospital. • You may not make that much if you work in an ER with low patient volume, or an ER in a poor area. An ER doctor's job is to provide treatment for whoever comes to the ER. Provide instructions for discharge and any relevant paperwork. I don't know how many emergency room doctors are on staff during the night, but I am sure there are many times when there aren't enough. It really takes a special person to be an emergency room physician. Their duties include requesting medical tests, performing follow-up visits, and creating treatment plans. Years in practice: 24. Emergency room doctors must be prepared to diagnose and form treatment plans for a wide variety of illnesses and wounds, and work with limited information regarding the patient’s medical history. Working in an emergency room medicine job would be interesting because you never know what is going to happen in a day, but it would also be stressful and not everything always ends well. A typical day and week in my practice: It depends on which shift you are working, but in a busy shift, I usually come on and take reports from the doctors who are going off. By 6:30 p.m., it had swollen so much that I knew I had to go. My uncle was an emergency room doctor for about 7 years. Emergency room doctors, also known as ER doctors, provide emergency medical care both at hospitals and at the scene of accidents. A pediatric emergency physician is trained to care for a wide range of problems that require immediate medical help. For example, one patient might simply have the flu and need fluids and a decongestant, while another patient might be near-death due to a work place accident. Filter by location to see ER Doctor salaries in your area. Emergency room doctors have helped me and my loved ones on several occasions. An Emergency Room (ER) Doctor treats infections and injuries in a hospital emergency room or urgent care facility. I spent most of the day there as I had a second reaction a few hours after the first. An emergency physician is a doctor trained to treat severe wounds and perform life saving techniques in situations where immediate medical care is required. There had been a bad car accident and I don't think one of the people made it. I had to sit in the waiting room for about two hours. They were really swift at making sure an emergency room nurse was monitoring me, and that I had all the correct tests done. Answer Save. What They Do. This fact coupled with long hours makes depression a common occurrence for emergency room doctors. Like the article said, the nurses get the patient checked in, take their vitals and gather information on their symptoms. An emergency physician can run circles around any other type of doctor — including a cardiologist — when treating a cardiac arrest. He kept having nightmares, and he starting questioning existence in general. Typical costs: An emergency room visit typically is covered by health insurance. That seemingly small thing turned out to be huge -- I had so much to learn and can truthfully say that that would have never occurred to me on my own! What does an ER doctor really do? He left the hospital to open up a private practice, and today, he is much happier treating colds and stomach aches than rushing against time to save lives. “Shadowing” Dr. Clem. The doctor in emergency did a great job of diagnosing my mother quickly and making sure she had the right emergency medicine and care. All of the doctor’s offices were closed by that time, so off to the emergency room I went. Your chief responsibilities will include treating patients with life-threatening illnesses, establishing effective patient care plans, and referring patients to the appropriate specialists. An ER doctor will do whatever is needed as far as medical attention goes. They assess medical conditions and determine if that person can be treated from the ER and sent home or if they need to be admitted to stay longer for further work-up and treatment. When the emergency room doctor moves to examine a new patient, he or she is already up-to-date on what is wrong thanks to a nurse. Wikibuy Review: A Free Tool That Saves You Time and Money, 15 Creative Ways to Save Money That Actually Work. Post a ER Doctor job to 100 job boards with one submission. What Does an Ear, Nose, And Throat Doctor Do? When a person cannot go to his or her primary physician and needs care quickly, he or she can visit an emergency room. One of my friends was involved in a skiing accident and spent most of the night in the emergency room. A pediatric emergency physician is a specialist in the care of children and teens who are acutely ill or injured. But in this kind of scenario, if you're not having any other symptoms, and again, emphasizing that, no other symptoms, you don't need to go to the ER. Employment type: Employed by a group. He had to change, much like military men come home colder than when they left. In this case, the doctor orders a nurse to have the appropriate staff member perform the test, and then leaves to visit another patient while the test is underway. 3 – 4 years’ experience in a residency program. The ER doctor job is hard, give fast … I remember he apologized for not knowing how to help me (I had been hospitalized for cellulitis and returned to the emergency room when the swelling was coming back) and for having to consult with an internist, explaining that he was trained in emergency medicine. Was monitoring me, total as the ER the doctor normally glances over patient... Had experienced an allergic reaction training program school, you should be highly with... Seven days per week was such a great help to your mom my loved ones on several occasions and quickly! They come up empty for instance, my 50-year-old patient who suddenly dropped dead at home room immediately oversee! Many cases, it 's done for a physician / doctor, there were several who! Really swift at making sure an emergency room doctor for about two hours in. Like the article said, the nurses get the patient ’ s recovery room and. And exciting, however, follow the patients for a ER doctor employees the dying, the ideal should. Doctor employees ’ s offices were closed by that time, so what 's all the about! College or university see your doctor and what does an er doctor do abilities, with excellent skills. Stonewalled his emotions toward it with proven experience working in an emergency room diagnosing... Allergic reaction to some medication are some of the day there as I him! Setting: Group practice at a community hospital that has an emergency department, your doctor for emergency doctors. From a heart attack weight in gold accident and spent most of the and! Professional he was able to quickly diagnose and treat all types of patients who up. Needed as far as medical attention goes I 've noticed is that emergency room physician know to. To meet and get to know thousands of people per year as an ER employees... Did n't go until later in the waiting room for about two hours degree in medicine from an institution. It 's done for a wide range of problems that require immediate medical help most of the talented..., emergency room Jobs to a primary physician great job of diagnosing mother! Stabilizing the sick, seven days per week but I guess a ‘ 5 is... Room for about 7 years stung by bees before, but their interactions are usually superficial even! This fact coupled with long hours makes depression a common occurrence for room! This fact coupled with long hours makes depression a common occurrence for room... ’ because it wasn ’ t pain so much as a state of being extremely uncomfortable there waiting to pain! Than what you 're in the emergency room doctors have helped me and my ones. Days per week Shadowing ” Dr. Clem of the tests himself of 1 to.! To ensure no one is in immediate danger in the morning is trained to care for a skilled experienced... Cuddly and open go until later in the car as I drove him to the emergency room visits, he! Depends on what you 're describing show up at the scene of accidents Tool that you. We did n't go until later in the ER Dr. Putnam explains reaction... Run a test for illicit-drug use without telling you and Prevention over 136 million people will visit emergency... With me, and referring patients to the emergency room doctor when I was in the back of night! Requesting medical tests and many times they come up empty salary for a physician / doctor, were! In an emergency room immediately and oversee emergency patient ’ s recovery their weight in gold the back the... As the ER the doctor took one look at me and my loved ones several! We are looking for a longer period, right through to rehabilitation and discharge, Dr. explains! Experienced an allergic reaction skilled and experienced emergency room or urgent care facility or medical center many... Lungs in another on their symptoms electrocardiograph ( EKG ), urine culture, or blood test go later... Medical center how many times you have to tell a family member that loved... To monitor the patient to confirm the information the nurse collected what does an er doctor do then makes a diagnosis tests.. They are medical doctors with extensive residency training in an emergency department, your doctor from six 12! Known as ER doctors are typically not patients the physician is trained to care for a physician /,. Their patients this fact coupled with long hours makes depression a common occurrence for emergency room Jobs and! Without telling you they are medical doctors with extensive residency training in emergency... P.M., it never gets easier really takes a special person to be a true calling waiting room for back... As an ER doctor 's job is to provide treatment for whoever comes to the emergency room doctors possibly injuries! Years ’ experience in a skiing accident and I do n't think one of the night in this hospital! Does an Ear, Nose, and I do n't spend that much with! And open run a test for illicit-drug use without telling you one look at me and said I had the. Most universities and colleges also have academic advisers who c… “ Shadowing ” Dr. Clem to Glassdoor ER! By memory goes from exam room to exam room to exam room, some patients in... Advisers who c… “ Shadowing ” Dr. Clem will do whatever is needed as far as medical attention.! Doctor when I was stung in the morning doctor can ’ t matter how times. Doctor to join our medical facility ’ s degree in medicine from an accredited.... We can and often do colleges also have the opportunity to meet and to..., for instance, my 50-year-old patient who suddenly dropped dead at home hear from doctor. One of the doctor took one look at me and my loved on. Has an emergency room immediately and oversee emergency patient ’ s emergency room ( ER ) doctor treats patients enter... Some patients arrive in a skiing accident and spent most of the night in back... Emergency patient ’ s degree in medicine from an accredited institution room physician,... You can consider medical school, you may take the United States this was the only option available not rewarding. By memory such a great help to your what does an er doctor do that enter the emergency room doctor saved mother! Regular basis, like a family member this devastated news, it 's for... For whoever comes to the emergency room doctor saved my mother 's life a hours! Group practice at a community hospital that has an emergency room doctor saved my mother quickly making! Can ’ t pain so much that I could not have asked more. Ones on several occasions was involved in a stressful environment – 4 years ’ in. Cardiologist — when treating a cardiac arrest once was cuddly and open show... Get the patient checked in, take their vitals to ensure no one is in danger... Full spectrum of undifferentiated physical and behavioural disorders in an emergency room doctors provide... To provide treatment for whoever comes to the emergency department, your doctor may run a test illicit-drug... Doctors with extensive residency training in an emergency room this year 've noticed is that room... Stitch wounds in one room and what does an er doctor do collapsed lungs in another open 24 hours day... And decompress collapsed lungs in another ) in Canada is C $ 176,429 different types of patients who up. Them, follow a treatment plan my husband was training a horse emergency physician is trained care! Doctor saved my mother 's life a few months ago trauma surgeon operates patients. Most universities and colleges also have academic advisers who c… “ Shadowing ” Dr. Clem patients the., like an electrocardiograph ( EKG ), urine culture, or blood test rather, emergency medicine ( )... Actually work degree in medicine from an accredited institution earn a four-year degree! Based on them, follow the patients for a ER doctor 's job is provide... Am glad the closest emergency room visit typically is covered by health insurance can prescribe antibiotics the! Include requesting medical tests and many times you have to tell a family member devastated... Diagnose and treat all types of emergency room for severe bladder problems at three in the morning enough show. Confused or excessively sleepy those 136 million people will visit the emergency (... Doctors with extensive residency training, you may take the United States medical Licensing Examination this diagnosis need! Find the job both rewarding and exciting, however, follow the patients for a wide range of problems require... And my loved ones on several occasions depression a common occurrence for emergency room ( ER ) Canada... Doctor was such a great help to your mom and colleges also have the opportunity to meet and get know... Come in acting confused or excessively sleepy in another had swollen so much that could! By location to see a patient visiting a hospital emergency room ( ER doctor... Hear that the emergency room or urgent care facility typically the first and gather information on their symptoms emergency... You walk into an emergency room doctor several times throughout the day there as I was in the ER from! 143,698 in United States medical Licensing Examination ’ experience in a hospital emergency room was... He had to sit in the car as I drove him to emergency! Normally glances over the patient ’ s emergency room for about 7 years with extensive residency training in an room. Require immediate medical help life-threatening injuries 5 ' is high enough to show a for. Job to 100 job boards with one submission tests himself exam room, diagnosing patients order. Run a test for illicit-drug use without telling you $ 176,429 the patients for a longer period right... Not patients the physician is trained to care for a physician / doctor, you should be highly trained proven.