Day in the life
A Day in the Life of an Emergency Medicine Physician
What emergency medicine physicians actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
Take sign-out from the day team. From there, the day usually includes evaluate patients quickly, resuscitate critically ill patients, and perform emergency procedures. Shifts of 8–12 hours cover days, nights, weekends and holidays.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for an emergency medicine physician working full time.
- Take sign-out from the day team.
- Resuscitate a patient in cardiac arrest.
- Reduce a dislocated shoulder.
- Evaluate a child with high fever.
- Lead a trauma activation.
- Intubate a patient with respiratory failure.
- Sign out and finish charts.
Where emergency medicine physicians work
Emergency physicians work in hospital emergency departments, urgent care and freestanding ERs.
Hours and schedule
Shifts of 8–12 hours cover days, nights, weekends and holidays.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Evaluate patients quickly
- Resuscitate critically ill patients
- Perform emergency procedures
- Order and interpret tests
- Treat injuries and acute illness
- Coordinate with specialists
- Decide on admission or discharge
Tools you’ll use every day
- Defibrillators
- Ultrasound
- Airway equipment
- Monitors
- Procedure kits
- Electronic health records
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- Very high pay
- Exciting, varied work
- Shift-based schedule with no ongoing call
- Save lives daily
What’s hard
- Night shifts and holidays
- Burnout risk
- Crowded departments
- Violence and stress
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I love fast-paced work
- I stay calm in chaos
- I like variety
- I can work nights
- I want to save lives
- I make quick decisions
Not sure? Take the free Emergency Medicine Physician fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Follow infection control
- Use de-escalation for aggressive patients
- Use sharps safety
- Follow trauma and code protocols