EMF has taken the mandate and turned it into something that I'm not aware exists in other specialties. Research that has come out of an EMF grant program has had a major impact on the recognition of emergency medicine by other specialties. Research in injury and cardiac resuscitation have played a significant role to further the treatment of patients. EMF was seen as an integral source that was needed to help the profession obtain credibility with the academic community through research. By funding research and stimulating education through its broad range of grant programs, the Emergency Medicine Foundation is able to expand the body of knowledge that is at its very core the lifeblood of emergency medicine.
Life is fragile, as the saying goes.
The responsibility of the emergency medicine practitioner is to handle the lives of those in need with extreme caution and absolute care. Advancement of the quality of care depends on the continuing advancement of emergency medicine research and education. It's terribly important for the specialty to have that kind of ongoing support for academic units of research. That translates into better patient care because ultimately the discoveries wind up saving lives. Although the number of emergency physicians has increased markedly since certification began in 1980, the need remains high.