# Emergency Medicine Physicians

US SOC code 29-1214. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/29-1214

Also called: ER doctor, Emergency room doctor, EM physician, ED physician, Emergency physician.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **32,880** US emergency medicine physicians, with median pay of **$335,550** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2021, the highest was **36,180**, in May 2021. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12085066/) of **27,000** from 1999, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for emergency medicine physicians: AI imaging triage, FDA-cleared diagnostic algorithms, 2015 to 2022. AI imaging triage tools reduced time-to-treatment for stroke and large vessel occlusion without reducing physician headcount.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 3.2% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=29-1214&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **35.3%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend.

## Emergency Medicine Physicians employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1961
- Latest US employment: 32,880 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [3]
- Latest US median pay: $335,550 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [7]
- Outlook: +3.2% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [20]

### All 10 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1984 | n/a | $90,000 (estimate) | Est., PMC 2014 [4] |
| 1995 | n/a | $158,100 (estimate) | Est., PubMed [5] |
| 1999 | 27,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., PubMed [1] |
| 2010 | n/a | $265,000 (estimate) | Est., ACEP Salary Surveys [6] |
| 2013 | 33,034 (estimate) | n/a | Est., PMC 2022 [2] |
| 2021 | 36,180 | n/a | BLS OEWS May 2021 [3] |
| 2022 | 29,260 | n/a | BLS OEWS May 2022 [3] |
| 2023 | 35,100 | n/a | BLS OEWS May 2023 [3] |
| 2024 | 33,680 | n/a | BLS OEWS May 2024 [3] |
| 2025 | 32,880 | $335,550 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [3] |

## Sources (49)

### Employment series

1. [PubMed -- "A study of the workforce in emergency medicine: 1999" (Ann Emerg Med, 2002): hospital survey yielding ~27,000 FTE emergency physicians across U.S. EDs](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12085066/), Annals of Emergency Medicine / ACEP
2. [PMC 2022 -- "The 2013-2019 Emergency Medicine Workforce: Clinician Entry and Attrition Across the US Geography": 33,034 EM physicians at baseline 2013](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9398978/), Academic Emergency Medicine / PMC
3. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

4. [PMC 2014 -- "Physician incomes and work patterns across specialties: 1975 and 1983-84" (Health Affairs): specialty income comparison providing context for EM physician compensation estimate in early 1980s](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4192917/), Health Affairs / PMC
5. [PubMed -- "1995-1996 SAEM Emergency Medicine Faculty Salary/Benefits Survey": mean all-faculty EM physician compensation $158,100; first-year faculty $131,074](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9864131/), Society for Academic Emergency Medicine / Academic Emergency Medicine journal
6. [ACEP Salary Surveys -- Emergency Medicine compensation history: 2009-2010 national average $141/hr; 34.5% growth from 2008-2018](https://www.acep.org/life-as-a-physician/careers/salary-surveys---emergency-medicine), American College of Emergency Physicians
7. [BLS OEWS May 2025, national cross-industry estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Tool eras

8. [Osmosis / Elsevier -- "A History of Emergency Medicine: From Ancient Egypt to Professional Specialty": pre-hospital era of emergency care, military medicine contributions, nineteenth-century trauma management](https://www.osmosis.org/blog/a-history-of-emergency-medicine-from-ancient-egypt-to-professional-specialty), Osmosis / Elsevier
9. [SAEM -- "Introduction to the Specialty of Emergency Medicine": pre-1961 emergency staffing model, rotating interns and residents from other specialties providing emergency coverage without dedicated training](https://www.saem.org/about-saem/academies-interest-groups-affiliates2/cdem/for-students/online-education/m3-curriculum/emergency-medicine-in-the-us-healthcare-system/introduction-to-the-specialty-of-emergency-medicine), Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
10. [ACEP Now -- "Commemoration of the Alexandria Plan at 50 Years": founding of full-time ED group practice model in 1961 at Alexandria Hospital](https://www.acepnow.com/article/commemoration-alexandria-plan-50-years/), American College of Emergency Physicians
11. [ACEP Now -- "History of the American Board of Emergency Medicine": ABEM incorporated 1976; ABMS formal specialty recognition September 21, 1979; first certificates 1980](https://www.acepnow.com/article/american-board-emergency-medicine-marks-35th-anniversary/), American College of Emergency Physicians
12. [PMC 2022 -- "Emergency Medicine History and Expansion into the Future: A Narrative Review": subspecialty development in the 1990s including pediatric EM, sports medicine, medical toxicology; workforce growth from 2000-2010 largest of any specialty](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9183778/), PMC / Western Journal of Emergency Medicine
13. [Wikipedia -- HITECH Act (2009): $27B in incentives for "meaningful use" EHR adoption; hospital EHR adoption rose from ~10% in 2006 to 96% by 2014](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_Information_Technology_for_Economic_and_Clinical_Health_Act), Wikipedia
14. [ACEP Now -- "AI Scribes Enter the Emergency Department": EHR documentation burden as primary burnout driver; triple burnout odds vs. other specialties; ambient AI scribes deployed to address this](https://www.acepnow.com/article/ai-scribes-enter-the-emergency-department/), American College of Emergency Physicians
15. [Viz.ai -- 50+ FDA-cleared algorithms, 1,700+ hospital deployments; Viz LVO FDA cleared, care coordination platform for acute conditions](https://www.viz.ai/), Viz.ai
16. [PMC 2025 meta-analysis -- "Automated LVO Detection Using Viz.ai": 39.5-minute (44%) reduction in arrival-to-NIR notification vs. non-AI in stroke centers](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12596299/), PMC / National Library of Medicine
17. [Annals of Emergency Medicine 2025 -- "Ambient Artificial Intelligence Scribe Adoption and Documentation Time in the Emergency Department": 28% reduction in on-shift documentation time at tertiary academic ED (Feb-Oct 2025 retrospective study)](https://www.annemergmed.com/article/S0196-0644%2825%2901458-1/fulltext), Annals of Emergency Medicine
18. [KATE AI (Mednition) -- HIMSS25 Best in Show; ENA-endorsed AI triage decision support; 5,500+ clinicians, 34 sites, 1.5M+ patient visits/year; ESI verification within 1-8 seconds](https://mednition.com/), Mednition
19. [Aidoc -- FDA Breakthrough Device clearance January 2026 for CARE foundation model: 14 acute indications, 97% sensitivity / 98% specificity; 1,000+ hospital deployments](https://www.aidoc.com/about/news/aidoc-secures-fda-clearance-for-healthcares-first-comprehensive-foundation-model-ai/), Aidoc

### Forecasts and exposure studies

20. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 29-1214 Emergency medicine physicians (2025: 34.9 thousand; 2035: 36.1 thousand; +3.2%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=29-1214&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
21. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 29-1214.00, human-rated β 0.353)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

22. [ACEP Now -- "Profiles of the ACEP Founders": eight founding physicians, Lansing Michigan, August 16, 1968; John Wiegenstein first chairman](https://www.acepnow.com/article/profiles-of-the-acep-founders/), American College of Emergency Physicians
23. [ACEP Now -- "The Long Road to the Recognition of Emergency Medicine": ABMS vote 100-5 against in 1977; ABMS reversal and formal recognition September 21, 1979](https://www.acepnow.com/article/the-long-road-to-the-recognition-of-emergency-medicine/), American College of Emergency Physicians
24. [Wikipedia -- EMTALA (1986): Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act; federal mandate for hospital screening and stabilization regardless of ability to pay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Medical_Treatment_and_Labor_Act), Wikipedia
25. [Annals of Emergency Medicine 2021 -- "A Historically Bad Job Market for Emergency Physicians": workforce surplus projection for board-certified EM physicians in urban markets by 2030](https://www.annemergmed.com/article/S0196-0644%2821%2900193-1/fulltext), Annals of Emergency Medicine
26. [ACEP -- "The 2025 Emergency Physician Compensation Report": median total compensation $330,000 all respondents; $360,000 clinical EP; $13/hr gender gap; regional variation South/Midwest/West vs. Northeast](https://www.acep.org/life-as-a-physician/compensation-report-2025), American College of Emergency Physicians

### Predecessors & successors

27. [SAEM -- "Introduction to the Specialty of Emergency Medicine": pre-1961 ED staffing by rotating general practitioners, interns, and residents from other specialties](https://www.saem.org/about-saem/academies-interest-groups-affiliates2/cdem/for-students/online-education/m3-curriculum/emergency-medicine-in-the-us-healthcare-system/introduction-to-the-specialty-of-emergency-medicine), Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
28. [Osmosis -- "A History of Emergency Medicine": military medicine contributions to emergency care development; Korean and Vietnam veterans entering civilian emergency care practice](https://www.osmosis.org/blog/a-history-of-emergency-medicine-from-ancient-egypt-to-professional-specialty), Osmosis / Elsevier
29. [BLS OOH -- Medical and Health Services Managers: +29% projected growth 2024-2034; EM physicians well-positioned for CMO, ED medical director, VP Clinical Quality roles given operational breadth](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics
30. [PMC 2022 -- "Emergency Medicine History and Expansion into the Future": Clinical Informatics listed as a subspecialty available to ABEM-certified physicians via other ABMS boards (including ABPM); EM physicians suited for CMIO roles due to broad clinical domain coverage and technology familiarity](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9183778/), PMC / Western Journal of Emergency Medicine
31. [PMC 2022 -- "The 2013-2019 Emergency Medicine Workforce": APP share of EM clinical workforce grew 48.4% from 2013-2019 (10,128 to 15,035); absorbing lower-acuity fast-track volume](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9398978/), PMC / Academic Emergency Medicine

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 30.3 — Emergency Medicine Physicians (29-1214.00): tasks, work context, median wage $239,200+, 36,100 employed, 3-4% growth 2024-2034](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-1214.00), accessed 2026-05-24
- [ACEP Now — "The Emergency Physician Job Market 2025-26": 1,701 jobs listed; sign-on bonuses $100K-$150K; bimodal satisfaction; burnout rate highest of any specialty](https://www.acepnow.com/article/the-emergency-physician-job-market-2025-26/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [ACEP Now — "AI Scribes Enter the Emergency Department": MultiCare 63% burnout reduction; MGH 40% burnout reduction; 79% of physicians report more patient attention; triple burnout odds vs. other specialties](https://www.acepnow.com/article/ai-scribes-enter-the-emergency-department/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Annals of Emergency Medicine 2025 — Ambient AI Scribe Adoption and Documentation Time in the ED: 28% reduction in on-shift documentation time when AI used (Feb–Oct 2025 retrospective study)](https://www.annemergmed.com/article/S0196-0644%2825%2901458-1/fulltext), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Aidoc — FDA-cleared first comprehensive AI triage solution (CARE™ foundation model, January 2026): 14 acute indications, 97% sensitivity / 98% specificity; 1,000+ hospital deployments; FDA Breakthrough Device Designation](https://www.aidoc.com/about/news/aidoc-secures-fda-clearance-for-healthcares-first-comprehensive-foundation-model-ai/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Viz.ai — 50+ FDA-cleared algorithms, 1,700+ hospital deployments; Viz LVO reduces door-to-NIR notification time 39.5 min (44% reduction) vs. non-AI; Viz PE + Viz AORTA for EM care coordination](https://www.viz.ai/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [PMC 2025 meta-analysis — Automated LVO Detection Using Viz.ai: systematic review confirms 39.5 min faster NIR notification (44% reduction) vs. non-AI in stroke centers](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12596299/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [NCBI / Neurology.org 2025 — RapidAI vs. Viz.ai in large telestroke system: RapidAI 58 min vs. Viz.ai 54 min vs. no-AI 89 min arrival-to-NIR notification; ~30 min earlier interventionalist contact](https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000205476), accessed 2026-05-24
- [KATE AI (Mednition) — HIMSS25 Best in Show; ENA-endorsed AI triage decision support; 5,500+ clinicians, 34 sites, 1.5M+ visits/year; ESI verification within 1-8 seconds; systemwide deployment at UMass Memorial Health (2025)](https://mednition.com/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [ACEP and OpenEvidence partnership (December 2025) — ACEP Clinical Policies and point-of-care tools integrated into OpenEvidence; emergency physicians are largest specialty cohort on platform](https://www.acep.org/news/acep-newsroom-articles/acep-and-openevidence-expand-access-to-emergency-medicine-resources), accessed 2026-05-24
- [AMA AI in Health Care position (2025) — physicians bear ultimate clinical responsibility for AI-assisted decisions; AI must not undermine physician autonomy](https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/digital-health/augmented-intelligence-medicine), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science): occupational LLM exposure framework; seed CRI for emergency medicine physicians](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-24
- [BusinessWire — KATE AI wins HIMSS25 "Best in Show" for hospital capacity crisis solution (February 2025)](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250226095117/en/KATE-AI-Wins-HIMSS25-Best-in-Show-for-Hospital-Capacity-Crisis-Solution), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Epic AI — sepsis prediction, patient deterioration alerts, and clinical decision support embedded in Epic EHR across 35%+ of U.S. hospitals (Epic.com 2025)](https://www.epic.com/), accessed 2026-05-24

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.