Emergency Medicine

This Emergency Medicine introductory course provides a foundation of theoretical knowledge needed before starting for an Emergency Medicine rotation for clinically-prepared medical students, residents, or practicing physicians. All parts of this training are free, including registration, learning, testing, and a certificate of completion. This course is intended for medical students, residents, or physicians in training and in practice.

This Emergency Medicine course was developed in partnership with the Emory University Center for Injury Control (a WHO Collaborating Center), the International Federation for Emergency Medicine (the global federation of national EM organizations) and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (the global association of academic EM physicians). This course uses competencies recommended by Clerkship Directors in Emergency Medicine published in Academic Emergency Medicine, and resources from accredited, world-class organizations such as American Academy of Family PhysiciansAmerican Heart AssociationClerkship Directors in Emergency Medicine,  and the World Health Organization. The course developer is Jennifer Chu, MD, and our Advisory Group is Glen Bandiera, MD, MEd; Deborah Diercks, MD, MSc; Jim Ducharme; Laura Hans, MD; Cherri Hobgood; Debra Houry, MD, MPH; Alan Jones, MD; Niranjan “Tex” Kissoon, MD; Steve Lin, MD; and Rahim Valani, MD.

Emergency Medicine
International Federation For emergency Medicine
Emergency Medicine

For a publication on this course’s efficacy, see “A Test of the First Course (Emergency Medicine) That Is Globally Available for Credit and for Free,” (2016), Healthcare,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hjdsi.2016.02.003; see also “Building Public Health Capacity through Online Global Learning,” (2018), Open Praxis,https://openpraxis.org/index.php/OpenPraxis/article/view/746/427; to see more research related to NextGenU.org’s educational model, check out NextGenU.org’s publication page.

There are two components to this course. The first component involves completing the modules which provide: 

  1. A basic diagnostic and treatment approach to common emergency department presentations,
  2. Skills on patient management and communication,
  3. An overview of common emergency diseases.

Approximate time for completion of this course is 67 hours at an average reading rate of 144 words/minute.

In order to receive a certificate of completion, you will need to also complete the second, skills-based component of the course, which requires you to identify an Emergency Medicine physician as a  mentor, for local observation and supervised practice. 

The results of your assessments will be provided to you, and we can report your testing information and share your work with anyone you request (school, employer, etc.). The evaluation you provide at the course’s conclusion will help us improve the training for future students. We hope you find this Emergency Medicine course a wonderful learning experience!

The course requires the completion of mentored activities. At the end of each lesson, there is a practice quiz. At the end of the course, after you’ve completed each lesson, quiz, and activity, you’ll have access to a final exam, and a chance to assess the training. Once you’ve passed that last test, you will be able to download a certificate of completion from NextGenU.org and our course’s co-sponsoring organizations (listed above). We keep all of your personal information confidential, never sell any of your information, and only use anonymized data for research purposes, and we are also happy to report your testing information and share your work with anyone (your school, employer, etc.) at your request. We hope that you will find this a rewarding learning experience, and we count on your feedback to help us improve this training for future students.

Engaging with this Course

You may browse this course for free to learn for your personal enrichment; there are no requirements.

To obtain a certificate

  • Show in the registration fields that you have the appropriate prerequisites to be certified. This course requires the learner to have already obtained a college-level degree. 
  • Take the brief pre-test.
  • Complete all the reading requirements.
  • Complete all quizzes and pass with a 70% with unlimited attempts..
  • Complete 1 peer activity and associated certification quizzes.
  • Find a mentor and complete the 13 required mentor activities.
  • Successfully complete the final exam with a minimum of 70% and a maximum of 3 attempts.
  • Complete the self and course evaluation forms.

To obtain credit 

  • Complete all requirements listed above for the certificate. 
  • Your learning institution or workplace should approve the partner-university-sponsored NextGenU.org course for educational credit, as they would for their learner taking a course anywhere.  
  • NextGenU.org is happy to provide your institution with:
    • a link to and description of the course training, so they can see all its components, including the cosponsoring universities and other professional organization cosponsors; 
    • your grade on the final exam;
    • your work products (e.g. peer and mentored activities), and any other required or optional shared materials that you produce and authorize to share with them;  
    • your evaluations – course, self, peer, and mentor assessments;
    • a copy of your certificate of completion, with the co-sponsoring universities and other organizations listed.

To obtain a degree co-sponsored with NextGenU.org, registrants must be enrolled in a degree program as a student of a NextGenU.org institutional partner. If you think that your institution might be interested in offering a degree with NextGenU.org contact us.

We hope that you will find this a rewarding learning experience, and we count on your assessment and feedback to help us improve this training for future students.

Next Steps

  • Complete the registration form.
  • Begin the course with Module 1: Basics of Emergency Medicine Patient Care. In each lesson, read the description, complete all required readings and any required activity, and take the corresponding quizzes.