from [Ann Emerg Med. 2006;47:306]
The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) believes that board certification by the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) or the American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine (AOBEM) demonstrates comprehensive training, knowledge, and skill in the practice of emergency medicine.
Certificates of short course completion in various core content areas of emergency medicine may serve as evidence of focused review; however, ABEM or AOBEM certification in emergency medicine supersedes evidence of the completion of such courses.
Accordingly, ACEP strongly discourages the use of certificates of completion of courses such as Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and Basic Trauma Life Support (BTLS), or a specified number of continuing medical education hours in a sub-area of emergency medicine, as requirements for privileges or employment for physicians certified by ABEM or AOBEM.
Certificates of completion of focused courses should only be used as requirements for privileges or employment for ABEM- or AOBEM-certified physicians in connection with new procedures that evolve into the practice of emergency medicine and in which the physicians have not received formal training.