ACEP/EMRA Statement on ACGME’s Emergency Medicine Program Length Decision
February 11, 2026
The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) and the Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association (EMRA) support the decision by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) to defer the decision on changes to the training requirements for ACGME-accredited emergency medicine (EM) residencies.
During this process, the EM community shared voices and perspectives on the fundamental issues of training length and educational experiences. Throughout this time of uncertainty and debate, ACEP and EMRA remain focused on ensuring emergency medicine residents have the educational resources, advocacy, and professional support necessary to deliver outstanding patient care and to thrive throughout training and beyond. Our shared goal is unchanged: to ensure that emergency medicine training, regardless of program length, produces superb, practice-ready physicians and strengthens the future of our specialty. ACEP and EMRA believe that residency training requirements must be based upon foundationally sound, evidence-based data. The future of our specialty and those who are considering EM as a career demand that of us.
EMRA and ACEP have been clear in our support of both three- and four-year EM residency programs, an evidence-based position grounded in our commitment to physician workforce stability, educational excellence, and patient-centered outcomes. We agree that training standards can be raised without mandating increased training time.
In its announcement, the ACGME stated that a new process is being identified to collect additional information and continue the review of training standards, including the length of training. EMRA and ACEP strongly advocate for direct, broad stakeholder involvement throughout this process. Any new review process must be transparent and evidence based. EMRA and ACEP believe all feedback offered to date should remain under consideration moving forward.
ACEP and EMRA are ready to collaborate with the rest of the EM community to ensure the decisions made are the right ones for residency training, our patients, and the future of EM.
For a full review of the proposed changes and the issues surrounding it, see our original full statement here
ACEP resource: ACGME Releases Proposed Changes to EM Program Requirements
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