Abstract

In the Arabian Gulf States (AGS), emergency medicine (EM) is well recognized and established as a specialty and has achieved many advancements in different areas, and in particular the emergency medical services. Board certified EM physicians from both international and national programs are leading the specialty development and progress, with national residency training programs in EM filling the shortage of physicians in the field. Although at a national level the EM organizations, conferences, and journals are available to support the specialty, research in EM is still lagging behind and needs major progression. There is still a big potential for improving the specialty, and many challenges and barriers to overcome. The article is a brief journey on the EM specialty in the AGS, and it reflects the status of EM in this rapidly growing part of the world.

Key words: Emergency medicine, emergency medical services, Arabian Gulf States, residency training programs, disaster medicine, mass gatherings, research