Emergency medicine is a field of practice based on the knowledge and skills required for the prevention, diagnosis and management of the acute and urgent aspects of illness and injury affecting patients of all age groups with a full spectrum of undifferentiated physical and behavioral disorders. It is a specialty in which time is critical.
An emergency is commonly defined as any condition perceived by the prudent layperson, or someone on his or her behalf, as requiring immediate medical or surgical evaluation and treatment. The practice of emergency medicine has the primary mission of evaluating, managing and providing treatment to these patients with unexpected injury or illness.