Pediatric emergency in Brazil: the consolidation of an area in the pediatric field

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to present a review on the evolution, development, and consolidation of the pediatric emergency abroad and in Brazil, as well as to discuss the residency program in this key area for pediatricians.

Data sources: This was a narrative review, in which the authors used pre-selected documents utilized as the minimum requirements for the Residency Program in Pediatric Emergency Medicine and articles selected by interest for the theme development, at the SciELO and Medline databases, between 2000 and 2017.

Data synthesis: The historical antecedents and the initial evolution of pediatric emergency in Brazil, as well as several challenges were described, regarding the organization, the size, the training of professionals, and also the regulation of the professional practice in this new specialty. Additionally, a new pediatric emergency residency program to be implemented in Brazil is described.

Conclusions: Pediatric emergency training will be a powerful stimulus to attract talented individuals, to establish them in this key area of medicine, where they can exercise their leadership by promoting care qualification, research, and teaching, as well as acting decisively in their management.

Keywords: Emergency; Emergência; Medical residency; Pediatria; Pediatrics; Programa de ensino; Residência médica; Teaching program.