Traditionally, emergency care in Pakistan has not been a priority because of lacking primary care. Resources and trained personnel are scarce. Cultural barriers often supersede the urgency of medical conditions. Despite these challenges, the value of emergency care is gaining significance. The objective of this study is to explore the breadth of emergency medicine training in Pakistan, through an analysis of a teaching hospital with an emergency medicine residency. Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi is a teaching institution with the only emergency medicine residency program in the region. It was started in 2000, led by US-trained physicians, and laid the foundation for emergency medicine in the country.

A review and analysis of the curriculum and clinical duties will be conducted to illustrate the specific roles and training of emergency medicine physicians. A chart review of patients seen in the emergency department during a two-week period will be conducted to determine if the current training is appropriate for the patient population and diseases seen.

This study will provide a view of a curriculum in development and report on unique aspects of the program in relation to other established emergency medicine programs throughout the world. Furthermore, different roles emergency medicine physicians may play in this particular hospital setting will be identified.

Aga Khan University Hospital is a pioneer in establishing emergency medicine as an official discipline in the region. Through an examination of how a program is developing in Pakistan, an invaluable look of how emergency medical care is gaining significance in developing nations will be provided. This will help other nations that are interested in developing such programs to do so.