Regional highlights in global emergency medicine development.

There are a number of notable trends in the development of EM that have been highlighted at the regional level globally. From the establishment of formal EM training as the standard of care to practice in an ED to the influence of transnational regulatory bodies and financing mechanisms on specialty development and the broad-based issues of health security that affect EM, the specialty continues to grow around the world. As practitioners in each of these regions struggle to respond effectively to the development issues and challenges presented here, they continue to advance EM as one of the more dynamic young specialties in medicine. The regions presented here are as distinctive as the people who practice our specialty; however, in many respects the highlights and challenges are universal. This recognition is perhaps what motivates the appeal for collaboration in international EM development.