Medical student disaster medicine education: the development of an educational resource

Tutorless board game as an alternative to tabletop exercise for disaster response training: perception of interaction engagement and behavioral intention

BACKGROUND

Although tabletop exercise is a commonly used method for disaster response training, it is labor-intensive, requires a tutor for facilitation and may not be ideal in a pandemic situation. Board game is a low-cost and portable alternative that can be utilized for this purpose. The purpose of this study was to compare the perception of interaction engagement and behavioral intention to use a newly developed board game with tabletop exercise for disaster training.

METHODS

Using the Mechanics-Dynamics-Aesthetics' (MDA) framework, a new, tutorless educational board game known as the Simulated Disaster Management And Response Triage training ("SMARTriage") was first developed for disaster response training. Subsequently, the perceptions of 113 final year medical students on the "SMARTriage" board game was compared with that of tabletop exercise using a crossover design.

RESULTS

Using Wilcoxon signed rank test, it was that found that tabletop exercise was generally rated significantly higher (with p < 0.05) in terms of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and behavioral intention compared to tutorless "SMARTriage" board game. However, in terms of attitude and interaction engagement, there was no significant difference between these two learning methods for most of the items.

CONCLUSION

Although a clear preference for tutorless board game was not demonstrated, this study suggests that board game was not inferior to tabletop exercise in fostering interaction engagement suggesting that "SMARTriage" board game could potentially be used as an adjunct for teaching and learning activities.

Teaching extent and military service improve undergraduate self-assessed knowledge in disaster medicine: An online survey study among Swedish medical and nursing students

Background

The purpose of this study was to identify the possible needs for undergraduate disaster medicine education in Sweden and to make informed recommendations for the implementation of disaster medicine content in medical and nursing schools in Sweden.

Methods

An online survey was distributed to undergraduate medical and nursing students through the directors of all medical and nursing programs at Swedish universities. The survey contained demographic questions, as well as questions about the amount of disaster medical education and previous experience with rescue, police, or military services. The final survey page contained self-assessments of disaster medical knowledge. Comparative statistics were applied between nursing and medical students, those with previous military service, and those without, as well as between universities.

Results

A total of 500 medical and 408 nursing students participated in this study. A median of 2 h of disaster medicine education was provided to senior medical students and 4 h was provided to senior nursing students. Senior medical students scored their disaster medical knowledge lower than nursing students (t-test, p &lt; 0.001). A proportion of 1% had served in rescue services or police, and 7% of the participants had a history of military service, of which 67% served in a medical role. Those who had served in rescue services, police, or the armed forces had a higher self-assessed disaster medical knowledge base than those who had not (p &lt; 0.007 and p &lt; 0.001, respectively).

Conclusion

Most medical and nursing students in this study rated their disaster medical knowledge as insufficient. The correlation between the amount of disaster medical education and self-assessed disaster medical knowledge should influence and help direct Swedish educational policies.

An Adapted Hybrid Model for Hands-On Practice on Disaster and Military Medicine Education in Undergraduate Medical Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in substantial impacts on all aspects of medical education. Modern health systems must prepare for a wide variety of catastrophic scenarios, including emerging infectious disease outbreaks and human and natural disasters. During the COVID-19 pandemic, while the use of traditional teaching methods has decreased, the use of online-based teaching methods has increased. COVID-19 itself and the accompanying infection control measures have restricted full-scale practice. Therefore, we developed an adapted hybrid model that retained adequate hands-on practice and educational equality, and we applied it with a group of undergraduate medical students participating in a mandatory disaster education course in a military medical school.

Methods

The course covered the acquisition of skills used in emergency and trauma scenarios through designated interdisciplinary modules on disaster responses. Several asynchronous and synchronous online webinars were used in this one-credit mandatory disaster and military medicine education course. To allow opportunities for hands-on practice and ensure education equality, the students were divided into 15 groups, with 12 students in each group. The hands-on practice exercises were also recorded and disseminated to the students in the designated area for online learning.

Results

A total of 164 3rd-year medical students participated in this mandatory disaster and military medicine course during the COVID-19 pandemic. The satisfaction survey response rate was 96.5%. The students were satisfied with the whole curriculum (3.8/5). Most of the free-text comments regarding the course represented a high level of appreciation. The students felt more confident in the knowledge and skills they gained in hands-on exercises than they did in the knowledge and skills they gained in online exercises. The students showed significant improvements in knowledge after the course.

Conclusions

We demonstrated that this adapted hybrid arrangement provided an enhanced learning experience, but we also found that medical students were more confident in their knowledge and skills when they had real hands-on practice.

Digital adaptation of teaching disaster and deployment medicine under COVID-19 conditions: a comparative evaluation over 5 years

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only brought many aspects of disaster medicine into everyday awareness but also led to a massive change in medical teaching due to the necessity of contact restrictions. This study aimed to evaluate student acceptance of a curricular elective module on disaster and deployment medicine over a 5-year period and to present content adjustments due to COVID-19 restrictions.

METHODS

Since 2016, 8 semesters of the curricular elective module took place in face-to-face teaching (pre-COVID-19 group). From the summer semester of 2020 to the summer semester of 2021, 3 semesters took place as online and hybrid courses (mid-COVID-19 group). Student attitudes and knowledge gains were measured using pretests, posttests, and final evaluations. These data were statistically compared across years, and new forms of teaching under COVID-19 conditions were examined in more detail.

RESULTS

A total of 189 students participated in the module from the summer semester of 2016 through the summer semester of 2021 (pre-COVID-19: n = 138; mid-COVID-19: n = 51). There was a high level of satisfaction with the module across all semesters, with no significant differences between the groups. There was also no significant difference between the two cohorts in terms of knowledge gain, which was always significant (p < 0.05). COVID-19 adaptations included online seminars using Microsoft Teams or Zoom, the interactive live-streaming of practical training components, and digital simulation games.

CONCLUSION

The high level of satisfaction and knowledge gained during the module did not change even under a digital redesign of the content offered. The curricular elective module was consistently evaluated positively by the students, and the adaptation to online teaching was well accepted. Experiences with digital forms of teaching should also be used after the COVID-19 pandemic to create digitally supported blended learning concepts in the field of deployment and disaster medicine and thus further promote the expansion of teaching in this important medical field.

Development and Evaluation of Innovative and Practical Table-top Exercises Based on a Real Mass-Casualty Incident

PURPOSE

The aim of this work was to develop a table-top exercise (TTX) program for mass-casualty incident (MCI) response based on a real incident to evaluate the program.

METHODS

The TTX program was developed based on the 8 TTX design steps. Convenience sampling was adopted to recruit recently graduated physicians in China. After the TTX training, the participants completed a self-designed questionnaire, as well as the Simulation Design Scale (SDS) and Educational Practices in Simulation Scale (EPSS).

RESULTS

In total, 148 valid questionnaires were collected. The difficulty score of the TTX program was 3.69 ± 0.8. The participants evaluated the program highly, with a score of 4.72 ± 0.54 out of 5. Both the SDS and the EPSS had average scores higher than 4.5. Guided reflection/feedback (M = 4.68, SD = 0.41) and fidelity (M =4.66, SD = 0.57) were the 2 highest-rated SDS subscales. For the EPSS, diverse ways of learning and collaboration were the 2 highest-rated subscales. Multivariate stepwise regression analysis showed that the participants' evaluations of the TTX training course were related to the EPSS score, the difficulty rating, the evaluation of the instructional props, and the degree of participant involvement (F = 24.385, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

A TTX program for MCIs was developed based on the 2014 Shanghai New Year Crush. The TTX kit is practical and sophisticated, and it provides an effective strategy for MCI training.

Disaster medical education for pharmacy students using video recordings of practical disaster drills

INTRODUCTION

This study created video-based educational materials for pharmacists' disaster response using video recordings of disaster drills to evaluate the feasibility of online education for teaching evacuation shelter management.

METHODS

Video materials were created from an actual disaster drill held at the Hirakata campus of Setsunan University and were provided to second-year pharmacy students as part of their classes. We conducted a questionnaire survey before and after the video intervention to evaluate participants' attitudes toward providing support during disasters, awareness of pharmacists' role in disaster relief, and willingness to participate in disaster drills.

RESULTS

A comparison of the pre- and post-intervention questionnaire results showed that the intervention enhanced participants' understanding of pharmacists' role in disaster medicine. The factor analysis, cluster analysis, and the amount of change showed that the video materials vividly conveyed the confusion of a disaster to the participants and helped them imagine experiencing and responding to a disaster.

CONCLUSION

The findings showed the feasibility of using video-based educational materials to vividly convey the chaos that challenges medical personnel during disaster-response efforts. This method provides a safe way to prepare students who might be called upon to work in emergency conditions and stimulate interest in disaster medicine. Ideally, this and similar interventions will become part of an extensive toolbox of empirically-based disaster preparedness educational materials.

Covid-19 and Ukrainian Crisis Exponentiates the Need for the Inclusion of Conflict and Disaster Medicine in Medical Curriculum

Conflict medicine is an age-old branch of medicine which focuses on delivering healthcare services to the injured in the setting of conflicts, wars, disasters, and/or other calamities. The course in its purest form has been traditionally given only in military medical schools while civilian medical students are usually taught parts of the course in other overlapping subjects like surgery, infectious diseases, etc. However, in a crisis situation, civilian doctors are expected to double up as military doctors, which leads to emotional, mental, and physical stress for the civilian doctors along with logistical and organizational challenges. The current Covid-19 pandemic and the Russo-Ukrainian conflict have highlighted once again the emergent need for the implementation of conflict medicine courses in regular medical curricula, so as to make the medical students situation-ready. With our present discussion, we aim to provide a brief overview of the course, its core modules, challenges to its implementation, and possible solutions. We believe that the complex management skills gained by this course are not only useful in conflict scenario but are also valuable in managing day-to-day medical emergencies.

Presentation and evaluation of a modern course in disaster medicine and humanitarian assistance for medical students

BACKGROUND

Disaster medicine is a component of the German medical education since 2003. Nevertheless, studies have shown some inconsistencies within the implementation of the national curriculum, and limits in the number of students trained over the years. Recently, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and other disasters have called attention to the importance of training medical students in disaster medicine on a coordinated basis. The aim of this study is to present and evaluate the disaster medicine and humanitarian assistance course, which was developed in the University of Tübingen, Germany.

METHODS

The University Clinic for Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine in Tübingen expanded the existing curriculum of undergraduate disaster medicine training with fundamentals of humanitarian medicine, integrating distance learning, interactive teaching and simulation sessions in a 40 h course for third-, fourth- and fifth- year medical students. This prospective and cross-sectional study evaluates the Disaster Medicine and Humanitarian Assistance course carried out over five semesters during the period between 2018 and 2020. Three survey tools were used to assess participants' previous experiences and interest in the field of disaster medicine, to compare the subjective and objective level of knowledge before and after training, and to evaluate the course quality.

RESULTS

The total number of medical students attending the five courses was n = 102 of which n = 60 females (59%) and n = 42 males (41%). One hundred two students entered the mandatory knowledge assessment, with the rate of correct answers passing from 73.27% in the pre-test to 95.23% in the post-test (t [101] = 18.939, p < .001, d = 1.88). To determine the subjective perception of knowledge data were collected from 107 observations. Twenty-five did not complete the both questionnaires. Out of a remaining sample of 82 observations, the subjective perception of knowledge increased after the course (t [81] = 24.426, p < .001, d = 2.69), alongside with the interest in engaging in the field of disaster medicine (t [81] = 7.031, p < .001, d = .78). The 93.46% of the medical students (n = 100) graded the training received with an excellent overall score (1.01 out of 6).

CONCLUSION

The study indicates a significant increase in students' understanding of disaster medicine using both subjective and objective measurements, as well as an increase interest in the field of disaster medicine and humanitarian assistance. Whereas former studies showed insufficient objective knowledge regarding disaster medical practices as well as subjective insecurities about their skills and knowledge to deal with disaster scenarios, the presented course seems to overcome these deficiencies preparing future physicians with the fundamentals of analysis and response to disasters. The development and successful implementation of this course is a first step towards fulfilling disaster medicine education requirements, appearing to address the deficiencies documented in previous studies. A possible adaptation with virtual reality approaches could expand access to a larger audience. Further effort must be made to develop also international training programs, which should be a mandatory component of medical schools' curricula.

Ethics Education in COVID-19: Preclinical Medical Students' Approach to Ventilator Allocation

Introduction COVID-19 has confronted clinicians with a potential need to ration ventilators. There is little guidance for training medical students to make such decisions in future practice. How students would make ventilator triage decisions remains unknown. Methods One hundred fifty-three medical students in 18 problem-based learning groups participated in a ventilator-rationing exercise in April 2020 as part of an ethics curriculum adapted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students were provided with a prompt requiring fictional patients to be prioritized for ventilators in the face of scarce resources. The authors reviewed group responses, tallied triage criteria, and identified approaches to triage decisions. Results The most common triage criteria were patient comorbidities, clinical status, age/life stage, prognosis, life expectancy, and an individual's role in pandemic response. Additional criteria included quality of life, ventilator availability, public perception, and patient need. Students approached triage decisions by developing systems for triage, appealing to empirical evidence and academic literature, making value judgments, and identifying adjuncts and alternatives to triage. Discussion With minimal input from educators, students learned key ethical principles in triage medicine, recapitulated approaches to triage described in the clinical and bioethics literature, and suggested methods for tolerating distress of complex ethical decisions. Medical education should equip students to critically consider bioethical concerns in triage and prepare for possible moral distress during public health crises.

Motivations for and Challenges in the Development of Global Medical Curricula: A Scoping Review

PURPOSE

The aim of this scoping review is to understand the motivations for the creation of global medical curricula, summarize methods that have been used to create these curricula, and understand the perceived premises for the creation of these curricula.

METHOD

In 2018, the authors used a comprehensive search strategy to identify papers on existing efforts to create global medical curricula published from 1998 to March 29, 2018, in the following databases: MEDLINE; MEDLINE Epub Ahead of Print, In-Process, and Other Non-Indexed Citations; Embase; Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; PsycINFO; CINAHL; ERIC; Scopus; African Index Medicus; and LILACS. There were no language restrictions. Two independent researchers applied the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Demographic data were abstracted from publications and summarized. The stated purposes, methods used for the development, stated motivations, and reported challenges of curricula were coded.

RESULTS

Of the 18,684 publications initially identified, 137 met inclusion criteria. The most common stated purposes for creating curricula were to define speciality-specific standards (50, 30%), to harmonize training standards (38, 23%), and to improve the quality or safety of training (31, 19%). The most common challenges were intercountry variation (including differences in health care systems, the operationalization of medical training, and sociocultural differences; 27, 20%), curricular implementation (20, 15%), and the need for a multistakeholder approach (6, 4%). Most curricula were developed by a social group (e.g., committee; 30, 45%) or Delphi or modified Delphi process (22, 33%).

CONCLUSIONS

The challenges of intercountry variation, the need for a multistakeholder approach, and curricular implementation need to be considered if concerns about curricular relevance are to be addressed. These challenges undoubtedly impact the uptake of global medical curricula and can only be addressed by explicit efforts to make curricula applicable to the realities of diverse health care settings.

Quality Improvement Amid a Global Pandemic: A Virtual Curriculum for Medical Students in the Time of COVID-19

INTRODUCTION

The COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020 necessitated the removal of medical students from direct patient care activities to prevent disease spread and to conserve personal protective equipment. In order for medical student education to continue, virtual and online electives were designed and implemented expeditiously. We created a virtual curriculum that taught quality improvement (QI) skills within the context of the global pandemic.

METHODS

This 4-week curriculum enrolled 16 students. Students completed the revised QI knowledge application tool (QIKAT-R) before and after the course to assess QI knowledge. Students completed prereading, online modules, and received lectures on QI and incident command systems. Each group designed their own QI project related to our hospital system's response to the pandemic. Finally, groups presented their projects at a peer symposium and completed peer evaluations.

RESULTS

Students' QIKAT-R scores improved throughout the course from a mean of 5.5 (SD = 1.3) to a mean of 7.5 (SD = 1.1; p < 0.001). Students reported that the virtual learning experience delivered the material effectively, and all students agreed that they would participate in QI work in the future.

DISCUSSION

Patient safety and QI topics are content areas for multiple medical licensing examinations. Virtual learning is an effective way to deliver QI content to medical students and residents, especially when projects are trainee-led, QI-trained faculty serve as mentors, and the projects harmonize with institutional goals. Our virtual pandemic-focused curriculum has demonstrated efficacy in increasing medical student QI knowledge.

Teaching Disaster Medicine With a Novel Game-Based Computer Application: A Case Study at Sichuan University

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluates the effectiveness of our game-based pedagogical technique by comparing the learning, enjoyment, interest, and motivation of medical students who learned about best practices for patient surge in a natural disaster with a novel game-based computer application, with those of medical students who learned about it with a traditional lecture.

METHODS

We conducted our study by modifying an existing optional course in disaster medicine that we taught at Sichuan University. More specifically, in 2017, while our application was still in development, we taught this course by lecture. In this iteration, 63 third-grade medical students voluntarily joined our course as our 'lecture group.' Once our application was complete in 2018, 68 third-grade medical students voluntarily joined this course as the 'game group.' We examined the different effects of these learning methods on student achievement using pre -, post -, and final tests.

RESULTS

Both teaching methods significantly increased short-term knowledge and there was no statistical difference between the 2 methods (p > 0.05). However, the game group demonstrated significantly higher knowledge retention than the traditional lecture group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Our game-based computer application proved to be an effective tool for teaching medical students best practices for caring for patient surge in a natural disaster.

Development of a Medical Support Training Program for Disaster Management in Indonesia: A Hospital Disaster Medical Support Program for Indonesia

Disasters are often unforeseen events. Hospitals form a critical component of any country's disaster management medical support system. To ensure optimal operations, minimize chaos, and allow flexibility in response, planning and practice are crucial. Singapore Health Services (SingHealth) collaborated with Hasanuddin University (UnHas) in Makassar, Indonesia, to develop a Hospital Disaster Medical Support (HDMS) program for the province of South Sulawesi, Indonesia. An assessment of the needs of the hospitals in Makassar, Indonesia, for disaster preparedness was carried out. A curriculum for the HDMS program was developed based on the assessment. Discussions with stakeholders of various hospitals were held for the implementation of this program. A total of 310 participants were trained in this program over the two-year period. The feedback from the participants was positive. The exercises provided a more realistic simulation of the concepts of hospital management in a disaster situation. Up to 73 persons were also trained as program instructors during this period. The development of the cadre of instructors in hospital disaster medical support will likely help sustain the program for the next few years.

[Relevance of disaster and deployment medicine for medical students : A pilot study based on an interdisciplinary lecture series]

BACKGROUND

The global rise of conflicts and catastrophes causes new challenges for western healthcare systems. There are obvious parallels between civilian disaster medicine and military combat care. The integration of disaster and deployment medicine into the medical curriculum thus seems necessary.

OBJECTIVE

What do medical students think about disaster and deployment medicine as part of the curriculum? Does participation in a voluntary disaster medicine course affect their view?

MATERIAL AND METHODS

While participating in an extracurricular lecture series on disaster and deployment medicine students (group 1) were asked about their personal views and prior experience in disaster medicine (20 questions). Students who did not attend the lecture (group 2) functioned as the control group. The statistical evaluation was performed descriptively and using Student's t test for independent subgroups.

RESULTS

The questionnaire was completed by 152 students (group 1: n = 78, group 2: n = 74). Only 10 students in group 1 and none in group 2 felt they had received an adequate amount of teaching in the field of disaster medicine. Medical students in both groups considered disaster medicine to be inadequately represented in the medical curriculum (group 1: 64% and group 2: 66%). Both groups were in favor of further expanding teaching in the field of disaster medicine (group 1: 72%, group 2: 54%, p = 0.001) and the development of e‑learning tools (group 1: 73%, group 2: 72%).

DISCUSSION

The medical students questioned considered disaster and deployment medicine to be an integral part of the curriculum. Despite some statistical differences between the two groups, the survey showed that medical students possess a great interest in disaster medicine. Both groups were in favor of further integrating e‑learning tools. A regular inclusion of disaster and deployment medicine into the spectrum of medical student teaching is warranted.

Pilot study of a longitudinal integrated disaster and military medicine education program for undergraduate medical students

Disaster medicine education in medical curricula is scarce and frequently nonexistent. It is reasonable to initiate educational approaches for physicians in this field at the medical school level. An understanding of disaster medicine and the health care system during massive casualty incidents has been recommended as an integral part of the medical curriculum in the United States and Germany.The goal of the reformed curriculum was to develop a longitudinal integrated disaster and military medicine education program extending from the first year to the sixth year based on previously separated clinical and military medicine topics. Emergency medicine physicians, military emergency medical technicians, and Tactical Combat Casualty Care instructors formed an interprofessional faculty group and designed a learning curriculum.A total of 230 medical students participated in the revised disaster preparedness curriculum. Satisfaction survey response rates were high (201/230, 87.4%). Most of the free-text comments on the program were highly appreciative. The students considered the number of teaching hours for the whole program to be adequate. The students showed significant improvements in knowledge and judgment regarding disaster medicine after the program.We found that medical students were highly interested, were appreciative of, and actively participated in this longitudinal integrated disaster and military medicine education program, but gaps existed between the students' scores and the educators' expectations. The educators believed that the students needed more disaster preparedness knowledge and skills.

Evaluation of Disaster Medicine Preparedness among Healthcare Profession Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in Pakistan

Background: Disasters are devastating incidents, especially when occurring suddenly and causing damage, great loss of life, or suffering. Disasters can affect health and the social and economic development of a nation. The article analyzes the knowledge (K), attitude (A), and readiness to practice (rP) of healthcare professional students in universities in Pakistan. Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study using a pretested and validated self-administered disaster medicine and preparedness questionnaire. The study recruited 310 students. Responses were scored and categorized as high (75th quartile), moderate (75-25th quartiles), and low (25th quartile). Independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and regression analyses were performed at an alpha level of 0.05. Results: The study found that most of the students had moderate knowledge, attitude, readiness to practice, and total KArP scores. All K, A, and rP scores were significantly correlated with overall KArP scores. Knowledge and attitude factors were significant predictors of readiness to practice. Conclusions: We strongly believe that educators and health policymakers should build a strong curriculum in disaster medicine management and preparedness to prepare competent future healthcare professionals for the nation.

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Readiness to Practice Regarding Disaster Medicine and Preparedness Among University Health Students

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge (K), attitude (A), and readiness to practice (rP) levels regarding disaster medicine and preparedness among health profession students at Qatar University.

METHODS

A survey-based study was carried out to assess medical, pharmacy, and health sciences students' KArP levels using pretested and validated questionnaire. Student's t-test, analysis of variance, correlation, and linear regression were used with an alpha level of 0.05.

RESULTS

The difference in the mean KArP level between genders was not significant (P > 0.05). Students from the College of Health Sciences had significantly higher KArP levels than those from the College of Pharmacy (101.5 vs 90.0; P = 0.033). Overall, Qatari students had better knowledge, attitude, and readiness to practice scores and total KArP scores than non-Qatari students. Moreover, students who were born in Qatar also had better knowledge, attitude, and readiness to practice scores and total KArP scores than students who were born outside Qatar. Significant direct moderate correlations were found among the 3 KArP parameters (P < 0.001). Knowledge and attitudes were indicated to be significant predictors of readiness to practice (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Students from the health colleges at Qatar University have moderate disaster medicine preparedness.

Deployment and Disaster Medicine in an Undergraduate Teaching Module

INTRODUCTION

Modern health systems have to respond to a wide variety of catastrophic scenarios, from natural disasters to terror attacks. It is reasonable to already start educational approaches for physicians in this field at medical school level. An approach combining civilian disaster medicine and military deployment medicine can be beneficial both for clinical strategies and in undergraduate teaching.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A curricular 4-week teaching module on "deployment and disaster medicine," interdisciplinarily combining over 12 medical specialties, was launched in the summer semester of 2016 at a civilian medical school. The course was integrated into the undergraduate curriculum by learning spirals. Teaching formats encompassed a total of 72 hours of seminars, clinical case discussions, group work, e-Learning, and practical training. The students' gain in knowledge was analyzed with pre/post-multiple-choice tests and their attitude towards the offer was evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 51 students participated in the module over three semesters. The evaluation revealed that the students were highly satisfied with the offer and felt motivated to increase their engagement with the topic. The students additionally valued the course as a good means of deepening the core curriculum. The pre/post-tests showed a significant gain in knowledge among the students (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The course presented received an overall highly positive feedback from the participating students. The experience of this approach suggests that the combination of civilian and military knowledge and expertise in deployment and disaster medicine may lead to the creation of effective interdisciplinary course concepts.

Development and evaluation of an elective course of pharmacist's roles in disaster management in France

PURPOSE

To describe Faculty of Pharmacy experience in the development of an elective course of pharmacist's roles in disaster management for third-year pharmacy students and to evaluate the effectiveness of this innovative teaching module in students' knowledge and their perception of the introduction of this specific course into their curriculum.

METHODS

An expert team of physicians, surgeons and pharmacists of the Service de Santé des Armées, pharmacists teaching at the Faculty and pharmacists of Bataillon des Marins Pompiers de Marseille defined the program of a 30-hour module in disaster response in line with previously published recommendations, literature analysis and international guidelines on disaster response training. Students' knowledge of key competencies was assessed after each teaching session through a multiple-choice questionnaire. Assessment of self-perceived students' knowledge, teaching quality and students' degree of satisfaction was carried out using a volunteer survey just after the last teaching, the November 15th.

RESULTS

The creation of the final curriculum resulted in a course of 6 modules. Concerning the students' knowledge of key competencies, a mean score of 19/25 for the multiple-choice questionnaire was obtained. 98.3% of students reported that this teaching allowed them to improve their knowledge in the field of pharmacist's roles in disaster management. 79.3% of them will recommend this optional course.

CONCLUSION

This teaching represents a potential to increase the number of pharmacists prepared to respond to disasters. It also expands students' understanding of pharmacist's roles and stimulates their interest in emergency preparedness. Further formation, including emergency simulation in mass triage will be conducted next year.

Needs Assessment for Standardized Educational Program for Iranian Medical Students in Crisis and Disaster Management

INTRODUCTION

Early education and training are mandatory to raise the knowledge and awareness of the healthcare staff. Iran is a disaster prone area with a high number of emergencies. This study aimed to assess the need for disaster and emergency management education for Iranian medical students.

METHODS

Using two-round Delphi technique in 2017, 15 experts within the field of disaster and emergency management were asked for their opinions concerning the education required for Iranian medical students. Highly important educational domains and their sub-domains selected with an agreement of above 70-80% were prioritized by AHP technique.

RESULTS

Of 41 identified and prioritized educational subjects, four main groups were obtained: 1) crisis and disaster primary concepts, 2) disease control skills, 3) management skills, and 4) medical care skills. The medical care skills had the highest priority (with a weight of 0.546), compared to other areas after the final analysis.

CONCLUSION

Different areas of competency are needed to raise awareness and preparedness in medical students in combating crisis and disasters. We propose a curriculum for Iranian medical students and suggest it to be used for other professionals, who are involved in the process of disaster management.

Needs Assessment for Standardized Educational Program for Iranian Medical Students in Crisis and Disaster Management

INTRODUCTION

Early education and training are mandatory to raise the knowledge and awareness of the healthcare staff. Iran is a disaster prone area with a high number of emergencies. This study aimed to assess the need for disaster and emergency management education for Iranian medical students.

METHODS

Using two-round Delphi technique in 2017, 15 experts within the field of disaster and emergency management were asked for their opinions concerning the education required for Iranian medical students. Highly important educational domains and their sub-domains selected with an agreement of above 70-80% were prioritized by AHP technique.

RESULTS

Of 41 identified and prioritized educational subjects, four main groups were obtained: 1) crisis and disaster primary concepts, 2) disease control skills, 3) management skills, and 4) medical care skills. The medical care skills had the highest priority (with a weight of 0.546), compared to other areas after the final analysis.

CONCLUSION

Different areas of competency are needed to raise awareness and preparedness in medical students in combating crisis and disasters. We propose a curriculum for Iranian medical students and suggest it to be used for other professionals, who are involved in the process of disaster management.

Design and implementation of a medical student hazardous materials response team: the Medical Student HazMat Team

Background

To design and implement a replicable disaster training curriculum for the first on-call medical student hazardous materials response team.

Methods

Twenty-eight first-year medical students participated in a simulated citywide bioterrorism disaster drill. Students were notified of the Code Orange via email, a pager system, and group SMS text message. Twenty-five students participated in the drill, while the three remaining student leaders worked with the ED staff and HazMat Branch Director to ensure that all protocols were followed properly. Five groups of five students took turns donning HazMat gear, decontaminating three mannequins (an infant, a child, and an unconscious adult), and then safely removing the gear.

Results

All modes of communication were received within 5 min, and all the students arrived at the ED within 20 min. The decontamination was determined to be sufficient by the team leader, Emergency Department staff, and HazMat Branch Director and was completed approximately 10 min after the entrance to the decontamination chamber.

Conclusions

Current US medical school curricula lack emergency preparedness training in response to potential terrorist attacks and hazardous material exposures. Our program, while still in its early workings, not only allows students to develop critical knowledge and practical skills but also provides a unique opportunity to leverage much-needed manpower and resources during emergency situations.

START versus SALT Triage: Which is Preferred by the 21st Century Health Care Student?

IntroductionWhile the art and science of disaster triage continue to evolve, the education of the US health care student in matters pertaining to disaster preparedness and response remains stifled. Unfortunately, these students will be assuming major decision-making responsibilities regarding catastrophes that will be complicated by climate change, nuclear threats, global terrorism, and pandemics. Meanwhile, Sort, Assess, Life-Saving Interventions, Treatment, and/or Transport (SALT) triage is being advocated over the globally popular Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment (START) algorithm for multiple reasons: (1) it's an all-hazard approach; (2) it has four medical interventions; and (3) it has an additional triage color for victims with non-survivable injuries.Hypothesis/ProblemAs present-day threats become more ominous and health care education emphasizes the needs of vulnerable populations and palliative care, the authors hypothesize that, when given a choice, health care students will prefer SALT triage.

METHODS

A convenience sample of 218 interprofessional, disaster-naïve health care students received just-in-time, unbiased education on both START and SALT triage systems. Students then completed a survey asking them to decide which triage system they believe would be most effective in their community.

RESULTS

A total of 123 health care students (56.4%) preferred SALT while 95 (43.6%) preferred START; however, only the physician assistant students showed a statistically significantly preference (28 versus six, respectively; P=.042). Interestingly, there was also a statistically significant difference in preference by gender (Chi-square=5.02; P=.025) of the observed distribution versus expected distribution in SALT and START. The females preferred SALT (61.0%) while the males preferred START (55.9%).Among those who preferred START, START being easier to learn was the most important reason cited. Among those who preferred SALT, the most important reason cited was that the number of patient triage categories seemed more logical, comprehensible, and consistent with traditional medical care.

CONCLUSION

While SALT's preference among females and physician assistant students was based on the addition of medical interventions and the provision of palliative care, START's preference was related to expediency. Based on this research, incorporating disaster concepts into US health care students' curricula encourages thoughtful consideration among the future health care leaders about the most effective approach to triage care. It is critical that further research be completed to determine, without reservation, which triage system will not only save the most lives but provide the most humane care to victims.Fink BN, Rega PP, Sexton ME, Wishner C. START versus SALT triage: which is preferred by the 21st century health care student? Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(4):381-386.

Disaster Preparedness Medical School Elective: Bridging the Gap Between Volunteer Eagerness and Readiness

OBJECTIVE

Eager medical students may not be prepared for unanticipated complexities of disaster response. This study aimed to answer 2 questions: does an online disaster preparedness curriculum create a convenient method to educate medical students and motivate them to be better prepared to volunteer?

METHODS

An online disaster preparedness elective was created for medical students. Four modules were created using Softchalk and hosted on the Blackboard Learning Management System. Students completed embedded pre-elective, post-lesson, and post-elective surveys.

RESULTS

Fifty-five students completed the elective. When posed with the statement, "I feel prepared for an emergency at the University or the immediate area," 70% stated that they disagreed or strongly disagreed before the elective. Subsequently, only 11% claimed to disagree after the elective. At the conclusion of the elective, 13% of students had prepared a personal emergency kit and 28% had prepared a family communication plan for reunification. Students were surveyed on the statement "I would like to be involved in a community disaster response while continuing my medical training." Ninety-four percent claimed to agree or strongly agree before the elective, and 93% stated the same after elective completion.

CONCLUSIONS

This disaster preparedness elective was envisioned to be a resource for students. Advantages of online availability are ease of student access and minimal demand on faculty resources. A voluntary, self-paced online elective in disaster preparedness has shown to create a stronger interest in disaster participation in medical students. Student readiness to volunteer improved; however, willingness remained stagnant.

How do national specialty groups develop undergraduate guidelines for medical schools, and which are successful? A systematic review

PURPOSE

To better understand the steps undertaken by medical specialties to develop and implement undergraduate national, and international, educational guidelines for use in medical schools, and to find what makes them successful in terms of uptake and knowledge.

METHODS

Systematic review of databases to find inter- and nationally-created undergraduate medical specialty guidelines, and descriptions of development and analysis, from 1998 to January 2015.

RESULTS

Ninety six eligible papers were found, covering 59 different guidelines in 32 specialties. Five documented from development to revision. Development often required multiple stages and methods, 10 using the Delphi technique. Twenty two guidelines mapped to recommended government standards. Twenty papers analyzed curricula. No guideline was used in every relevant medical school.

CONCLUSIONS

This is a comprehensive review of the processes involved in creating international and national guidelines, with emphasis of key points for those considering similar undertakings. These include thorough needs analysis of multiple groups involved in the delivery of the curriculum; and engagement of relevant parties throughout development, to ensure relevance and increase buy-in. Flexibility is important, to allow use in medical schools with different methods of teaching. Ongoing evaluation and update are also critical steps that must not be forgotten.

Self-Perception of Medical Students' Knowledge and Interest in Disaster Medicine: Nine Years After the Approval of the Curriculum in German Universities

BACKGROUND

Following the recommendations of the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM; Madison, Wisconsin USA) to develop standards for training the undergraduates in disaster-relevant fields (2004), a German curriculum was approved in 2006. This paper aims to describe the level of training and interest of medical students nine years later. Problem The aim of this study was to assess the self-perception of medical students' knowledge and interest in disaster medicine nine years after the implementation of a standardized disaster medicine curriculum in German medical schools.

METHODS

This prospective, cross-sectional, observational study was conducted with medical students in Germany using a web-based, purpose-designed questionnaire consisting of 27 mandatory and 11 optional questions.

RESULTS

Nine hundred ninety-two students from 36 of 37 medical schools in Germany participated. More than one-half of medical students were aware of the field of disaster medicine. One hundred twenty-one students undertook training internally within their university and 307 undertook training externally at other institutions. Only a small content of the curriculum was taught. A difference in self-perception of knowledge between trained and untrained participants was found, despite the level of training being low in both groups. Participants were generally highly motivated to learn disaster medicine in a variety of institutions.

CONCLUSION

German students are still largely not well educated regarding disaster medicine, despite their high motivation. The curriculum of 2006 was not implemented as originally planned and the number of trained students still remains low as the self-perception of knowledge. Currently, there is no clear and standardized training concept in place. A renewal in the agreement of implementation of the curriculum at medical schools should be targeted in order to follow the recommendation of WADEM. Wunderlich R Ragazzoni L Ingrassia PL Della Corte F Grundgeiger J Bickelmayer JW Domres B . Self-perception of medical students' knowledge and interest in disaster medicine: nine years after the approval of the curriculum in German universities. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(4):374-381.

Academic Responses to Fukushima Disaster

Since radiation accidents, particularly nuclear disasters, are rarer than other types of disasters, a comprehensive radiation disaster medical curriculum for them is currently unavailable. The Fukushima compound disaster has urged the establishment of a new medical curriculum in preparation for any future complex disaster. The medical education will aim to aid decision making on various health risks for workers, vulnerable people, and residents addressing each phase in the disaster. Herein, we introduce 3 novel educational programs that have been initiated to provide students, professionals, and leaders with the knowledge of and skills to elude the social consequences of complex nuclear disasters. The first program concentrates on radiation disaster medicine for medical students at the Fukushima Medical University, together with a science, technology, and society module comprising various topics, such as public risk communication, psychosocial consequences of radiation anxiety, and decision making for radiation disaster. The second program is a Phoenix Leader PhD degree at the Hiroshima University, which aims to develop future leaders who can address the associated scientific, environmental, and social issues. The third program is a Joint Graduate School of Master’s degree in the Division of Disaster and Radiation Medical Sciences at the Nagasaki University and Fukushima Medical University.

Evaluation of a new community-based curriculum in disaster medicine for undergraduates

BACKGROUND

Nowadays, many medical schools include training in disaster medicine in undergraduate studies. This study evaluated the efficacy of a disaster medicine curriculum recently designed for Saudi Arabian medical students.

METHODS

Participants were 15 male and 14 female students in their fourth, fifth or sixth year at Jazan University Medical School, Saudi Arabia. The course was held at the Research Center in Emergency and Disaster Medicine and Computer Sciences Applied to the Medical Practice in Novara, Italy.

RESULTS

The overall mean score on a test given before the course was 41.0 % and it increased to 67.7 % on the post-test (Wilcoxon test for paired samples: z = 4.71, p < 0.0001). There were no significant differences between the mean scores of males and females, or between students in their fourth, fifth or sixth year of medical school.

CONCLUSIONS

These results show that this curriculum is effective for teaching disaster medicine to undergraduate medical students. Adoption of this course would help to increase the human resources available for dealing with disaster situations.

Are Belgian military students in medical sciences better educated in disaster medicine than their civilian colleagues?

Introduction

Historically, medical students have been deployed to care for disaster victims but may not have been properly educated to do so. A previous evaluation of senior civilian medical students in Belgium revealed that they are woefully unprepared. Based on the nature of their military training, we hypothesised that military medical students were better educated and prepared than their civilian counterparts for disasters. We evaluated the impact of military training on disaster education in medical science students.

Methods

Students completed an online survey on disaster medicine, training, and knowledge, tested using a mixed set of 10 theoretical and practical questions. The results were compared with those of a similar evaluation of senior civilian medical students.

Results

The response rate was 77.5%, mean age 23 years and 59% were males. Overall, 95% of military medical students received some chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear training and 22% took part in other disaster management training; 44% perceived it is absolutely necessary that disaster management should be incorporated into the regular curriculum. Self-estimated knowledge ranged from 3.75 on biological incidents to 4.55 on influenza pandemics, based on a 10-point scale. Intention to respond in case of an incident ranged from 7 in biological incidents to 7.25 in chemical incidents. The mean test score was 5.52; scores improved with educational level attained. A comparison of survey data from civilian senior medical master students revealed that, except for influenza pandemic, military students scored higher on knowledge and capability, even though only 27% of them were senior master students. Data on willingness to work are comparable between the two groups. Results of the question/case set were significantly better for the military students.

Conclusions

The military background and training of these students makes them better prepared for disaster situations than their civilian counterparts.

Disaster medicine education for medical students: Is it a real need?

BACKGROUND

Disasters are serious public health problems that have increased over the last century. This study evaluated the familiarity and training needs of medical students regarding disaster medicine in Qassim University College of Medicine (QUCOM).

METHODOLOGY

A mixed quantitative and qualitative study was conducted in which students in the clinical phase were asked to respond to a questionnaire. Clinical teachers of the college, emergency physicians and health administrators were interviewed for the qualitative part of the study. Data were analyzed using SPSS and relevant tool for the qualitative part.

RESULTS

Two-hundred twenty-nine students (91.6%) responded. Familiarity of students with disaster medicine was low with a mean score of 1.65 out of five points. However, male students demonstrated significantly higher mean scores in certain themes of disaster medicine. Students endorsed the idea that a training course is needed with a mean score of 3.66/5 and supported the idea that disaster medicine training should be provided to the general public as well (mean 3.85/5). Qualitative data affirmed inclusion of relevant topics in the curriculum based on students' inputs and needs and as defined by the community.

CONCLUSION

Disaster medicine education for medical students is recommended by students and experts, while the applicability and feasibility needs further exploration.

Dutch senior medical students and disaster medicine: a national survey

Background

Medical students have been deployed in victim care of several disasters throughout history. They are corner stones in first-line care in recent pandemic planning. Furthermore, every physician and senior medical student is expected to assist in case of disaster situations, but are they educated to do so? Being one of Europe’s densest populated countries with multiple nuclear installations, a large petrochemical industry and also at risk for terrorist attacks, The Netherlands bear some risks for incidents. We evaluated the knowledge on Disaster Medicine in the Dutch medical curriculum. Our hypothesis is that Dutch senior medical students are not prepared at all.

Methods

Senior Dutch medical students were invited through their faculty to complete an online survey on Disaster Medicine, training and knowledge. This reported knowledge was tested by a mixed set of 10 theoretical and practical questions.

Results

With a mean age of 25.5 years and 60 % females, 999 participants completed the survey. Of the participants, 51 % considered that Disaster Medicine should absolutely be taught in the regular medical curriculum and only 2 % felt it as useless; 13 % stated to have some knowledge on disaster medicine. Self-estimated capability to deal with various disaster situations varied from 1.47/10 in nuclear incidents to 3.92/10 in influenza pandemics. Self-estimated knowledge on these incidents is in the same line (1.71/10 for nuclear incidents and 4.27/10 in pandemics). Despite this limited knowledge and confidence, there is a high willingness to respond (ranging from 4.31/10 in Ebola outbreak over 5.21/10 in nuclear incidents to 7.54/10 in pandemics). The case/theoretical mix gave a mean score of 3.71/10 and raised some food for thought. Although a positive attitude, 48 % will place contaminated walking wounded in a waiting room and 53 % would use iodine tablets as first step in nuclear decontamination. Of the participants, 52 % even believes that these tablets protect against external radiation, 41 % thinks that these tablets limit radiation effects more than shielding and 57 % believes that decontamination of chemical victims consists of a specific antidote spray in military cabins.

Conclusions

Despite a high willingness to respond, our students are not educated for disaster situations.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12245-015-0077-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Nuclear disasters and health: lessons learned, challenges, and proposals

Past nuclear disasters, such as the atomic bombings in 1945 and major accidents at nuclear power plants, have highlighted similarities in potential public health effects of radiation in both circumstances, including health issues unrelated to radiation exposure. Although the rarity of nuclear disasters limits opportunities to undertake rigorous research of evidence-based interventions and strategies, identification of lessons learned and development of an effective plan to protect the public, minimise negative effects, and protect emergency workers from exposure to high-dose radiation is important. Additionally, research is needed to help decision makers to avoid premature deaths among patients already in hospitals and other vulnerable groups during evacuation. Since nuclear disasters can affect hundreds of thousands of people, a substantial number of people are at risk of physical and mental harm in each disaster. During the recovery period after a nuclear disaster, physicians might need to screen for psychological burdens and provide general physical and mental health care for many affected residents who might experience long-term displacement. Reliable communication of personalised risks has emerged as a challenge for health-care professionals beyond the need to explain radiation protection. To overcome difficulties of risk communication and provide decision aids to protect workers, vulnerable people, and residents after a nuclear disaster, physicians should receive training in nuclear disaster response. This training should include evidence-based interventions, support decisions to balance potential harms and benefits, and take account of scientific uncertainty in provision of community health care. An open and joint learning process is essential to prepare for, and minimise the effects of, future nuclear disasters.

Combating terror: a new paradigm in student trauma education

BACKGROUND

Other than the Advanced Trauma Life Support course, usually run for postgraduate trainees, there are few trauma courses available for medical students. It has been shown that trauma teaching for medical students is sadly lacking within the undergraduate curriculum. We stated that students following formal teaching, even just theory and some practice in basic skills significantly improved their management of trauma patients.

METHODS

Hadassah-Hebrew University in Israel runs an annual 2-week trauma course for final-year medical students. The focus is on hands-on practice in resuscitation, diagnosis, procedures, and decision making. After engaging a combination of instructional and interactive teaching methods including practice on simulated injuries that students must assess and treat through the 2 weeks, the course culminates in a disaster drill where students work alongside the emergency services to rescue, assess, treat, and transfer patients. The course is evaluated with a written precourse and postcourse test, an Objective Structured Clinical Examination and detailed feedback from the drill.

RESULTS

We analyzed student feedback at the end of each course during a 6-year period from 2007 to 2012. Correct answers for the posttest results were higher each year with good reliability as assessed by Chronbach's α and with significant variation from pretest scores assessed using paired-samples t tests. Best scores were achieved in knowledge acquisition and practical skills gained. Students were also asked whether the course contributed to self-preparedness in treating trauma patients, and this consistently achieved high scores.

CONCLUSION

We believe that students benefit substantially from the course and gain lasting skills and confidence in trauma management, decision making, and organizational skills. The course provides students with the opportunity to learn and ingrain trauma principles along Advanced Trauma Life Support guidelines and prepares them for practice as safe doctors. We advocate the global implementation of a student trauma training course as a mandatory educational initiative and propose our course format as a model for similar courses.

Disaster medicine curricula in Saudi Arabian medical schools

Background:Disaster medicine training in medical school is a key element of disaster preparedness, and several international educational authorities have called for an increase in this specific type of training. The objective of this study was to assess the current state of disaster medicine education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Methods:All 30 medical schools in Saudi Arabia were invited to participate in the study, and a 25-item online survey was sent to those that consented.Results:The response rate was 67%. Only three of the responding 20 universities currently have disaster medicine programs, and they spend an average of three hours per year on the subject. Respondents without disaster medicine curricula indicated that a mandatory, accredited course in the final three years of the six-year program was their preferred method for implementation, and most favored a blended approach.Conclusions:The study found that there is a paucity of disaster medicine programs in Saudi Arabia. Most schools indicated a willingness to implement such training in their undergraduate programs but cited lack of an adequate number of relevant professionals as a major impediment.

Nationwide Program of Education for Undergraduates in the Field of Disaster Medicine: Development of a Core Curriculum Centered on Blended Learning and Simulation Tools

In recent years, effective models of disaster medicine curricula for medical schools have been established. However, only a small percentage of medical schools worldwide have considered at least basic disaster medicine teaching in their study program. In Italy, disaster medicine has not yet been included in the medical school curriculum. Perceiving the lack of a specific course on disaster medicine, the Segretariato Italiano Studenti in Medicina (SISM) contacted the Centro di Ricerca Interdipartimentale in Medicina di Emergenza e dei Disastri ed Informatica applicata alla didattica e alla pratica Medica (CRIMEDIM) with a proposal for a nationwide program in this field. Seven modules (introduction to disaster medicine, prehospital disaster management, definition of triage, characteristics of hospital disaster plans, treatment of the health consequences of different disasters, psychosocial care, and presentation of past disasters) were developed using an e-learning platform and a 12-hour classroom session which involved problem-based learning (PBL) activities, table-top exercises, and a computerized simulation (Table 1). The modules were designed as a framework for a disaster medicine curriculum for undergraduates and covered the three main disciplines (clinical and psychosocial, public health, and emergency and risk management) of the core of “Disaster Health” according to the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM) international guidelines for disaster medicine education. From January 2011 through May 2013, 21 editions of the course were delivered to 21 different medical schools, and 524 students attended the course. The blended approach and the use of simulation tools were appreciated by all participants and successfully increased participants’ knowledge of disaster medicine and basic competencies in performing mass-casualty triage. This manuscript reports on the designing process and the initial outcomes with respect to learners' achievements and satisfaction of a 1-month educational course on the fundamentals of disaster medicine. This experience might represent a valid and innovative solution for a disaster medicine curriculum for medical students that is easily delivered by medical schools.Table 1

IngrassiaPL, RagazzoniL, TengattiniM, CarenzoL, Della CorteF. Nationwide program of education for undergraduates in the field of disaster medicine: development of a core curriculum centered on blended learning and simulation tools. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(5):1-8.

Knowledge levels and training needs of disaster medicine among health professionals, medical students, and local residents in Shanghai, China

Background

Disaster is a serious public health issue. Health professionals and community residents are main players in disaster responses but their knowledge levels of disaster medicine are not readily available. This study aimed to evaluate knowledge levels and training needs of disaster medicine among potential disaster responders and presented a necessity to popularize disaster medicine education.

Methods

A self-reporting questionnaire survey on knowledge level and training needs of disaster medicine was conducted in Shanghai, China, in 2012. A total of randomly selected 547 health professionals, 456 medical students, and 1,526 local residents provided intact information. The total response rate was 93.7%.

Results

Overall, 1.3% of these participants have received systematic disaster medicine training. News media (87.1%) was the most common channel to acquire disaster medicine knowledge. Although health professionals were more knowledgeable than community residents, their knowledge structure of disaster medicine was not intact. Medical teachers were more knowledgeable than medical practitioners and health administrators (p = 0.002). Clinicians performed better than public health physicians (p<0.001), whereas public health students performed better than clinical medical students (p<0.001). In community residents, education background significantly affected the knowledge level on disaster medicine (p<0.001). Training needs of disaster medicine were generally high among the surveyed. ‘Lecture’ and ‘practical training’ were preferred teaching methods. The selected key and interested contents on disaster medicine training were similar between health professionals and medical students, while the priorities chosen by local residents were quite different from health professionals and medical students (p<0.001).

Conclusions

Traditional clinical-oriented medical education might lead to a huge gap between the knowledge level on disaster medicine and the current needs of disaster preparedness. Continuing medical education and public education plans on disaster medicine via media should be practice-oriented, and selectively applied to different populations and take the knowledge levels and training needs into consideration.

Disaster preparedness: what training do our interns receive during medical school?

Disaster preparedness training is a critical component of medical student education. Despite recent natural and man-made disasters, there is no national consensus on a disaster preparedness curriculum. The authors designed a survey to assess prior disaster preparedness training among incoming interns at an academic teaching hospital. In 2010, the authors surveyed incoming interns (n = 130) regarding the number of hours of training in disaster preparedness received during medical school, including formal didactic sessions and simulation, and their level of self-perceived proficiency in disaster management. Survey respondents represented 42 medical schools located in 20 states. Results demonstrated that 47% of interns received formal training in disaster preparedness in medical school; 64% of these training programs included some type of simulation. There is a need to improve the level of disaster preparedness training in medical school. A national curriculum should be developed with aspects that promote knowledge retention.

A formação acadêmica de enfermagem e os incidentes com múltiplas vítimas: revisão integrativa

O estudo objetiva refletir acerca dos saberes, competências e habilidades que devem ser fomentados durante a formação acadêmica de enfermagem para uma atuação profissional eficaz perante um incidente com múltiplas vítimas (IMV). Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da literatura acerca da formação dos acadêmicos de enfermagem. O levantamento bibliográfico foi efetuado nas bases de dados BDENF, LILACS, SciELO, MEDLINE, Web of Knowledge e HighWire Press, utilizando os descritores: educação superior; educação em enfermagem; enfermagem em emergência; e acidentes com feridos em massa. As produções proporcionaram tecer considerações nos pilares temáticos: peculiaridades; competências e habilidades que são essenciais à atuação do enfermeiro diante de um acidente com múltiplas vítimas e as estratégias docentes para o fomento de tais competências e habilidades. A análise literária denotou que o ensino da enfermagem deve configurar-se como um espaço de construção do senso crítico, o que exige uma prática pedagógica docente eclética.

Mass gathering medicine: a practical means of enhancing disaster preparedness in Canada

BACKGROUND

We explore the health care literature and draw on two decades of experience in the provision of medical care at mass gatherings and special events to illustrate the complementary aspects of mass gathering medical support and disaster medicine. Most communities have occasions during which large numbers of people assemble in public or private spaces for the purpose of celebrating or participating in musical, sporting, cultural, religious, political, and other events. Collectively, these events are referred to as mass gatherings. The planning, preparation, and delivery of health-related services at mass gatherings are understood to be within the discipline of emergency medicine. As well, we note that owing to international events in recent years, there has been a heightened awareness of and interest in disaster medicine and the level of community preparedness for disasters. We propose that a synergy exists between mass gathering medicine and disaster medicine.

METHOD

Literature review and comparative analysis.

RESULTS

Many aspects of the provision of medical support for mass gathering events overlap with the skill set and expertise required to plan and implement a successful medical response to a natural disaster, terrorist incident, or other form of disaster.

CONCLUSIONS

There are several practical opportunities to link the two fields in a proactive manner. These opportunities should be pursued as a way to improve the level of disaster preparedness at the municipal, provincial, and national levels.

Need for continual education about disaster medicine for health professionals in China--a pilot study

Background

Disaster Medicine training is not included in medical education curriculum in China, even though the country has suffered various disasters annually. We intended to assess the need for continual education regarding disaster management for health professionals in China.

Methods

A survey was conducted among 324 health professionals who participated in the response to the Wenchuan earthquake medical relief and public health assessment in October, 2008.

Results

The most of participants (67.3%) received informal disaster medicine training, and only a few (12.7%) participated in disaster drills. Most of the participants wanted to get continual education about disaster medicine training (89.8%), but prefer on-line training course for the flexibility of time scheduling and travel through China.

Conclusion

The need for continual disaster medicine training is high; health professionals should be equipped with knowledge and skills for disaster management.