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 List of Modules and Topics Module Topics 1. Introduction to disaster medicine and public health during emergencies - Modern taxonomy of disaster and common disaster medicine definitions - Differences between disaster and emergency medicine - Principles of public health during disasters - Different phases of disaster management 2. Prehospital disaster management - Mass-casualty disposition, treatment area, and transport issues - Disaster plans and command-and-control chain structure - Functional response roles 3. Specific disaster medicine and triage procedures in the - Mass-casualty triage definitions and principles management of disasters - Different methodologies and protocols - Patient assessment, triage levels and tags 4. Hospital disaster preparedness and response - Hospital disaster laws - Hospital preparedness plans for in-hospital and out-hospital disasters with an all-hazard approach - Medical management for a massive influx of casualties 5. Health consequences of different disasters - Characteristics of different types of disasters - Health impact of natural and man-made disasters - Disaster-related injury after exposure to a different disasters with an all-hazard approach 6. Psychosocial care - Techniques to deal with psychic reactions caused by exposure to disaster scenarios - Treatment approaches to acute and delayed critical incident stress reactions 7. Presentation of past disasters and public health emergencies, and Case study: review of assistance experiences - Haiti earthquake - Cholera outbreaks in Haiti - National and international disaster response mechanism Ingrassia PL , Ragazzoni L , Tengattini M , Carenzo L , Della Corte F . 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 .