The humanitarian landscape is changing. The number of actors is increasing along with the willingness to assist and help the ones in need. But do we have the capacity to really help in an efficient way? Are the medical guidelines, the kind of diseases our patients have the same in disaster settings as in the hospital back home?
Today emergency medicine is a specialised medical degree and the world is starting to recognise the need for special training for humanitarian medical professionals.
The IFMSA have, during the year 2014 – 2015, hosted a series of extracurricular trainings on Disaster Medicine & Emergency Risk Management for our members. Computer-based simulations of medical humanitarian response have been facilitated by CRIMEDIM, a research and training institute in Italy delivering the European Master for Disaster Medicine. Discussions on medical ethical dilemmas have been facilitated by IFMSA members with support from the International Committee of Red Cross and Crescent (ICRC).
European Master for Disaster Medicine
IFMSA is taking part and contributing to the professionalisation of medical humanitarian actors. During May this year we were invited to the European Master in Disaster Medicine to share best practice of engaging students in Disaster Risk Management. The participating doctors from around the world were fascinated and inspired by our actions, they wanted to help us grow and they wanted to mentor our members in disaster medicine.
During my two days in the European Master in Disaster Medicine, I also attended the Real Size Disaster simulations. The Italian Army had set up a field hospital. A plane crash in a low-resource setting was simulated and medical students from the IFMSA NMO SISM-Italy were playing the role of casualties. The students of the European Master were the response personnel. Witnessing this was an experience beyond my expectations. It was not just not a confirmation of the importance of preparing medical personnel before working in the humanitarian field, but also a source of inspiration and insight in how the medical humanitarian response is coordinated in reality.
Training for Medical Students – 1st International Training of Disaster Medicine Trainers
Do you also want to experience this? Do you as an IFMSA member want to enhance your knowledge and skills of Disaster Medicine and Disaster Risk Management? There is currently a call for participants to attend an International Residential Course for the Training of Disaster Medicine Trainers. For more information about this IFMSA Activity, read this brochure. Remember to apply before the 10th of July by filling out this form. selected participants will be informed by the mid of July.
Entry written by IFMSA Liaison Officer for Human Rights, Moa M Herrgård
With support from Training for Disaster Medicine Trainers team; Patrick Achkar from IFMSA-Québec, Monika Bednarek from IFMSA Poland, Giancarlo Bruno from SISM-Italy, Eleonora Leopardi from SISM-Italy, IFMSA Project Support Director Ljiljana Lukic
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