Development and Evaluation of a Graduate Certificate in Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Health as a Core Program for Health Professionals

Abstract

Introduction:

The World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM) Education Committee recommends that all health professionals be exposed to a core program in disaster health. This paper describes the framework, implementation, and evaluation of a Graduate Certificate in Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Health designed for health professionals.

Methods:

Based on the WADEM Education Committee's framework for disaster health and the structure of the World Health Organization (WHO) Health Action in Crises Unit, a four-unit Graduate Certificate in Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Heath was developed, implemented and evaluated.

Results:

This Graduate Certificate evolved over diree years and includes four units: (1) an introduction to emergency preparedness and disaster health; (2) emergency preparedness; (3) response and major incident management, and (4) disaster recovery. Each unit has national and international perspectives.

Appropriate conceptual models provided the content and process of the course, although these have been difficult to locate. Delivery is largely on-campus with pre-reading and post-course assignments. A faculty of national and international leaders enriches delivery. Assessment largely has been assignment-based, with participation in one “Emergotrain” exercise required. Students may take the full Graduate Certificate or individual units only, either for credit or not-for-credit professional development.

Student feedback has been positive, with the introductory unit being rated as amongst the top 10% of units conducted in the faculty for two years in a row. The content, process, and assessments have been well supported with only few suggestions made for future modifications. An online option will now be offered in 2009, and a Graduate Diploma and Masters also will be available in 2009.

Conclusions:

This Graduate Certificate has been evaluated positively by participants. The conceptual modeling has been validated and the model may be of interest to other WADEM members.