International Training on Disaster Medicine - A Peer Education Approach to Disaster Medicine

Abstract

Background/Introduction:

There is an increasing global recognition that medical education systems world-wide have a major gap in training students for medical response to disasters. The IFMSA developed the International Training on Disaster Medicine (ITDM) project to address this gap.

Objectives:

To provide medical students with essential competencies in Disaster Medicine through a peer-to-peer approach.

Method/Description:

Selected number of students go through a Training of Trainers course organized annually over four months, jointly with the Center for Research and Training in Disaster Medicine, Humanitarian Aid, and Global Health in Novara, Italy. Graduates then lead ITDM workshops world-wide. The workshop is based on peer-to-peer education and incorporates interactive exercises, simulating real-life scenarios. In the workshop, medical students are introduced to core concepts and skills in Disaster Medicine, public health in disaster settings, and disaster management frameworks.

Results/Outcomes:

The ToT course was organized first in 2015 in Italy. It has been held seven times, graduating 120 trainers from 55 countries. While the ITDM workshop was first organized in Malta in 2016, it has been conducted a total of 22 times in 19 different countries, building the capacity of more than 250 medical students world-wide. Furthermore, more than 500 medical students have been influenced by sporadic educational activities organized by ToT graduates.

Conclusion:

The ITDM project aims to fill the gap in Disaster Medicine education in medical curricula. It has offered a much-needed space for the education and training of medical students, equipping them with basic competencies in responding to disasters to prepare them to act when needed.