To Educate or Not to Educate: Systematic Review of Disaster Medicine Education in Kazakhstan in Compression with Post-Soviet Countries

Abstract

Introduction:

Disaster medicine education is a huge challenge, but essential to disaster preparedness. While natural disasters have always been a part of world events, recent large-scale natural and man-made disasters have drawn attention to disaster medicine. As a consequence, medical schools in many parts of the world have begun to incorporate disaster-related topics into their curricula. However, in the territory of the former USSR, disaster medicine has just begun its development, and at the moment it is represented only in a couple countries, including Kazakhstan.

Method:

Data collection was performed using a database search through the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation, Belarus, and Ukraine. Disaster Medicine curricula on different education levels, including bachelor, graduate, and postgraduate levels were reviewed and analyzed.

Results:

Even though Kazakhstan is the ninth largest country in the world, education in the field of disaster medicine is currently represented only in one medical university in the country: specialists in disaster and emergency medicine are trained in residency and master's programs. In the Republics of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, education in the disaster medicine field is not provided, but there are electives for bachelor students. The Federal Center for Disaster Medicine, located in Moscow, offers doctors advanced training in disaster medicine, also disaster medicine education is provided at the bachelor and residency levels all over the Russian Federation. In Ukraine, at the moment, there is no training of specialists in disaster medicine, while in Belarus there are curricula at all levels of education.

Conclusion:

Despite the fact that our life is impossible without catastrophes, most of the post-soviet countries are not having educational programs in disaster medicine. Using international experience could be beneficial so that every country will be prepared to face any disaster both locally and globally.