Education And Training Of Medical Students For Mass Casualties Situations

Abstract

During the academic years I 9 75 and I 9 76 an interdisciplinary course in mass casualty management was given to sixth year medical students at the Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School in Jerusalem. The course included introductory lectures in definition of types of disasters, objectives in disaster intervention, description of local and national rescue organizations. Special importance was paid to mage of casualties and to a centralized system of evacuation from the disaster site. Further, hospital planning and deployment, stressing the role of the Emergency Room physician. The specific approach to multiple injuries including neurosurgical, orthopedic, abdominal, chest and soft tissue wounds was discussed in a panel meeting. Stress intervention and a comprehensive lecture on public health problems concluded this part of the course. The last half-day was devoted to a practical exercise, simulating a town severely damaged by an earthquake. Although the course was an elective one, it was extremely well attended by the students, and its implementation was enthusiastically performed by both teachers and students.

Studentische Ausbildung in Katastrophenmedizin

“…Im aktuellen Studienplan findet sich jedoch keine eigenständige Erwähnung mehr [11]. Eine äl-tere Publikation aus Israel referiert über studentische Katastrophenmedizinausbildung in Jerusalem (Israel) wo Mitte der 70er Jahre ein 29-stündiger theoretischer und praktischer Kurs entwickelt wurde [1]. Die größten Anstrengungen, Studierende der Medizin in Katastrophenmedizin auszubilden, sind der Literatur nach in den Vereinigten Staaten zu verzeichnen.…”

“…Auch das MusAbb. 1 9 Planspiel zum Massenanfall von Verletzten im Rahmen des studentischen Unterrichts tercurriculum sollte aus unserer Sicht entsprechend abgeändert werden.…”

Refugee health care: Similar but different?

“…and that there is frequently an acute phase in any refugee settlement (Nelder, 19791, in general, whilst many of the principles of acute and chronic disasters may be similar, the details and emphasis differ (Gerace, 1979;Glass et al, 1980;Kates et al, 1973;Lechat, 1979). Thus, acute disasters and mass casualties, resulting from either natural or man-made catastrophes, tend to require an orientation towards pre-disaster planning, early warning systems, primary prevention (for example anti-seismic engineering), the training of people in high risk areas; the provision of specialist equipment, and the availability of teams skilled in the establishment of emergency services and the principles of triage (Adler, 1979;Fisher, 1978;Mackay, 1975;D'Souza, 1980;Pan American Health Organization, 1981).…”