The national disaster life support programs: a model for competency-based standardized and locally relevant training

Area of Science:

• Disaster Medicine
• Public Health Preparedness
• Medical Education

Background:

• The Medical College of Georgia Center of Operational Medicine (MCG-COM) received grant funding to develop and deliver disaster medicine continuing education.
• The program was based on the American Medical Association's (AMA) National Disaster Life Support (NDLS) curricula.
• Existing NDLS training centers provided a foundation for a national training strategy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and pilot a national training strategy for all-hazards disaster preparedness education.
• To integrate state-specific needs into a national disaster medicine curriculum.
• To establish a framework for continuous curriculum improvement and dissemination.

Main Methods:

• Utilized grant funding from the Department of Health and Human Services.
• Leveraged existing NDLS curricula and training centers.
• Established state advisory committees to develop state-specific modules based on Hazard and Vulnerability Assessments.
• Formed an educational consortium for ongoing curriculum revision.

Main Results:

• A national training strategy for all-hazards disaster preparedness was developed and piloted.
• State-specific modules were created and tested for integration into the national curriculum.
• An educational consortium with over 75 participating organizations was established for curriculum updates.
• Multidisciplinary disaster medicine competencies and an educational framework were developed and published.

Conclusions:

• The developed competencies and educational framework are being integrated into the NDLS curricula.
• The piloted strategy serves as a model for national curriculum deployment with state and local integration.
• The educational consortium ensures continuous revision and relevance of NDLS courses.