Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2025

Setup and Execution of the Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice Death Notification Curriculum
Published on: August 5, 2020
Examining the disaster medicine curriculum in Canadian Emergency Medicine enhanced skills programs
Andrew Belyea1, Trevor Jain2,3,4, Aaron Sibley5,6
1Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada. andrew.belyea@dal.ca.
Objectives:
Disaster medicine teaching is an important, and understudied, component of EM residency training programs. Little is known about disaster medicine training in Canadian EM programs, particularly within the 1-year EM enhanced skills programs. The purpose of this study is to (1) understand which disaster medicine topics are currently taught in EM enhanced skills programs and (2) establish a list of the highest priority disaster medicine teaching topics for those programs.
Methods:
We distributed an eight-question survey to all 31 EM enhanced skills site directors across Canada by email. Questions on the survey asked which of 39 disaster medicine subtopics were (1) currently taught and (2) should be taught to EM enhanced skills residents.
Results:
Of 31 invited participants, 16 completed the study (52% response rate). The most taught topic was introduction to disaster medicine/nomenclature (13/16 programs), while 11/16 programs currently teach decontamination indications and issues, personal protective equipment, prehospital disaster management, and trauma mass casualty incidents. Topics reported high or essential priority for teaching included introduction to disaster medicine/nomenclature (12/16 programs), decontamination indications and issues, personal protective equipment, and prehospital disaster management (11/16 programs).
Conclusions:
This study identified disaster medicine topics currently taught at Canadian EM enhanced skills programs, along with recommending a list of priority teaching topics. These findings can inform future disaster medicine content in EM training program curricula.
Related Concept Videos
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation III: AED Use
Applications of GIS: Disaster Management and Emergency Response
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation V: Advanced Airway Management Techniques
Introduction Cardiac Emergencies
Specialized Care Centers and Settings-II
Rural health centers are specialized care facilities in remote locations with very few medical personnel. The primary care providers who run the centers are mostly Registered Nurse Practitioners. Here, emergency treatment is provided to critically ill or injured patients before they are transferred to the closest hospital. Fortunately, due to advancement in technology, many rural healthcare facilities and professionals have easy access to diagnostic and treatment...
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation IV: Pharmacological Management

