Disaster Management: Developing a concentration of graduate courses by bringing together FEMA, CDC, university and community expertise

Recently there has been a great deal of interest in the role of public health in planning for and responding to natural and man-made disasters. This paper outlines the development of a concentration of courses for a graduate certificate in disaster management at a school of public health. In the early stages of program development it was recognized that a useful, comprehensive disaster management program could only be achieved by bringing together representatives from local emergency management, FEMA, CDC, and Academia to share their expertise and experience. Through open discussion, participants were able to identify and prioritize what knowledge, skills, and perspectives should be required of the public health student trained in disaster management. This collaboration resulted in the creation of four on-line core courses for a Disaster Management Certificate Program: Public Health Emergencies in Large Populations, Overview of the United States and International Emergency/Disaster Management, Emergency/Disaster Preparedness and Planning, and Emergency/Disaster Recovery. After completion of the core courses students perform a Supervised Field Experience at a disaster management agency. As a result of this educational experience, participants will understand the need for collaboration in the development of disaster management courses for public health practitioners so that students obtain both theoretical and practical skills. Participants will be able to describe the steps taken in the development of a comprehensive program that allows the student a smooth transition from the classroom to the real world. Finally, participants will realize why an online format is best delivery method for such a program.