Disasters and terror events are taking place with increasing frequency across the globe. In Melbourne, Australia we have experienced the ravages of bushfires, the impact of thunderstorm asthma, the mortality associated with COVID-19 and the tragedy of the Bourke Street Mall terror attack all within a short, three-year period.

 

The knowledge and experience of disaster and terror medicine specialists is critical when it comes to managing such events in community and healthcare settings. Health practitioners, service managers and leaders must be prepared to respond quickly and decisively.

 

The Specialist Certificate in Disaster and Terror Medicine is the first program of its kind in Australia, providing an evidence-based introduction to the key elements of this specialty.

 

With a focus on the fundamentals of disaster and terror response, it equips clinicians, first responders, health service managers, relevant agency staff and policy makers with essential skills to effectively prepare for, and manage, a range of disaster and terror events.

 

Developed at the Department of Critical Care in consultation with industry, the program draws on the deep knowledge and real-world experience of international experts in the field, including leading emergency physician, Professor George Braitberg AM, who heads up the department's emergency medicine program.

 

It is delivered mostly online with two, two-day face-to-face workshops (4-days in total) involving practical exercises and simulation activities led by internationally renowned experts. It is highly recommended students attend campus for these workshops, but they may attend virtually.