November 3, 2006

Training residents for humanitarian disasters

When a natural disaster or other humanitarian crisis occurs, appropriate medical care and public health intervention often are the most critical needs for victims. However, many of the health care providers deployed to offer aid in such a crisis have no training or experience caring for patients in the grueling conditions associated with these situations. To meet the growing need for training in global health and humanitarian action among the medical community, the Harvard School of Public Health recently created the new Humanitarian Studies Initiative for Residents (HSIR) as part of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative. This innovative, multidisciplinary program is designed to train Harvard residents in humanitarian responses to disaster and refugee crises. The initiative launched in September with 19 residents from four Harvard-affiliated teaching hospitals — the MGH, BWH, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Children's Hospital Boston.

The HSIR is a two-year program that includes a two-week classroom course, a weekend field simulation in a state park and a monthlong field placement in a crisis setting. Faculty members from across Harvard schools and the international relief community guide residents as they learn about issues such as emergency public health, communicable disease management, water and shelter, human rights law and advocacy, nutrition, forensics, landmines, research and civilian-military relations.

Kristian Olson, MD, MPH, of the MGH Internal Medicine Clinical Educator Service and the newly formed MGH Center for Global Health and Disaster Response, is the coordinator for the program at the MGH. "Despite noble intentions, humanitarian response often has been characterized by chaos and repeated mistakes," he says. "The HSIR seeks to address this by helping to create a new generation of effective humanitarian leaders. As one participant said, "This truly was a life-changing experience."

Health care providers offer care in times of crisis.