Specialist Certificate in Disaster Health Management (SC-DHM)

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

Disaster events are taking place with increasing frequency across the globe. In Australia, we've faced severe floods, bushfires, mass casualty events such as thunderstorm asthma, and the impacts of a pandemic within a short period. Neighbouring countries in our region have dealt with earthquakes, cyclones, and disease outbreaks, including the devastating measles epidemic in the Pacific Islands. Globally, we are seeing a rise in conflict and the convergence of natural disasters with conflict, leading to mass population displacement in vulnerable communities.

The knowledge and experience of disaster 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.

With a focus on the fundamentals of disaster response, the course will equip 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 events.

What you will learn

• Utilise clinical and health service design and implementation processes for preventing, planning, and responding to, disasters in a range of contexts.
• Identify the different roles key stakeholders play across a range of disaster management situations, allowing you to shape organisational response for multi-disciplinary clinical teams.
• Evaluate principles of resource utilisation, disaster resilience, and recovery, applied to extreme conditions in a range of settings.
• Recognise, assess, and respond to complex disaster management situations from a clinical and healthcare management perspective.
• Apply a clear ethical framework to crisis situations, increasing your capacity to make highly effective decisions, supported by a strong understanding of disaster response methodology.
• Compare and contrast treatment and management regimes for a comprehensive range of disasters.

Who is the course for?

Our program is targeted towards clinicians, hospital administrators, staff from emergency services, government and the military. The course will equip participants with an understanding of domestic and international factors involved in the management of these events.

Who will you learn from?

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 experts in emergency medicine, emergency management, paramedicine and public health.

Pathways

Credit obtained in some of these subjects can be used towards completion of the Master of Advanced Nursing Practice, Graduate Certificate in Climate Change and Health, Graduate Certificate in Disaster and Terror Medicine and Gradate Diploma in Disaster and Terror Medicine.

Further information

The Online delivery of the program provides you with the flexibility to fit study around work and personal commitments. Your online learning experience will be further enriched with an intensive 4-day program, which provides you with the opportunity to put what you've learned into practice through a series of bespoke workshops. It is highly recommended students attend campus for these workshops, but they may attend 2 of the 4 days virtually.