Implementing a Disaster Preparedness Curriculum for Medical Students.

Objectives: Training in disaster medicine and preparedness is minimal or absent in the curricula of many medical schools in the United States. Despite a 2003 joint recommendation by the Association of American Medical Colleges and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, few medical schools require disaster training for medical students. The challenges of including disaster training in an already rigorous medical school curriculum are significant.

Are medical students being taught invasive skills using simulation?

Introduction: Basic invasive procedural skills are traditionally taught during clerkships. Using simulation to teach invasive skills provides students the opportunity to practice in a structured environment without risking patient safety. We surveyed incoming interns at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital to assess the prevalence of simulation training for invasive and semi-invasive procedural skills during medical school.