International Emergency Medicine Curriculum

Fellowship Curriculum:

The curriculum is designed to have flexibility and variability in order to meet the individual needs and learning goals of each fellow. The curriculum will be divided into experiential, academic and clinical components as follows:

Experiential

Each fellow will be expected to take part in ongoing projects with the Ronald Reagan Institute of Emergency Medicine and the Department of Emergency Medicine. Each fellow is expected to spend a significant portion of time during each year abroad working on various health projects, as permitted by the individual and M.P.H. class schedule. These practical experiences must be designed to be substantive and increase the fellows' knowledge base. It is the fellowship goal that this not be a simple observational experience, but that the fellow takes an active leadership role. This practical experience will also provide an opportunity to apply acquired skills in varied clinical and educational settings. Fieldwork will be arranged and coordinated by the fellow under the supervision of the Fellowship Director. Fieldwork will include some of the following core activities:

  • Health policy development
  • International public health
  • International emergency medicine program development
  • International emergency systems evaluation and research
  • Disaster response, disaster preparedness, and bioterrorism
  • Emergency medicine educational/residency training program development
  • International EMS development activities
  • Injury prevention

Each fellow is encouraged to also develop their own international project during their two year fellowship. This will ideally include all phases of program development, from concept to proposal writing, monitoring and evaluation, budgeting, funding, and implementation. Significant mentoring will be provided for project development by the fellowship director and faculty members.

Academic

The two-year fellowship curriculum will provide a rigorous and comprehensive exposure to the broad scope of knowledge that is International Emergency Medicine. The M.P.H. degree program in Global Health is expected of those fellows who do not already have a M.P.H. degree. Persons entering the program who already have their M.P.H. will have the opportunity to pursue other degree or non-degree programs offered at GW to supplement their prior degree. Additional monthly didactic lectures will cover relevant topics such as project development, international health, international organizations and NGO's. Outside speakers will be invited to monthly sessions, representing local authorities from the Public Health and International Communities. A joint fellowship curriculum together with other fellows from GW (i.e. EMS/Disaster, Health Policy) will cover topics common to all the fellowship programs, such as developing a research project, IRB topics, and 'How to become an Effective Educator.' 

Fellows will be expected to give at least one grand rounds during the second year of their fellowship program, and each fellow will be responsible for preparing at least one didactic session for the group each year. The fellow will also participate in lectures and presentations pertaining to international health at the School of Public Health and Health Services.

In addition, as part of the fellowship curriculum, fellows may choose elective rotations with the following agencies and lending institutions (World Bank, IADB, CDC, USAID, AIHA, PAHO, FEMA, DHHS).

Each fellow will have the opportunity to take the Humanitarian Emergencies in Large Populations Course, as offered by the International Committee of the Red Cross. This is offered annually at Johns Hopkins University, and is usually taken between the first and second year of the fellowship. The course is an intensive three weeks of classes covering the many aspects of humanitarian emergencies with a purpose of providing the public health tools necessary for making appropriate decisions in emergency situations involving large populations. This course will count as elective credit towards the M.P.H. degree. 

Each fellow will be expected to conduct at least one IRB-approved research project during the time of their fellowship. This can often also serve as a culminating experience for the M.P.H. degree. Topics can be determined by the individual, including such topics as:

  • Emergency health systems (clinical and/or administrative)
  • Educational initiatives
  • Epidemiology
  • Public health
  • Acute care aspects of primary care
  • Disaster response
  • EMS systems

Fellows will be encouraged to submit abstracts to national and international EM meetings.

Clinical

The fellow will work as a member of the clinical faculty at an affiliated hospital. The fellow will provide on average 14 hours/week of clinical coverage in the emergency department. As a junior faculty member, the fellow will participate in academic activities in the Department of Emergency Medicine including grand round presentations, conferences and journal clubs.

Fellowship Competencies:

Upon completion of the International Emergency Medicine & Global Public Health Fellowship, the fellow will be able to:

  • Effectively conceptualize, plan, implement and sustain programs and collaborative projects in Emergency Medicine, internationally.
  • Successfully complete the requirements for the degree of Masters in Public Health (M.P.H.) at the GW School of Public Health and Health Services.
  • Display knowledge of public health issues as they pertain to developing health systems. This will include work abroad and domestic educational opportunities.
  • Display working knowledge of critical topics in international emergency medicine development.
  • Conduct research related to international emergency medicine health systems and educational interventions.
  • Integrate training in emergency medicine with international health and apply acquired skills to clinical experience abroad.

Evaluation:

  • Curriculum Evaluation: The Fellowship Director will review the curriculum every six months. The curriculum will be evaluated on the basis of educational value and content relevance to the fellowship goals and objectives. The fellow and the director will review the clinical experience and international electives. 
  • Fellow Evaluation: The Fellowship Director and other faculty will evaluate each fellow semiannually. A written evaluation will be generated for the fellows’ file. The participant will be evaluated by a formal evaluation from the School of Public Health and Health Services. The Chairman of the Emergency Department will review clinical performance within the hospital. International fieldwork will be evaluated via an evaluation form from field personnel.