ACS Releases Online Version of Disaster Management and Emergency Preparedness Course

The ACS recently released the online version of its Disaster Management and Emergency Preparedness (eDMEP) course, making this important content accessible to a wider audience.

The eDMEP course provides physicians with essential knowledge and best practices for responding to mass casualty incidents, focusing on the hospital response to disaster. The first eDMEP scenario addresses earthquake preparedness, and the ACS will be rolling out additional scenarios, with the complete collection slated for early 2024.

“The eDMEP case scenarios take online surgical education to the next level, providing opportunities to make decisions about patient care in realistic mass casualty situations by incorporating elements of game theory,” said Jeannette M. Capella, MD, FACS, Education Program Chair, DMEP/eDMEP.

The interactive scenarios help learners hone their triage skills in a virtual setting, preparing them for real-life situations. Furthermore, each scenario is tailored to the respective disaster, ensuring that casualties and injuries accurately reflect the conditions and unique needs of that event.

The new online version builds upon the longstanding ACS Disaster Management and Emergency Preparedness (DMEP) course, an in-person trauma education initiative focused on preparing medical professionals for mass casualty incidents.

The overarching objectives of both the online and the in-person courses are to:

• Prepare participants for disaster readiness, response, and recovery
• Empower participants to contribute effectively to hospital disaster preparedness
• Train participants to practice hospital disaster plans using interactive scenarios

Learn more about both eDMEP and the in-person DMEP courses.