CJEM Articles: international emergency medicine
Displaying 1-4 of 4 results
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March
2011
13
2
The Core Curriculum and Education Committee for the International Federation for Emergency Medicine
To meet a critical and growing need for emergency physicians and emergency medicine resources worldwide, physicians must be trained to deliver time-sensitive interventions and lifesaving emergency care. Currently, there is no globally recognized, standard curriculum that defines the basic minimum standards for specialist trainees in emergency medicine. To address this deficit, the International Federation for Emergency Medicine (IFEM) convened a committee of international physicians, health professionals, and other experts in emergency medicine and international emergency medicine development to outline a curriculum for training of specialists in emergency medicine. This curriculum document represents the consensus of recommendations by this committee. The curriculum is designed to provide a framework for educational programs in emergency medicine. The focus is on the basic minimum emergency medicine educational content that any emergency medicine physician specialist should be prepared to deliver on completion of a training program. It is designed not to be prescriptive but to assist educators and emergency medicine leadership to advance physician education in basic emergency medicine no matter the training venue. The content of this curriculum is relevant not just for communities with mature emergency medicine systems but in particular for developing nations or for nations seeking to expand emergency medicine within the current educational structure. We anticipate that there will be wide variability in how this curriculum is implemented and taught. This variability will reflect the existing educational milieu, the resources available, and the goals of the institutions' educational leadership with regard to the training of emergency medicine specialists.
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November
2009
11
6
Rodica Retezar, Steve Scott, Valerie F. Krym
Emergency medicine (EM) is a growing specialty internationally, but has yet to be cultivated in countries with otherwise advanced health care systems. To promote the growth of EM, emergency physicians from countries where EM is a mature specialty can assist with knowledge transfer and development of emergency medical systems to make a lasting impact on the community served. We present our experience in assisting the development of emergency medicine in a university-affiliated regional hospital in Romania.
The International Emergency Medicine Fellowship program at the University of Toronto established links in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, in order to provide expertise and assist local leadership to stimulate growth in EM. In October 2005, a 3-member team travelled to Cluj-Napoca to provide input on how to best use a new physical plant, to deliver continuing education to physicians and nurses, and to help establish long-term development goals. The team identified the following priorities through a comprehensive needs assessment: physical plant organization and patient flow, staffing, staff education, equipment, medication and supplies, and infection control practices. In conjunction with local counterparts, a plan was developed addressing each priority.
Staff, hospital administration and university officials report positive growth in EM as a result of the collaboration. Further work is underway to implement the plan, including international exchange trips to promote mutual growth between partners.
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July
2009
11
4
Andrew Singer, Cherri Hobgood, Darren Kilroy, Glen Bandiera, James Holliman, Nicholas Jouriles, Peter Cameron, Pinchas Halperin, Terrence Mulligan, Venkataraman Anantharaman
There is a critical and growing need for emergency physicians and emergency medicine resources worldwide. To meet this need, physicians must be trained to deliver time-sensitive interventions and life-saving emergency care. Currently, there is no internationally recognized standard curriculum that defines the basic minimum standards for emergency medicine education. To address this deficiency, the International Federation for Emergency Medicine convened a committee of international physicians, health professionals and other experts in emergency medicine and international emergency medicine development, to outline a curriculum for foundation training of medical students in emergency medicine. This curriculum document represents the consensus of recommendations by this committee.
The curriculum is designed with a focus on the basic minimum emergency medicine educational content that any medical school should be delivering to its students during undergraduate training. It is designed not to be prescriptive, but to assist educators and emergency medicine leadership in advancing physician education in basic emergency medicine content. The content would be relevant not just for communities with mature emergency medicine systems, but also for developing nations or for nations seeking to expand emergency medicine within current educational structures. We anticipate that there will be wide variability in how this curriculum is implemented and taught, reflecting the existing educational milieu, the resources available and the goals of the institutions’ educational leadership.
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Needs assessment and staff education to effect long-term change in emergency medicine in rural NepalJuly 2004 6 4Russell D. MacDonald, Valerie F. Krym
Medical work in developing countries is challenging and rewarding. To make a lasting impact on the local community, a health care worker must be willing to listen to the needs of the people. The long-term impact of a needs assessment and staff education on emergency medicine at a rural hospital in Nepal is presented.
The Scheer Memorial Hospital is a 102-bed non-governmental, not-for-profit hospital in Banepa, Nepal. Nepalese and ex-patriot health care professionals staff the hospital. Medical supplies are obtained from local manufacturers or as donations from foreign organizations. The hospital waives fees for those who cannot afford care.
Two academic emergency physicians with expertise in international health undertook a needs assessment to assist in planning for long-term health care goals related to emergency medicine. The assessment focused on health care planning and education of the local health care staff. Based on interviews and objective assessments, a plan was developed and implemented to address 4 key areas: physical plant, equipment, staff training and essential tasks.
Sustainable positive change was accomplished by acknowledging local customs and standards of care, meeting the needs of local health care staff and using available resources.
