ODI Education
Annual Disaster Symposium
This is the major educational offering of the Division. Attendees receive comprehensive multidisciplinary education on the effects of a mitigation, emergency phase and recovery post- emergency caused by a disaster from a variety of experts. Speakers have included the developer of the Enhanced Fujita Scale for assessment of tornado damage, and the former US Air Force Surgeon General who is an international expert in building temporary health systems after large scale disasters. These conferences are attended by all members of the public service communtiy throughout the state.
Disaster Life Support
ODI leads a number of Basic and Advanced Disaster Life Support courses, throughout the year, at a number of locations across Oklahoma. ODI faculty members work with the Department of Emergency Medicine's Division of Simulation (for ADLS) and Division of EMS to provide a clinically and operationally strong faculty with broad-based expertise..
National and international Education
In addition to the Department's educational offerings, ODI faculty lecture and participate in expert panels around the United States. International venues for disaster-related lectures in the past few years have included faculty opportunities to share experiences and expertise in India, Canada, and Europe (where ODI's Director serves as Faculty for the European Master of Disaster Medicine Program).
Resident Education
Emergency Medicine residents benefit from a comprehensive and innovative exposure to disaster-related medicine and public health, throughout their training program. Graduated responsibilities commence with a detailed orientation to the principles of Disaster Medicine, continuing through field response and decision-making during disasters in Oklahoma. Topics include details about specific types of disasters, as well as general issues surrounding triage, logistics, transportation, evacuation, and alternative standards of medical care.
Elective experiences for the EM residents provide unique opportunities to respond to real-time disasters. Given Oklahoma's weather patterns, tornado disasters occur on a yearly basis. Residents who take the Disaster Medicine elective complete ICS courses (100, 200, 700 and 800). Didactics include a program of intensive reading and discussion covering similarities and differences between Disaster Medicine and Emergency Medicine. The Disaster Medicine elective includes performance of a site hazards analysis, as well as generation of plans for site hazards mitigation and response.
Resident education for Disaster Medicine is not limited to the disaster and mass casualty events most likely to be encountered in Oklahoma (floods, wildfires, tornadoes, ice storms). ODI's curricular offerings and expertise also include subjects, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, pandemic events, and human-originated disasters.
