American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) has created the Caribbean Center for Disaster Medicine (CCDM), a center of excellence designed to foster collaboration among professionals responsible for healthcare delivery, disaster preparedness, emergency response, and medical education. The center is being developed in cooperation with Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (HMFP), a physician group that includes Harvard Medical School faculty with global disaster medicine experience.
In recent years we've seen the impact of hurricanes like Irma, Maria, and Dorian on the Caribbean region. We all understand the need to continually improve preparedness for major disasters and emergencies. After Hurricane Irma devastated the Caribbean in September 2017, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine began working with global experts on disaster medicine to explore ways to help islands like Sint Maarten prepare for and deal with those kinds of disastrous events.These discussions led to the creation of the Caribbean Center for Disaster Medicine -- based at AUC School of Medicine -- that brings in global expertise while cooperating with local and regional Caribbean authorities to understand the best way to help the region build resilience against disasters, natural or man-made.
- American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (CCDM is based at AUC)
The CCDM is based at American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, a leading international medical school. Faculty of AUC have been trained to provide disaster-related training and education, and AUC has an active interest in disaster-related education and training.
HMFP is AUC's strategic collaboration on the Caribbean Center for Disaster Medicine, via the Division of Disaster Medicine at the Harvard Medical School-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA.
CDEMA is a Caribbean regional inter-governmental agency for disaster management in the Caribean Community (CARICOM). CDEMA and CCDM entered into an MOU in 2019.
The Caribbean Center for Disaster Medicine is an affiliate of the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine.
The CCDM's flagship annual event is the International Conference on Disaster Medicine and Hurricane Resiliency. The first CCDM conference was held in March 2019. This conference gathers professionals from around the world to share insights and expertise on preparing for and managing disasters, building disaster management capacity in the workforce, and educating and training in the health professions.
- Create collaborations with governments, agencies, academic institutions, healthcare delivery institutions, and other groups involved in emergency preparedness and response
- Develop and deliver continuing education, professional development, and training programs
- Provide advisory services to improve operational capacity
- Engage in academic exchanges involving faculty and medical students
- Lead conferences and symposia focused on disaster medicine and natural disaster resiliency
- Research
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