New short courses to give insight into emergency and disaster health

In a time of environmental disasters and ongoing threats of disease outbreaks, a new suite of micro-credential courses will give students access to the knowledge and strategies of how to be prepared in a crisis.

The CDU Menzies School of Medicine has launched two new micro-credentials, Communicable Disease Outbreak Management and Natural Disasters the first of four in the new Disaster Health course suite. 

The first course will explore strategies of how to prepare and respond to a communicable disease outbreak, with topics including epidemiology in practice, clinical and public health planning, response and messaging in outbreaks, immunity and vaccinations. 

The second course delves into natural disasters, the injuries or illnesses resulting from these types of emergencies and how that influences health preparedness and response. 

Both courses are open for enrolments in Semester 1, 2024 and will close mid-semester. 

CDU Menzies School of Medicine Senior Lecturer Angela Sheedy said the courses were developed in partnership with the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre. 

“These courses have been developed with experts who have lived experience in the areas of emergency and disaster health responses,” Ms Sheedy said. 

“This year in Australia we have witnessed floods, wildfires, and the ongoing threat of communicable disease outbreaks. The CDU School of Medicine is invested in ensuring those who want to work in these areas have access to the best education and resources possible. 

“Those interested in working in disaster and emergency response need to be ready for anything, and this selection of short courses allows participants to choose which area of Disaster Health they want to complete to enhance their skills and knowledge.”

The Disaster Health suite will be complete later this year with units Emergency and Disaster Preparedness and Response, and Human-made Disasters, to be added in Semester 2. 

Ms Sheedy said delivering the courses in a micro-credential format allowed students access to affordable and achievable qualifications. 

“The Disaster Health short courses allow learners to gain education and skills in a self-paced mode and feel confident they are accessing information and resources relevant to this area,” she said. 

“The course content is designed to direct learners to the knowledge and resources required, it recognises we are all busy and want the option to complete quality courses quickly.”