Disaster medicine: current assessment and blueprint for the future. SAEM Disaster Medicine White Paper Subcommittee.

Emergency services for disaster-affected populations require the application of out-of-hospital planning, curative acute medical skills, and public health principles. SAEM can play an important role in promoting the research and educational agendas for disaster medicine through its network of EM educators at academic health centers. Testing of disaster medicine principles as part of the EM certification process will emphasize the importance of disaster medicine in the overall training of EPs. Postgraduate fellowships in disaster medicine also should be promoted and closely linked to disaster response organizations. Overall professional training must encompass the many facets described in this paper to prepare physicians to meet the challenges of disaster medicine.