Fellow

Disaster medicine will likely become an approved American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) subspecialty in the next year, and an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) approved fellowship will follow shortly. A core curriculum for disaster medicine fellowships has been published, but each fellowship has unique strengths and weaknesses based on funding, location, existing governmental and health system relationships, and niche areas of expertise (large scale trauma, infectious disease, global health). Some focus on health policy and preparedness planning, while those with an emergency medical services (EMS) focus emphasize response training and prehospital care. Research and scholarship are hallmarks of most fellowships. As disaster medicine matures as a subspecialty, fellowship curriculums will evolve. Formally trained individuals are more likely to pursue academic or health system careers. There is a growing market for disaster medicine-trained individuals, but most disaster medicine physicians devote a significant percentage of their time to clinical emergency medicine (EM). Fellows and graduates of these programs often take leadership roles in local and federal disaster response teams and policy creating committees, as disaster medicine is the focus of their careers, not just a side interest. Fellowship-trained physicians possess a unique skillset and expertise.

Newly developed disaster medicine fellowship programs increasingly incorporate technology such as simulation aids, digital training tools, and drills to enhance preparedness, improve response capabilities, and support more effective disaster mitigation.

As part of a disaster medicine fellowship, you may engage in research that often includes extended fieldwork in vulnerable or disaster-affected areas. This frequently involves travel and offers the opportunity to develop practical skills in implementation science and community-based participatory research. Those experiences not only deepen your understanding of health systems in crisis settings, but also equip you to design and evaluate interventions that are contextually appropriate and sustainable. A career in disaster medicine spans local, national, and international endeavors. A global disaster medicine track involves employment with international organizations or participating in short-term humanitarian responses, allowing you to explore various scenarios where you can implement several disaster medicine core principles across different human-made and natural disasters. After completing your fellowship, you can pursue a career that combines clinical medicine, emergency management, public health, global health, and humanitarian assistance. These roles might include leadership and advisory positions in emergencies, hands-on management of victims, and roles in academic or research settings.