AADM Introduces Interdisciplinary Expansion
Disasters are chaotic by definition. In the hours and days that follow a manmade or natural emergency situation, a variety of different professionals ranging from first responders and public health officials to social workers, law enforcement, and government officials all contribute to disaster response in an effort to restore some semblance of normalcy. Yet, while there is a common focus among these disaster relief professionals, there is often very little overlap in organization or specific mission. As a result, many communities find that they are ill equipped to respond to an unexpected emergency and too often rely on a “just in time” approach where critical services are delivered despite the organizational structure and not because of it.
The American Academy of Disaster Medicine (AADM) was founded to recognize physician leaders with extensive firsthand experience in the field of disaster medicine, awarding board certification to those men and women who can demonstrate their mastery of this increasingly vital medical specialty. In 2014, the AADM decided to amend its bylaws and shift from a physician-only organization to a community that is made up of a variety of highly knowledgeable professionals who have a role or interest in disaster medicine. This change in structure was made to address the need for a unified group of like-minded professionals who could bring unique experiences and expertise together in order to improve our disaster medicine and relief protocols.
This “big tent” approach to disaster medicine brings together many like-minded individuals, many of whom work side-by-side on a regular basis but have had very little opportunity to share best practices and work together to identify ways to improve disaster relief. The AADM will seek to bolster and stabilize disaster response effectiveness by:
- Creating a core curriculum
- Providing hands-on training
- Establishing a Certified in Interdisciplinary Disaster Medicine credential
- Developing a learning community to provide ongoing training and informational material
- Offering a unique platform to share organizational policies, plans, and procedures
- Continuing to award board certification to highly qualified disaster medicine physicians
To learn more about the AADM and our efforts to improve our ability to respond to acts of terror, Mother Nature, and other disaster situations, contact us today. The AADM is an affiliate academy of the American Association of Physician Specialists®, the governing body of the American Board of Physician Specialties®.
