@article{ref1,
title="Disaster preparedness medical school elective: bridging the gap between volunteer eagerness and readiness",
journal="Pediatric emergency care",
year="2016",
author="Patel, Vishnu M. and Dahl-Grove, Deanna",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: Eager medical students may not be prepared for unanticipated complexities of disaster response. This study aimed to answer 2 questions: does an online disaster preparedness curriculum create a convenient method to educate medical students and motivate them to be better prepared to volunteer? METHODS: An online disaster preparedness elective was created for medical students. Four modules were created using Softchalk and hosted on the Blackboard Learning Management System. Students completed embedded pre-elective, post-lesson, and post-elective surveys. <br><br>RESULTS: Fifty-five students completed the elective. When posed with the statement, &quot;I feel prepared for an emergency at the University or the immediate area,&quot; 70% stated that they disagreed or strongly disagreed before the elective. Subsequently, only 11% claimed to disagree after the elective. At the conclusion of the elective, 13% of students had prepared a personal emergency kit and 28% had prepared a family communication plan for reunification. Students were surveyed on the statement &quot;I would like to be involved in a community disaster response while continuing my medical training.&quot; Ninety-four percent claimed to agree or strongly agree before the elective, and 93% stated the same after elective completion. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: This disaster preparedness elective was envisioned to be a resource for students. Advantages of online availability are ease of student access and minimal demand on faculty resources. A voluntary, self-paced online elective in disaster preparedness has shown to create a stronger interest in disaster participation in medical students. Student readiness to volunteer improved; however, willingness remained stagnant.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0749-5161",
doi="10.1097/PEC.0000000000000806",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/PEC.0000000000000806"
}