Medical Reserve Corps Research Articles

Surge Capacity Volunteer Perspectives on a Field Training Exercise Specifically Designed to Emphasize Likely Roles During a Disaster Response

Experience gained from involvement in a number of emergency response activities since September 2001 in Texas indicated that the likely roles of statewide medical reserve corps units typically included aspects such as crowd control, registration and tracking, and information management. The need for training specifically focused on these likely roles became apparent. A novel field training exercise was developed that specifically focused on these likely roles. The exercise centered on a scenario involving the surreptitious placement of radioactivity in high traffic areas across the country, resulting in the contamination of large numbers of individuals. Because the source of the contamination was unknown, surge capacity contamination screening and data collection centers became necessary. Feedback collected from drill participants was measured to be overwhelmingly positive, with the vast majority of participants indicating a marked improvement in their understanding of their likely roles in a disaster of this type. The approach used in this training effort may be of use to other disaster surge capacity organizations as part of their strategic planning efforts as a means of ensuring that individuals involved in response activities possess familiarity with their likely roles during a wide scale public health disaster event.

WE-D-211A-07: Medical Response to Radiation Incidents, summary of ACMP/AAPM Workshop

The American College of Medical Physics and the AAPM recently co‐sponsored an all day workshop on Response to Radiation Incidents. The talks included information on the federal response framework as well as how medical physicists could become involved through organizations such as the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). Within the Florida MRC, a section known as the Radiation Response Volunteer Corps (RRVC) was formed. The Florida AAPM and FL Health Physics Society chapters participated in training in June 2008. The RRVC was designed specifically for medical and health physicists.Information on the MRC and RRVC were presented at the workshop. In the afternoon, staff from the Radiation Emergency Assistance Center and Training Site (REAC/TS) conducted a realistic demonstration of patient decontamination procedures. All participants received a toolkit with valuable training tools.

Impact of the Medical Reserve Corps on Hurricane Response Efforts

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Interdisciplinary Approach to All-Hazards Preparedness

The Center for Bioterrorism and All-Hazards Preparedness (CBAP) at Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine is part of the National Education Strategy Team supported by the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. It developed and implemented an extensive interdisciplinary community-focused, all-hazards preparedness program as a template for use nationally. CBAP provides discipline-customized education and training experiences in emergency and disaster preparedness using multiple formats. In addition to addressing competencies that all responders must have, the CBAP National Education Strategy Team has special emphasis areas in personal planning, vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations, the employment of "cells" in the community, evidence-based evaluation including a unique casualty objective-structured clinical examination, use of student and faculty and Medical Reserve Corps volunteers, all-hazards preparedness aimed at school children, and programs addressing campus violence. CBAP emphasizes that all-hazards preparedness is an academic discipline that necessitates those trained have periodic updates to maintain their currency.

Medical Reserve Corps: Engaging Volunteers in Public Health Preparedness and Response

Medical Reserve Corps: Engaging Volunteers in Public Health Preparedness and Response

Risk Communication Considerations to Facilitate the Screening of Mass Populations for Potential Contamination with Radioactive Material

Experience gained during a field training exercise with a Medical Reserve Corps unit on the screening of large groups of individuals for possible contamination with radioactive material revealed that while exercise participants were generally attentive to the proper use of protective equipment and detectors, they tended to overlook important basic risk communications aspects. For example, drill participants did not actively communicate with the persons waiting in line for screening, a step which would provide re-assurance, possibly minimize apprehension, and would clarify expectations. When questioned on this issue of risk communication, drill participants were often able to craft ad hoc messages, but the messages were inconsistent and likely would not have significantly helped diminish anxiety and maintain crowd control. Similar difficulties were encountered regarding messaging for persons determined to be contaminated, those departing the screening center, and those to be delivered to the media. Based on these experiences, the need for a suggested list of risk communication points was identified. To address this need, a set of risk communication templates were developed that focused on the issues likely to be encountered in a mass screening event. The points include issues such as the importance of remaining calm, steps for minimizing possible intake or uptake, considerations for those exhibiting acute injuries, expected screening wait times, the process to be followed and the information to be collected, the process to be undertaken for those exhibiting contamination, and symptoms to watch for after departure. Drill participants indicated in follow-up discussions that such pre-established risk communication templates would serve to enhance their ability to assist in times of emergency and noted the potential broader applicably of the approach for use in responses for other disasters types as well.

Factors that Influence Medical Reserve Corps Recruitment

The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a key strategy used in the United States to assure an adequate surge capacity healthcare workforce for response to disasters. A survey of Hawaiian healthcare providers (n = 1,057) was conducted to identify factors that influence interest, ability, and willingness to join the MRC; 468 (44.3%) healthcare providers responded. Overall, females were more likely to demonstrate an interest in joining the MRC, while physicians and dentists reported lower levels of ability and willingness, in addition to a lower level of interest in joining the MRC than the other professional groups. The most important motivating factor in joining the MRC was altruism and the ability to help one's own community. Respondents reported a number of factors that would influence their decision to join or remain a MRC member. These included: (1) time commitment required; (2) MRC organization and management; (3) provision of MRC-sponsored training or education sessions and continuing education credits; (4) concerns regarding the safety of family members during a disaster; (5) professional liability protection for work performed during MRC operations; and (6) competing personal obligations. Strategies targeting these factors probably will be most effective in recruitment and retention of MRC volunteers as well as members of other public health surge capacity volunteer groups.

Implementing the Cities Readiness Initiative: Lessons Learned From Boston

The federally funded Cities Readiness Initiative (CRI) requires seamless federal, state, and local public health coordination to provide antibiotics to an entire city population within 48 hours of an aerosolized release of anthrax. We document practical lessons learned from the development and implementation of the Boston CRI plan. Key themes center on heightened emphasis on security, a new mass protection model of dispensing, neighborhood-centric clinic site selection, online training of Medical Reserve Corps volunteers, and the testing of operations through drills and exercises. Sharing such lessons can build national preparedness.

Medical Reserve Corps: Lessons learned in supporting community health and emergency response

The introduction of the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) programme in President Bush's 2002 State of the Union address was in response to the need to provide a platform for local medical and health professionals to volunteer in their local communities in times of need. In such times, local community-based MRC units would work with existing public health and emergency management resources to create programmes to organise and recruit volunteers to support community needs. Now over five years old, the MRC programme has grown from 166 units as part of a demonstration project to almost 700 local units with more than 127,000 volunteers. In addition, the programme has evolved into a community health response resource that is used throughout the year, not just during times of great need. This paper will discuss the background and concept of the MRC programme, as well as describe how interested individuals and communities can get involved. The paper will also highlight the types of activities in which MRC units are involved and lessons learned.

Working as a psychologist in the Medical Reserve Corps: Providing emergency mental health relief services in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Working as a psychologist in the Medical Reserve Corps: Providing emergency mental health relief services in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Joint Civilian/National Guard Mass Casualty Exercise Provides Model for Preparedness Training

After-action reports on the 2005 hurricane relief efforts pointed to the need for effective and efficient civilian/military operational cooperation. Cited for particular attention was the interface with National Guard units. This article describes an exercise conducted with National Guard units and members of the Central New York Medical Reserve Corps to educate all participants in effective interaction during disaster responses. Using a unique health care facility located at the New York State Fairgrounds, this 2-day operation demonstrated that jointly trained civilian and military units become well prepared for the conduct of joint relief and rescue operations.

Medical Reserve Corps pharmacists assist evacuees

When hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck the Gulf Coast in 2005, numerous communities around the nation were called on to provide housing, medical care, and other services to the hundreds of thousands of victims left homeless by the devastating storms. Many of the health care services for the

Navigating the Maze of Disaster Mental Health: The Journey of the Palo Alto Medical Reserve Corps

This paper introduces the Palo Alto Medical Reserve Corps (PAMRC); a program which focuses on disaster mental health education. The reader will be provided with background information on early intervention following a trauma and be introduced to the challenges encountered by the organization during its conception and development and to those faced by mental health professionals as communicated to PAMRC representatives during their response to Houston, TX in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The conclusion of the article will delineate the philosophy and methodology utilized by the PAMRC and describe the efforts of the PAMRC to set in motion a collaborative approach to disaster-related challenges, regardless of specialty.

APA Disaster Team, Members on Scene Mobilize Quickly

APA Disaster Team, Members on Scene Mobilize Quickly

Medical Reserve Corps: Strengthening Public Health and Improving Preparedness

Across the United States, millions of Americans volunteer their time and efforts to improve the social fabric of their communities. Inevitably, some of these volunteers will be medical and public health professionals. However, because of the complexities of the health field, including concerns about credentialing, training and legal protections, many of these persons have not been able to volunteer in their professional capacities. The terrorist events of 2001 showed that not only would individuals with medical and public health expertise want to volunteer, but that their help could be very much needed in future mass catastrophic events. The Medical Reserve Corps Program was created as a national system of community-based units to promote the local identification, recruitment, training, and activation of volunteers, especially those with medical and public health backgrounds. These Medical Reserve Corps units supplement the existing public health and emergency response entities in the community.

Medical Reserve Corps pharmacists to aid communities

Journal Article Medical Reserve Corps pharmacists to aid communities Get access Donna Young Donna Young Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, Volume 60, Issue 4, 15 February 2003, Pages 322–326, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajhp/60.4.322 Published: 15 February 2003

Pioneering physician: Samuel Fomon.

The death of Samuel Fomon, PhD, MD, on May 14, 1971, leaves mankind the poorer and the medical profession profoundly bereaved. Born Jan 11, 1889, in Chicago, he labored until virtually his last breath with the selflessness and skill that enabled him to contribute so substantially to medical science and medical pedagogy. Graduated in medicine from the University of Illinois in 1906, he joined the faculty of that institution after interning at Cook County Hospital. At the time his specialty was anatomy, but he conceived the idea of refresher courses for medical school graduates to prepare them for the National and State Board examinations. Giving these courses, which covered all branches of medicine, led to authorship of his memorable<i>Medicine and Allied Sciences</i>, published in five volumes in 1920. During World War I, Dr. Fomon served as a major in the US Army Medical Reserve Corps, where his broad medical

John R. Hodgson, A.B., M.D. President, Radiological Society of North America.

At its recent Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, the Radiological Society of North America elected as its President a diagnostic radiologist whose interests encompass most of the problems and goals of the organization and whose characteristics epitomize the qualities needed in seeking solutions to these problems and in giving direction to advancing the aims of the Society. John R. Hodgson, A.B., M.D., was born on Nov. 14, 1914, in Muskegon, Mich. He was educated in the University of Michigan and in the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, from which he was graduated in 1940. After an internship at Providence Hospital, Detroit, he held a residency in pathology and medicine which he was forced to interrupt because of a bout with tuberculosis. This also forced his resignation from the Army Medical Reserve Corps. After recovery, his interests fortunately shifted to radiology, and he became a Fellow in Radiology in the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine of the University of Minnesota at Rochester, Minn., on July 1, 1943. He completed his residency training there and received the degree of Master of Science in Radiology in December 1946. He remained in Rochester as a consultant in the Section of Diagnostic Roentgenology at the Mayo Clinic, and since Nov. 1, 1967, he has been head of that section, succeeding Dr. C. Allen Good. In this role he not only engages in the very busy departmental workload but also directs and coordinates the ever-expanding complexities of a large, increasing staff whose interests and activities integrate closely with those of other sections within the Mayo Clinic. Furthermore, his duties demand the careful supervision of a large residency training program and participation in courses of continuing education for physicians in practice. Because of his sustained interest and work in the formal educational aspects of radiology, he was given the appointment of Professor of Clinical Radiology in the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in 1967. His long-maintained efforts and interest in pediatric and gastroenterologic roentgenology have produced an impressive bibliography. In the attainment of professional skills and administrative ability, John Hodgson has maintained a broad perspective of the whole field of radiology. He has been in the front ranks of the battle to maintain diagnostic radiology as an intact discipline without fragmentation, but at the same time he has encouraged the development of subspecialty proficiency within radiology rather than outside it, and he has stressed the truly consultative role the radiologist can and should play. In this era of personal commitment and involvement in matters of professional and public concern, Jack Hodgson has been a dedicated and active participant in both the scientific and organizational aspects of local and state medical organizations. He has been President of the Minnesota Radiological Society.

The Molding of Personality under Dictatorship. The Importance of the Destructive Drives in the Socio-Psychological Structure of Nazism

This article is the third article based on material emanating from the Nurnberg war crimes trials. The first, entitled Crimes and Their Motivation-The Socio-Psychological Structure of the SS and the Criminalization of a Society appeared in volume 39, No. 3, September-October, 1948, pp. 298-326 of this JOURNAL. The second, entitled Destructive and Self-Destructive Trends in Criminalized Society-A Study of Totalitarianism appeared in volume 39, No. 5, JanuaryFebruary, 1949, pp. 553-564. The author was consultant to the Secretary of War of the United States on duty with the Office of the Chief of Counsel for War Crimes in Nurnberg, 1946-1947. He is at present Director of the Neurobiologic Unit of the Division of Psychiatric Research at the Boston State Hospital, instructor in Psychiatry, Tufts College Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, and holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Medical Reserve Corps of the United States Army.-EDIToR.

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Book Reviews