The University of Houston is partnering with the U.S. Army Medical Department for the first-ever Premed Emergency Preparedness Day, presented by the UH College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics – an immersive training experience designed to prepare future health care professionals for high-pressure, large-scale emergencies.
What: NSM Premed Emergency Preparedness Day
When: Thursday, March 27, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Where: UH Campus Recreation and Wellness Center, 4500 University Dr., and the UH Student Center South Houston Room, 4455 University Dr.
For more details, including a list of featured speakers, click here.
"We are proud to partner with the Army for Emergency Preparedness Day, which will provide an invaluable hands-on experience for our future health care professionals," said Dawnelle Prince, director of the NSM Career Center. "Through this disaster simulation, our students will gain critical skills in crisis response, teamwork and decision-making – tools that will prepare them to confidently step into real-world emergencies and save lives."
The all-day event, which coincides with the Army's 250th birthday, will feature interactive workshop rotations, including emergency medicine, virtual reality surgical technique demonstrations and live medivac training with an Army Blackhawk helicopter. One of the world's largest mobile medical units, the Army AS5, will also be on display. And Col. Christopher Mitchell, deputy consultant to the Surgeon General of the U.S. Army for Emergency Medicine, will deliver the keynote address.
"Emergency Preparedness Day at UH is an outstanding opportunity for the U.S. Army to highlight the critical role health care professionals play in supporting our nation's armed forces," said Capt. Tyler Womack, company commander of the Army Medical Department's Houston Medical Recruiting Company. "This training allows students to engage in realistic emergency response scenarios while also exploring meaningful ways to serve their country as military medical professionals."
In any type of large-scale, mass casualty disaster, it is critical to have health care professionals who are trained in emergency response.
"Emergency Preparedness Day will empower our students, and by extension our communities, with the resources and knowledge they need to respond effectively in times of crisis." - Dawnelle Prince, Director, NSM Career Center
According to NOAA, there were 27 separate weather disasters in the U.S. just last year that caused hundreds of deaths and at least $1 billion in damages, from severe storms and floods to wildfires and tropical cyclones. Among them was Hurricane Beryl which struck the Texas coast in July, causing widespread damage to homes and knocking out power to millions of people for weeks.
In fact, data shows Texas leads the nation in the most frequent and most expensive severe weather and climate disasters, accounting for 15% of all billion-dollar events since 1980.
"As both natural and man-made disasters are on the rise, there is a significant need for health care responders with emergency experience," Prince said. "Emergency Preparedness Day will empower our students, and by extension our communities, with the resources and knowledge they need to respond effectively in times of crisis."
