Journal Article

Disaster medicine in Swedish undergraduate medical education: analysing current programs and future integration in the six-year curriculum

Olsson, Sofia, Kurland, Lisa, Robinson, Yohan, Taube, Fabian, Björås, Joakim

2025

Overview

Background Disaster medicine involves managing situations where medical needs exceed available resources. In Sweden, disaster medicine is not yet a mandatory component of the medical education. Since the introduction of a revised six-year medical curriculum in 2021, it is unclear how disaster medicine will be integrated into the new program. This study aimed to evaluate the status of undergraduate disaster medicine education in Swedish medical schools, the teaching methodologies employed, plans for future curriculum integration, and the extent of variation across universities. Methods We conducted a comprehensive review of syllabi from all Swedish medical programs to identify the inclusion of disaster medicine. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 representatives from all seven Swedish medical schools, including those responsible for disaster medicine education or members of the education boards. The interviews explored teaching methods, curriculum content, and plans for the new six-year program. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results Disaster medicine is included in the curriculum of all Swedish medical programs; however, its content, extent, and teaching approaches vary. Lectures are the most common teaching method, with some schools incorporating case discussions, tabletop exercises, and disaster simulations. Most medical faculties plan to maintain or expand their disaster medicine curriculum. However, there is no formal collaboration between universities in developing or standardizing disaster medicine education for the new curriculum. Conclusion The current level of disaster medicine education in Swedish medical schools requires enhancement in both quality and scope. Variations between universities would need to be minimized to ensure a more consistent approach. Preliminary plans for the new six-year medical program suggest that disparities between universities may persist, underscoring the need for a coordinated effort in standardizing disaster medicine education at the undergraduate level.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Accreditation and program evaluation models in medical education / Annan utbildningsvetenskaplig forskning / Clinical competence / Coding / Colleges & universities / Competence / Course Content / Course Descriptions / Curricula / Curriculum / Curriculum - trends / Curriculum development / Curriculum Evaluation / Data Collection / Disaster Medicine / Disaster Medicine - education / Disaster preparedness / Distance learning / Education / Education, Medical, Undergraduate - methods / Education, Medical, Undergraduate - organization & administration / Education, Medical, Undergraduate - standards / Education, Medical, Undergraduate - trends / Educational aspects / Educational Methods / Educational objectives / Educational programs / Educational Quality / Educational research / Electronic Learning / Emergency medical care / Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa och socialmedicin / Higher education / Humanitarianism / Humans / Instructional Materials / Intellectual Disciplines / Interviews / Interviews as Topic / Medical / Medical Education / Medical personnel / Medical programs / Medical Students / Methods / organization & administration / Other Educational Sciences / Physicians / Professional Training / Professionals / Public Health, Global Health and Social Medicine / Qualitative research / Schools / Schools, Medical / Semi Structured Interviews / Structured Interviews / Supervision / Sweden / Swedish medical education / Teachers / Teaching Methods / Theory of Medicine/Bioethics / trends / Undergraduate