Masters degree in disaster relief health care

Who is it for?

The masters degree in disaster relief health care is for any member of a multidisciplinary team interested in disaster relief, especially disaster health care. I was the only surgeon in my entry year, but there was a good mix of military and non-military healthcare professionals, and healthcare logistic professionals.

When did you do it?

The degree is a three year part time distance learning course, and I completed it during the first three years of my surgical registrar training. This approach worked well for me as there is a natural gap in postgraduate surgical exams at this point, leaving me a little more time to study.

Why did you do it?

I have always envisaged that disaster relief and working in the developing world will be an important part of my career. However, just “wanting to do good” was not sufficient and I was keen to learn more about the theories behind good healthcare responses. The degree also has a multidisciplinary and indeed multinational approach (the degree is run jointly with a university in Finland), which increases exposure to different viewpoints and experiences.

How is the course structured?

Most of the course is run through various distance learning tools. Every year a summer school is held for two weeks, either in Wales or Finland, which comprises a week of lectures and a week participating in a disaster simulation exercise. This gives you the chance to gain a greater understanding of the stresses and logistical issues entailed in disaster health care. The rest of the year is split into modules about various topics central to disaster health care completed through discussion forums online.

How much effort did it entail?

Completing a series of essays throughout the year plus trying to keep up with online discussions was difficult at times with all my other commitments, but it was manageable. Being able to learn flexibly meant that I could fit in reading around work and home life. A final year placement is required to complete the degree (I spent two months operating in a rural hospital in Ethiopia) and permission needs to be gained from the deanery for out of programme experience and, of course, locum cover.

How much does it cost?

The course is expensive and costs around £2300 a year.

Is there an exam?

There is no exam, but all modules must be passed. In the final year a masters level research project has to be completed to a high standard (most are submitted for publication in a peer review journal).

Was it worth it?

In my opinion the course was definitely worth it. I have learnt a huge amount and feel that a large number of previously held beliefs in disaster and developing world health care have been challenged. I have learnt further research methods and feel more comfortable analysing theories and papers. The placement has made a huge impact on my everyday practice, increasing my perspective and helping me to understand better the healthcare needs of not only developing world populations but also the UK population I work with.

Top tip

• Distance learning means that you can learn at your own pace and read areas of the literature that you find especially interesting, but it requires some self discipline and motivation

Contact for further information

University of Glamorgan, Faculty of Health, Sport and Science, Pontypridd, Wales CF37 1DL. Tel: +44 (0)1443 654 450. www.glam.ac.uk/coursedetails/685/541.