Medical Disaster Response 2008, has been developed by the group that brings you Trauma, Critical Care & Acute Care Surgery. This course is specifically for clinical personnel who, in the "heat of battle," are trying to save patients' lives and limbs, often with limited space and workers, while trying to quickly determine how to manage more patients than the facility can process. Whether it is an overwhelmingly busy Friday night or a full-scale mass casualty, the clinical personnel are on the front line. Course faculty were selected for their first-hand experience in medical disaster response, and the program was designed to present maximum content in formats most conducive to learning and audience involvement.

Physicians, nurses, administrators and others in the hospital and clinical arenas will, sooner or later, be faced with the care of multiple patients following a natural, terrorism, industrial, or other catastrophic event that might be considered an overwhelming mass casualty or "disaster." Many journals, courses, and even "model" disaster plans address infrastructure, supplies, causes, public health, and logistics. However, the medical/clinical aspects, the most important determinant of survival, are often overlooked.

This course focuses on these aspects and targets the clinical personnel who are the first to receive the victims of a catastrophic event. Whether it is a 10-car pile up or a devastating earthquake, the role of individuals responsible for immediate medical response will be the focus. Every physician, nurse and administrator working in a hospital clinical setting has the potential to be called upon, without notice, to fulfill these responsibilities.