Disaster drill gives medical students hands-on experience

Students from the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dublin participated in a mass casualty training exercise on April 13 to learn how to respond in the event of a disaster, such as a bombing or structural collapse. The training, hosted by the Emergency Medicine Club, took place at the Washington Township Administrative Offices and Training Center and gave students the opportunity to put into practice skills they learned at a previous workshop which provided guidance on how to control bleeding, position patients, give emotional support, apply tourniquets and understand the physiological responses the body has under stress.

Emily Cushing, a second-year student and vice president of the Emergency Medicine Club, helped coordinate this year’s event.

“I participated last year,” she said. “I thought it was a very cool immersive experience that gives you great hands-on experience. A particular memory was being sent into the smoke tower to rescue the victims.”

Nearly 40 students participated in the event this year, which was sponsored by the Heritage College, OhioHealth, Washington Township Fire Department and Mid-Ohio Emergency Services. OhioHealth physicians and representatives from local agencies conducted the training. 

Cushing said it takes a lot of planning and coordination to pull the event together, and a lot of volunteers to make it happen. She said it’s important training for medical students to experience. 

“Because you learn about all of the behind-the-scenes triage that is coordinated before a patient even gets to the hospital in the event of an emergency,” said Cushing.