Comments on: Disaster medicine: the birth of a specialty? http://www.thelancetstudent.com/2008/02/11/disaster-medicine-the-birth-of-a-specialty/ Thelancetstudent.com is a recently established website for students in medicine and related health areas, with a particular emphasis on global health. In the student podcast, Editor Rhona MacDonald highlights new content and interviews student authors of a key article published that week. Sat, 22 Nov 2008 04:19:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: marlowmacht http://www.thelancetstudent.com/2008/02/11/disaster-medicine-the-birth-of-a-specialty/#comment-1267 marlowmacht Mon, 18 Feb 2008 04:34:06 +0000 http://www.thelancetstudent.com/2008/02/11/disaster-medicine-the-birth-of-a-specialty/#comment-1267 I would like to commend the author on his thorough survey of disaster medicine. However, the statement that “a new specialty was born” does not accurately convey the controversy surrounding this move. The American Board of Physician Specialties, which sponsors the disaster medicine board, is by far the smallest certifying body in the U.S. (By far the largest and most widely recognized is the American Board of Medical Specialties.) The ABPS is not recognized by the American Medical Association, the largest multi-specialty organization in the U.S., nor by by the American College of Emergency Physicians, the founding organization of emergency physicians in the U.S. This is not to say that these organizations or American physicians as whole do not recognize the value of disaster medicine. On the contrary, ACEP has an active disaster medicine section, and there are a number of fellowships in disaster medicine in the U.S. ACEP and other groups are working together to develop a disaster subspecialty board that would be recognized by ABMS. I agree with Dr. Ramirez that “the disaster medicine community internationally must move beyond national boundaries, professional politics and territorialism [sic] to work cooperatively.” However, without the support of the house of medicine in the U.S., it is premature to hail a new specialty. Marlow Macht Candidate for MD-MPH in 2008 Tulane University New Orleans, Louisiana, USA I would like to commend the author on his thorough survey of disaster medicine. However, the statement that “a new specialty was born” does not accurately convey the controversy surrounding this move. The American Board of Physician Specialties, which sponsors the disaster medicine board, is by far the smallest certifying body in the U.S. (By far the largest and most widely recognized is the American Board of Medical Specialties.) The ABPS is not recognized by the American Medical Association, the largest multi-specialty organization in the U.S., nor by by the American College of Emergency Physicians, the founding organization of emergency physicians in the U.S.

This is not to say that these organizations or American physicians as whole do not recognize the value of disaster medicine. On the contrary, ACEP has an active disaster medicine section, and there are a number of fellowships in disaster medicine in the U.S. ACEP and other groups are working together to develop a disaster subspecialty board that would be recognized by ABMS.

I agree with Dr. Ramirez that “the disaster medicine community internationally must move beyond national boundaries, professional politics and territorialism [sic] to work cooperatively.” However, without the support of the house of medicine in the U.S., it is premature to hail a new specialty.

Marlow Macht
Candidate for MD-MPH in 2008
Tulane University
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

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