Improving global prehospital and emergency medicine, public health, and disaster health care and preparedness

Student & Young Professional

Youth engagement at the post-secondary level is minimal in disaster and emergency medicine knowledge development. Many graduate programs often require or prefer individuals to be working professionals in the field of humanitarian health care when they apply. To address the gap in learning for post-secondary students, the WADEM Student and Young Professional Special Interest Group (SYP-SIG) strives to provide an open platform, resources, informational webinars, and workshops for individuals who are interested in or looking to begin a career in disaster and emergency medicine.


Check Out the SYP-SIG’s Virtual Presentations & Discussions

Webinar Date: 21 October 2024

Infectious Diseases and Disasters

Dr. Vijai Bhola from Emory University discusses how infectious diseases thrive in disasters! The presentation outlines factors that create complex humanitarian disasters, examines common infectious diseases that follow disasters and the expected timeline for these outbreaks, and explores how climate change influences the risk of infectious disease outbreaks.


Student and Young Professional SIG Leadership

Morgan Davis, MS, BS
SIG Co-Lead
Medical Student; Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University
Andrew Shanes, DO
SIG Co-Lead
Emergency Medicine Resident; New York-Presbyterian - Queens
Ilana Shecter, DO
SIG Co-Lead
Transitional Year Resident; Brooke Army Medical Center

With the goal of bringing together students and young professionals of all nationalities and future health care professionals, the SYP-SIG has created a Facebook page to facilitate new members connecting and joining the SIG. Please reach out to us for further information on joining the SIG or creating one at your institution – students@wadem.org.