Collaborative Partnerships: Global Centers of Excellence


Experiential learning is the cornerstone of the BIDMC Fellowship in Disaster Medicine. Fellows rotate at partnering sites locally in New England, around the United States, and around the world. In addition to the extensive disaster preparedness and response activities in and around Boston, fellowship rotation sites are in 11 countries and 9 states. Each opportunity is specifically selected for the educational experience it provides to the Fellow.

Our International Centers of Excellence in Disaster Medicine (CEDM) have been established through collaborative partnerships between the BIDMC Fellowship in Disaster Medicine and host universities and governments around the world. Each CEDM brings together multi-agency mitigation, preparedness, and response training activities through an integrated education and research center, thereby enhancing regional disaster resiliency in the communities they serve. Through rotations to these centers, Fellows take an active role in the field, learning by experience the real-world applications of specific areas of emergency preparedness and response. Fellows also meet and network with mentors and colleagues as they transition into a career in Disaster Medicine.

Our mission is to provide the most comprehensive hands-on education in Disaster Medicine and Emergency Management achievable.  The BIDMC Fellowship in Disaster Medicine strives to develop new and innovative ways to train our Fellows in these integrated fields. With each opportunity Fellows learn the necessary skills to manage disasters locally, nationally, and internationally through real-world experience.


  • Abu Dhabi Centre of Disaster Medicine, United Arab Emirates (collaborative partnership with the Abu Dhabi Department of Health)

  • Armenian International Emergency and Disaster Medicine Training Center (collaborative partnership with Erebouni Medical Center)

  • Bahamian Center of Disaster Medicine (collaborative partnership with the Bahamas Ministry of Health and Wellness)

  • Caribbean Center For Disaster Medicine, St. Maarten (collaborative partnership with the American University of the Caribbean)

  • Center of Excellence In Security, Resilience, and CBRNe, San Marino/Italy (collaborative partnership with the University of San Marino)

  • Chinese Center for Disaster Medicine, China (collaborative partnership with Tianjin University)

  • European Center for Disaster Response, France (collaborative partnership with the University of Toulouse)

  • Indian Center for Disaster Medicine, India (collaborative partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology)

  • North African Center for Disaster Medicine, Morocco (collaborative partnership with the International University of Rabat)

  • Portuguese Center for Disaster Medicine (collaborative partnership with the University of Lisbon School of Medicine)

Rotation Sites and Collaborating Organizations

  • BOSTON C-MED

    • 1 day in Metro-Boston Central Medical Emergency Direction (CMED) Center

  • ​BIDMC EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

    • Attend Meetings and Drills

  • ​BOSTON EMS

    • 1 ALS, and 1 BLS Ride-Along

  • ​BOSTON MARATHON

    • Shadow Boston EMS Supervisor

  • ​BOSTON RED SOX COVERAGE

    • Mass gathering planning and response

  • ​CHILDREN CRITICAL CARE TRANSPORT

    • 1 ride -along with Children Critical Care Transport.

  • ​DELVALLE INSTITUTE FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

    • Attend lecture series on Emergency Management

  • ​DHHS REGION 1

    • Attend meetings and drills

  • ​HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL - DISASTER MEDICINE SIG

    • Lecture to students, plan events and attend monthly meetings at HMS.

  • ​INTERNATIONAL EMS: OTTOWA UNIVERSITY, CANADA

    • 2 weeks rotation in EMS Disaster Operations

  • LMA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

    • Attend meetings, plan and attend drills

  • ​​MASS GATHERING: DUBLIN, IRELAND

    • Participate in Mass Gathering activities

  • ​MGH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

    • Attend meetings, plan and attend drills

  • ​NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS-GILLETTE  STADIUM

    • Mass gathering planning and response

  • ​RHODE ISLAND-1 DMAT

    • Join training drills, participate in local deployments with RI –1 MRC / DMAT

  • ​CITY OF MILTON FIRE-RESCUE DEPARTMENT

    • 1-2 week rotation in emergency management, Georgia

  • ​TOLOUSE UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR DISASTER RESPONSE    FRANCE

    • System EMS and disaster preparedness, virtual reality tools in disaster

  • MASSACHUSETTS HAZMAT

    • State hazmat training center

  • ABU DHABI DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

    • Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response

  • UNIVERSITY OF RABAT, MOROCCO

    • The African center for Disaster Medicine

  • AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF THE CARIBBEAN

    • Caribbean Center for Disaster Medicine

  • UNIVERSITY OF LISBON SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

    • Portuguese Center for Disaster Medicine

Collaborating Organizations

  • Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA)

    Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA)

  • Anna Maria College

    Anna Maria College

  • Boston EMS

  • Boston Children's Hospital

  • Boston MedFlight

  • Brigham and Women's Hospital

  • Caribbean Center for Disaster Medicine

  • Cataldo EMS

  • DelValle Institute for Emergency Preparedness

  • European Center for Disaster Response

  • Massachusetts General Hospital

  • NMETC

  • Observatory on Security and CBRNe Defense

  • RI DMAT

  • Tianjin Association for Disaster Medicine

  • Department of Homeland Security (US)

  • Department of Health and Human Services (US)

  • National Disaster Medical System (US)

  • White House Medical Unit

  • Milton Georgia Fire Department

  • UAE Abudabi Department of Health