Katrine Jaquet Mavraganis, resident in emergency medicine at Hørsholm Regional Hospital (Denmark) and recent Master’s graduate in Disaster Management (Copenhagen University), presents findings from her thesis on Danish doctors’ disaster preparedness. Prompted by her COVID-19 frontline experience, she surveyed perceived readiness amid rising crises.
Cross-sectional online questionnaire (n=151 doctors from 26 hospitals, 21 specialties—mainly EM, internal med, surgery; all training levels): 62% never trained (lectures/modules rare; no difference by experience); 74% want more (orientation to plans, recurrent blended sims/tabletops). Self-rated knowledge low (1-6 scale): CBRN/MCI/evacuation worst; triage moderate. University/departmental training rated poorly (no experience gap). Attitudes: High responsibility (trainees > attendings), future involvement expectation; moderate readiness.
Uses UNDRR disaster definition (community overload) and disaster risk (hazard × exposure × vulnerability). Global trends mirror: HCWs feel obligated but unprepared/confidence-lacking. Danish gaps: No national curriculum; system mandates prep sans funding/plans. Limitations: Self-assessment snapshot (ignores org resilience/psych factors).
Priorities: Informed, standardized, recurrent training (don’t await perfect evidence). Discussion: Coordinate nat’l responsibility/funding; improve measurement beyond self-reports; iterate training despite weak ed research. Key takeaway: Danish docs highly responsible yet underprepared—act now. Q&A: Start local/stakeholder groups, pilot/evaluate/fail-forward.