Conflict & Catastrophe Medicine
Empowering the next generation of humanitarian medics
About the course
The diploma course in Conflict and Catastrophe Medicine (CCM) provides postgraduate medics, nurses and allied health professionals with the relevant knowledge and practical skills to work effectively in the disaster environment.
Topics range from aspects of medical and clinical care, public and environmental health to wider contextual issues such as bridging humanitarian health and health development, and the changing direction of humanitarian aid.
- 45+ unique sessions delivered by 30+ lecturers, military and humanitarian leaders in their field
- 2 years access to lectures, recordings, slides and online learning resources
- 50+ hours of teaching, including 20+ delivered remotely via Zoom
- Exclusive access to a networking community of key contacts in the field of Conflict and Catastrophe Medicine
Taught at postgraduate level, the course aims to equip students with the knowledge to work effectively in disaster environments and humanitarian emergencies.
The course is open to postgraduate medics, nurses, pharmacists or allied health professionals looking to take the next step in their career, whether it be towards deployment work in humanitarian emergencies or in response to domestic disasters or acts of terrorism.
The course is designed to augment your qualifications and expertise with the relevant core skills required to support interventions such as a needs assessment, surveillance and reporting systems, and common health and disease issues.
From the point of enrolment, students are engaged in an active community of likeminded health professionals to foster social and intellectual connections with peers and recent alumni, committed to your professional development, to access mentorship opportunities and career advice.
What our students and lecturers say
"We are passionate about training the next generation of humanitarian medical responders. The course offers the foundational knowledge to prepare you before embarking on a career in humanitarian response, and provides the opportunity to engage with experts in the field of humanitarian medicine"
"In my view, this course is essential for anyone who is thinking of working in the humanitarian sector in order to mitigate against the risk
of moral injury to themself."
"The first-hand accounts from
practitioners in the field across a wide range of issues, topics and themes. It is most invaluable."
Course timetable
The course takes place on 11 Saturdays from September 2025 to July 2026, delivered online and in-person at Apothecaries’ Hall in London.
September
- Welcome to the Course and the Faculty
- Key Stakeholders and Definitions
- Needs Assessments
- Ukraine, Türkiye and Syria
October
- Communicable Diseases
- Challenges to Vaccination Programmes: Opportunities and Solutions
- Gender and Sexual-based Violence
- Clinical Session on Providing Care for GSBV Victims
November
- Mass Gatherings
- Mass Casualties
- Mass Evacuation: Afghanistan
- Civilian-Military Coordination
December
- Leadership and Resilience
- Principles of Pain Management
- Factors affecting the Supply of Medicines
January
- Disaster Risk Reduction
- Disasters in the Urban Environment
- Needs Assessment
- Dealing with the Media
- The 'Flowerland' Scenario Part 1
February
- DMCC Examination Preparation
- The ‘Flowerland’ Scenario: Part 2
- Nutrition in Conflict and Catastrophe
- Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
March
- Epidemiology of Disasters
- Humanitarian Standards
- Refugee and Humanitarian Law and Ethics
- Refugee Health
- The 'Flowerland' Scenario part 3
April
- Factors Affecting Humanitarian Aid
- Protecting responders in conflict and crisis zones
- Rescue, Triage and Care of Boat People in the RNLI
- Distress and Disorders: People’s Psychosocial Needs after Emergencies, Major Incidents, High Consequence Infectious Diseases and Terrorism
May
- The future threat of cyber warfare and the challenge of new weapons: what role can medical and humanitarian assistance play?
- Climate Change and Humanitarianism
- Sexually Transmitted Infections
- Safeguarding in Conflict
June
- Panel Discussion
- Maternal and Neonatal Health
- Child Health
- Non-Communicable Diseases
July
- Psychosocial care for professionals working in conflicts and catastrophes
- Protecting the Health of Responders
- CBRNE : Hazardous chemicals, biological warfare agents, nuclear radiation and their clinical effects
- Final Quiz
How to apply
Applications for the 2025-26 course are now open until Friday 28 November 2025, providing 2 years of access to course materials from your date of enrolment.
Payment is made online via our website. You will then gain access to our online learning platform to complete your registration form and view your learning materials.
Email us for more details. Terms and Conditions apply.
- Full price: £1,125
- Drop-in price: £105 per day
Please Note: We can accept this payment in two interest-free instalments over two years.
Contact Matthew Scudder at AcademicTraining@apothecaries.org or on 020 7236 1180 (x-212) for more details.
Diploma in Medicine in Conflict & Catastrophe (DMCC)
If you want to continue your journey into conflict & catastrophe medicine after completing this course, you may wish to consider the Diploma in Medicine in Conflict & Catastrophe (DMCC).
The DMCC is intended to prepare personnel to deploy on humanitarian operations in difficult conditions as independent practitioners.
A postgraduate professional award, the DMCC is given after following the Conflict and Catastrophe Medicine Course and passing a written and an oral examination.
Contact
Academic Department
Centre for Health Studies, Apothecaries' Hall, Black Friars Lane, London EC4V 6EJ
e: AcademicTraining@apothecaries.org
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