While the World Health Organization established minimum standards for emergency medical teams (EMTs) in 2013, globally recognized competency standards for individual disaster medical responders remain lacking. This study identifies and synthesizes existing competencies, qualifications, and training requirements for physicians, nurses, and paramedics who serve as deployable disaster response specialists on EMTs.

A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Comprehensive searches of five databases were performed in September, 2024. Gray literature from 22 governmental and non-governmental organizations was also reviewed. Studies addressing competencies or requirements for disaster specialists (physicians, nurses, paramedics) participating in disaster response were included.

Fifty-four studies were included, most being nursing-focused (n = 28, 51.9%). Studies predominantly originated from the United States (n = 15, 27.8%) and China (n = 9, 16.7%). Training program duration ranged from single-day workshops to multi-week courses, with varied delivery formats. Core competencies identified across professions included Incident Command System knowledge, triage skills, communication abilities, personal protective equipment use, psychological first aid, ethical-legal preparedness, clinical-technical skills, and leadership capabilities.

Substantial convergence exists around core disaster medicine competencies, yet significant variability persists in training approaches and duration. The establishment of globally recognized, evidence-based competency standards for individual disaster medical specialists represents a critical next step.

Case-based learning (CBL) is increasingly used across health professions education to promote clinical reasoning and professional competencies. In paediatric cardiology, rapid advances in diagnostics, interventions, and multidisciplinary care have intensified the need for educational approaches that integrate complex knowledge with real-world problem-solving.

This narrative review outlines the theoretical foundations of CBL and examines the available literature on its implementation and effectiveness in medical education generally and paediatric cardiology specifically. Emerging applications of CBL, including simulation, virtual reality, and international collaborative case conferences, were also reviewed. Key design principles for effective CBL were explored, including case selection, alignment with competency-based curricula, faculty development, and assessment strategies.

Evidence suggests that CBL enhances clinical reasoning, knowledge integration, learner engagement, and the development of professional competencies. In paediatric cardiology, CBL supports the application of complex diagnostic and management principles within authentic clinical contexts. Emerging technology-enhanced approaches and international collaborative learning initiatives further expand opportunities for interactive and multidisciplinary education. However, challenges remain, including significant time and resource requirements, digital inequities, and the need for more rigorous evaluation of educational outcomes.

Well-designed CBL appears to be a powerful educational strategy for preparing paediatric cardiology clinicians to deliver increasingly complex, team-based care. Future directions include greater integration of technology-enhanced learning, simulation-based approaches, and global educational networks to support trainees and practitioners across diverse practice settings while strengthening evidence for educational effectiveness.

In low- and middle-income countries, four out of five people with mental illness do not receive specialised treatment. Utilising non-specialist frontline workers to deliver basic mental health services at the community level therefore warrants exploration.

This study assessed improvement in the knowledge and skills of frontline community workers in identifying symptoms of anxiety and depression, making appropriate referrals and providing psychosocial counselling, in a rural district of Pakistan.

Project mPareshan developed a training manual to enhance the mental health literacy of government-employed lady health workers (LHWs) and lady health supervisors (LHSs). Content was adapted from the World Health Organization’s Mental Health Gap Action Programme 2.0 intervention guide to suit the local context. A total of 72 participants (36 LHSs and 36 LHWs) from the Badin District, Sindh, Pakistan, received the training. Pre- and post-tests were conducted to assess changes in knowledge and skills, using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

There was a statistically significant improvement in both knowledge (p < 0.01, r = 0.85) and competency (p < 0.01, r = 0.81) median scores following the mPareshan training. LHSs demonstrated higher percentage increase in knowledge and competencies in domains requiring practical application, such as coping mechanisms, psychosocial support and referral pathways, compared with LHWs, highlighting the importance of their supervisory role and support in mental health service delivery.

The mPareshan mental health training has the potential to improve the knowledge and competencies of community health workers. Such initiatives can be scaled up to enable frontline workers to function as an effective workforce in the absence of specialist mental health services.

Cultural competence training has become increasingly common in psychiatric practice across Europe and worldwide, supported by evidence demonstrating improvements in quality of care, clinical effectiveness, and patient satisfaction. Since the publication of the original EPA guideline in 2015, the field has advanced considerably in its theoretical foundations, evidence base, and institutional support. This updated guideline addresses recent developments and challenges in research, policy, and clinical practice.

The guideline is based on a systematic meta-review of 15 systematic reviews and evidence-based guidelines on cultural competence training in psychiatric care and mental health. The evidence was synthesized to identify key concepts, educational components, implementation strategies, and current debates.

The review comprises four sections. First, it examines core elements of cultural competence training, emphasizing cultural humility, structural competence, and perspectives from the social and cultural sciences. Second, it provides practical recommendations for curriculum design, including the potential role of digital learning tools. Third, it addresses critiques of cultural competence, particularly concerns regarding essentializing and potentially racist interpretations. Finally, it explores strategies for integrating cultural competence training into existing psychiatric services, highlighting both individual and organizational factors that support implementation.

Cultural competence benefits not only migrant and ethnically diverse populations but all patients and healthcare professionals, including members of majority cultures. Successful implementation requires cultural sensitivity, critical self-reflection, and sustained commitment at individual, organizational, and system levels to achieve meaningful and lasting improvements in psychiatric care.

Providing psychosocial support to pediatric patients and their families at the end of life represents one of the most challenging yet vital aspects of healthcare practice. Despite the presence of grief and loss training in many pediatric healthcare professionals’ educational backgrounds, opportunities for practical training experience in delivering end-of-life care remain limited. This study explored the use of simulation-based training to enhance the self-reported knowledge, skills, and comfort levels of child life specialists in providing psychosocial care during end-of-life situations.

Forty-three child life specialists participated in the simulation-based training, which was combined with traditional didactic instruction, and the associated research study. Pre- and post-training surveys were used to assess impact of the training on child life specialists’ self-reported knowledge of end-of-life care and comfort in providing this care.

A statistically significant increase was seen in all measured aspects of self-reported knowledge and comfort in providing end-of-life care following the training.

Simulation combined with traditional instruction methods provides an effective way to train healthcare professionals in providing high-stakes psychosocial care while protecting patients and families from the added strain of trainees and excess staff presence during sensitive times.

Mass casualty incidents (MCI) are a challenge for prehospital response. The global response may include primary health care teams (PHCT), even more in remote and rural areas. As training in MCI response is complex, it is essential to simplify it when focused in PHCT as it is a low frequency phenomenon in their context. Our objective is to measure self-perception and the impact of a brief training experience using a mass casualty incident tabletop game with primary care doctors and nurses.

Descriptive study of the impact of a training intervention on 27 primary care physicians and nurses in the Principality of Asturias. A 2-h training experience was carried out using a tabletop game. Self-perception was measured using a Likert’s scale on methodology, knowledge and skills, as well as a multiple-choice knowledge test after two months. Strengths and weaknesses of the methodology were also identified using open-ended questions, as well as attitudes towards incidents with mass casualty incidents.

85% of participants improved their level of knowledge without providing them study material. Self-perception measured 27 items in 3 dimensions: methodology (Median = 9; interquartile range (IQR) = 2), knowledge (Median = 10; IQR = 1), and skills (Median = 9; IQR = 1). All items except one had a median greater than or equal to 9.

Gamification using the MassCas tabletop game for mass casualty incidents is perceived by primary care doctors and nurses as a useful tool in their training for mass casualty incidents, as well as for acquiring specific knowledge and skills in this area.

The contribution of active involvement in full-scale disaster exercises to learning processes is widely recognized. Accordingly, this study seeks to explore the learning gains of individuals who participated as live actors and observers in a full-scale avalanche exercise conducted with international collaboration.

This study used a mixed-methods approach integrating qualitative and quantitative research methods. Descriptive statistical techniques were employed to analyze quantitative data, while thematic analysis was utilized to interpret the qualitative data.

Participants reported high levels of satisfaction in the domains of field knowledge (76.5%), Critical Decision-Making (74.6%), motivation (60.8%), and self-confidence (49.1%).

On the other hand, they raised concerns regarding the inadequacy of instructions (58.8%), the lack of up-to-date practices (47%), the realism of the scenario (54.9%), safety measures (56.8%), and communication (72.5%).

The findings suggest that participants demonstrated development in both cognitive and affective domains, regardless of the specific roles they assumed during the exercise. In the cognitive dimension, improvements were observed in high-angle rescue, avalanche search methodologies, understanding of team roles, intervention procedures, prioritization criteria, and safety assessment. In the affective dimension, advancements were noted in recognizing ethical issues, exploration of authority boundaries, willingness to intervene, and self-confidence.

Limited data exist on how trainers are trained in paediatric cardiology training centres in Europe.

A cross-sectional study employing a structured and approved questionnaire was circulated to educationalists/trainers in 95 Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology training centres.

Trainers provided complete data for 46 centres in 20 countries. The median number of trainers in each centre was 6 (range 1–16). The median number of years trainers were in a training role was 20 years (range 2–32 years). Sixty-six per cent of trainers received some training in being a trainer, most commonly a course by a local governing college (almost 50%). Almost 78% found such courses helpful as trainers. Sixty-eight per cent of trainers felt their education in training was optimal to be an effective trainer. Assessment of trainees varies from daily to monthly between centres. Workplace assessments (used by >90% trainers) with combined formative and summative feedback were the most common type of assessment. Only one-third of trainers understood or used entrustable professional activities. Time constraints in providing training were reported by 54% of trainers as the greatest challenge in providing training. The majority of trainers expressed a need for formal “training the trainers” courses and development of standards in training.

There is a marked variation in the level of training of trainers across Europe. A wide mix of assessment tools is used. Feedback is provided by the majority of trainers. Adopting a basic training programme for trainers may promote the training skills of paediatric cardiology trainers.