​Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the 2012 Integrated Medical, Public Health, Preparedness and Response Training Summit focused on enhancing the knowledge, skills and abilities of public health and medical emergency personnel in order to improve the delivery of public health and medical care services during disasters. The summit’s theme, Leading from Preparedness Through Recovery, allowed participants the opportunity to partake in interactive trainings, sharing resources and strategies, and networking sessions. TRAIN, the nation's premier learning resource for professionals who protect the public's health, through its partnership with the Division of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps (DCVMRC), hosted four workshops for Medical Reserve Corps leaders on MRC-TRAIN, MRC’s affiliate portal. These administrator trainings allowed MRC leaders to develop skills and first-hand experience on using MRC-TRAIN to deliver and track volunteer training that can be integrated into local unit operations.

In order to recognize volunteers and partners of the growing MRC network, DCVMRC hands out annual awards to key stakeholders, including partner organizations and individual units. In 2012, MRC awarded the Public Health Foundation the 2012 Outstanding Leadership and Partnership Award for the partnership between MRC and TRAIN. MRC-TRAIN is one of the most comprehensive public health and emergency preparedness training libraries available to volunteers.  There are currently over 26,000 MRC volunteers using MRC-TRAIN, having registered for over 44,000 trainings and completed over 25,000 of those trainings. Moreover, MRC volunteers have completed courses meeting the MRC Core Competencies over 17,500 times.¹  MRC-TRAIN links the MRC unit leaders and volunteers into the greater TRAIN network that has 24 other affiliate organizations, including 22 states and two national organizations, and provides access to over 26,000 trainings.  Over half of the trainings available in MRC-TRAIN offer access to continuing education credit that helps retain or renew professional licensures. Additionally, the system’s search option enables volunteers to narrow down the available trainings by a number of requirements including credit type, certificate issuance, and competency. MRC-TRAIN provides MRC units with opportunities to integrate training opportunities with organizations across the country.

Another unique aspect of MRC-TRAIN is the ability to maintain a single access point for training and conference attendance through transcripts. Volunteers can build their training profile by utilizing courses that are already on the system, or by adding Non-TRAIN Courses. Certificates of attendance and CEU documentation can also be uploaded into the system to allow for verification of course completion. From a unit leader’s perspective, having a repository of trainings from various state and national partners, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention via CDC TRAIN, can assist in developing the competencies and capabilities of volunteers.  Moreover, the ability to query the trainings that have been taken by volunteers has utility in helping the unit leader provide trainings that increase unit efficiency and effectiveness and in disaster planning and response.  At the same time, the ability to create training plans within MRC-TRAIN allows the unit leader the ability to proactively focus their volunteers on competency-based learning solutions. Therefore, MRC-TRAIN not only offers opportunities for increasing training, but also allows units to manage and analyze training data.

Through collaborative partnerships, MRC-TRAIN ensures access to high quality education and training in online and classroom-based formats for volunteers and leaders. The ability to access the national network of affiliates and their trainings, as well as enter information once and access that same information anywhere makes the MRC-TRAIN system one of the most important training tools the DCVMRC offers the MRC network. PHF appreciates the recognition and award from the DCVMRC and looks forward to further growth and usage of MRC-TRAIN. The value of this partnership lies in the continued and improved preparedness of volunteers and public health professionals throughout the country.  

You can also watch MRC present PHF with the 2012 Outstanding Leadership and Partnership Award through the video provided by MRC here (PHF’s award is presented at approximately the 36 minute mark).

For more information on MRC-TRAIN, please contact the MRC-TRAIN Support Desk at [email protected] or 202-218-4426.

1. Some courses meet more than one MRC Core Competency.