More than 150 students took part in a large-scale disaster preparedness exercise on April 14 at the University of Nevada, Reno. The event followed a real magnitude 5.7 earthquake that struck southeast of Lahontan Reservoir the previous evening and simulated the aftermath of a hypothetical catastrophic 6.9-magnitude earthquake.
The training, called Interprofessional Care 2026, aimed to prepare future health care providers for emergencies involving mass casualties. Students from the university’s School of Medicine, School of Public Health, Orvis School of Nursing, and Truckee Meadows Community College’s Paramedic Program participated alongside local emergency management agencies and health organizations.
Amanda Windes, manager of organizational resilience, said: “Our preparation for this exercise takes more than nine months, so it was somewhat serendipitous that we experienced an actual seismic event in the state the day before.”
Jim Bellamy, clinical professor at the School of Public Health, said: “They’re learning alongside students from different programs and even another institution, while experiencing emergency response in action. It also exposes them to a side of public health and health care we hope is never needed but know is essential. And just as important, it gives them the chance to build connections with community partners they may work with in the future.”
Throughout the afternoon session inside Joe Crowley Student Union Theater, participants worked through simulated triage scenarios using Hospital Incident Command System protocols. They managed limited resources and prioritized patient needs under pressure.
Windes said: “The exercise gives our students a valuable opportunity to learn from professionals who are doing this work every day. Instead of only reading about it in a textbook, they’re able to see what these situations actually look like and gain a better understanding of what they may face in real-world scenarios throughout our community.”
Jennifer Delaney coordinated training activities during which students navigated difficult decisions about resource allocation: “It’s expected that a patient surge would occur in a health care setting so students are working through triage scenarios where they suddenly have more patients than available resources,” she said. “This challenges them to think critically about how to prioritize and categorize care.”
First-year medical student Arnold Wu reflected on his experience by saying: “I think the most important part is learning how to triage patients — how to prioritize who needs care first based on the urgency of their condition and how quickly they need to be treated.”
The simulation was organized by University Organizational Resilience – Northern Command along with campus units such as Orvis School of Nursing and Office of Statewide Initiatives; regional groups including REMSA; public agencies like Washoe County Emergency Management; hospitals; tribal representatives; senior care facilities; transportation authorities; American Red Cross; Veterans Affairs Sierra Nevada Health Care System; Northern Nevada Public Health; Eureka County Emergency Medical Services; Shoshone-Paiute Tribe; Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority; Nevada Office of Emergency Management among others.
Exercises like Interprofessional Care aim not only to improve clinical skills but also develop leadership abilities needed for effective collaboration during crises.