DWW 15th Humanitarian Medical Aid Course (HMAC)
Date: 3 October 2026, Saturday
Time: 9.00am to 5.30pm
Venue: The Studio, Birmingham
7 Cannon Street, B2 5EP · Get directions ↗
Course Fee (inclusive of refreshments and course materials):
£70.00 (available now until 25 September 2026)
£95.00 (from 26 September 2026)
5 CPD Hours
The Humanitarian Medical Aid Course is an educational experience like no other. Developed by the Doctors Worldwide faculty and based on our 25+ years of experience in the development and emergency field.
The course is open to all healthcare professionals who are looking to begin their journey in the complex industry of humanitarian work, and want to make a difference to the world and the lives of others.
The course aims to share knowledge and experiences, encourage debate, promote reflection as well as have a good time networking, while introducing concepts around humanitarian medical emergencies and longer-term health development programmes.
This isn’t some run-of-the-mill didactic study day, or technical pre-deployment skills training. It is a course made rich by our faculty, and your participation.
Course Schedule
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 09:15 – 09:30 | Registration |
| 09:30 – 09:45 | Welcome, Introduction and Overview of Doctors Worldwide |
| 09:45 – 10:00 | Getting to Know You: Experiences and Motivations |
| 10:00 – 10:30 | Humanitarian Principles and Cultural Considerations |
| 10:30 – 10:45 | Tea/Coffee break |
| 10:45 – 11:30 | Concepts and Perspectives in Humanitarian Response |
| 11:30 – 12:15 | Principles of Needs Assessment |
| 12:15 – 13:00 | An Approach to Health System Strengthening |
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch break |
| 14:00 – 15:45 | Group Exercise: Dealing with Uncertainty in Emergency Response |
| 15:45 – 16:00 | Tea/Coffee break |
| 16:00 – 16:45 | Volunteer Accounts |
| 16:45 – 17:00 | Next Steps and Q&A |
| 17:00 – 17:15 | Evaluation and Closing Remarks |
Speakers
Dr Bushera is a GP principal and trainer in Salford. She has a keen interest in teaching and is an experienced undergraduate tutor and examiner for the University of Manchester Medical School and Chair of the North West Society of Sexual and Reproductive Health. As part of her work with Doctors Worldwide she has worked in Kenya, served as a Trustee, and has been the Doctors Worldwide Chair since 2020.
Professor Andrew is a Professor in Public Health at the School of Health and Related Research at the University of Sheffield. Having qualified in medicine from the University of Edinburgh, and with further paediatric and tropical medicine training, he then worked overseas running primary health care and tuberculosis control programmes in Afghanistan. Being dual training in primary care as well as public health, he has previously worked as a Director of Primary Care and Population Health in the NHS, and as Consultant in Communicable Disease Control with the Health Protection Agency and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). In addition to his academic role, Prof Andrew currently works as a Senior Consultant in Global Health with the UKHSA.
Dr Najeeb is a Consultant in Emergency Medicine in Leeds, and is one of Doctors Worldwide's Trustees. He has field experience in both disaster response as well as health development programs in more than 10 countries in locations ranging from Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East as well as South Asia. He holds a Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance, Master of Public Health, and has a special interest in global emergency medicine and health improvement.
Dr Hamza is a Consultant in Intensive Care in London, and is one of Doctors Worldwide's Trustees. He has experience in humanitarian and global health work, including deployment on humanitarian relief missions to Afghanistan, Gaza and Syria.
Dr Mizan is a GP and Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London. He also works with the NHS Sustainable Improvement Team delivering national projects to modernise primary care. He has formally worked in public health, and was the Primary Care Quality Improvement Lead at UCL Partners. Dr Mizan has supported the design and delivery of the Doctors Worldwide's Postgraduate Fellowship in Refugee and Migrant Health.
Feedback & Testimonials
100% of participants found the course fulfilled their learning needs, with 95% rating the course as excellent (2018 Cohort)
“The course was fantastic! There was a lot of insight given into areas surrounding health and a lot of amazing stories and experiences shared. The team was amazing and respectful.”
“A great course, well set out and engaging. Thank you and well done guys keep up all your amazing work! Really positive! Well led and organised.”
“I wish I had attended this course years ago!”
“The course was excellent! Well organised. I learnt so much. The group exercises were a really good way of learning about humanitarian response on day one. The course was better than I expected.”
Frequently Asked Questions
The HMAC welcomes participants from a wide range of healthcare professions (including doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, dentists, allied health professionals, public health practitioners, medical and healthcare students), and others with an interest in humanitarian healthcare or early stages of their humanitarian journey. The course is not only for doctors and is suitable for anyone looking to gain a practical introduction to working in humanitarian settings.
No. No prior humanitarian or international experience is required. HMAC is an introductory course designed for beginners.
No. HMAC is an introductory educational course and does not qualify participants for humanitarian deployment. However, it provides a strong foundation for those considering future humanitarian work. Participants who wish to deploy with DWW will need to apply via the ‘register my interest’ portal on the website found here.
The course explores the principles and practice of humanitarian healthcare, including humanitarian ethics, working in resource-limited settings, responding to crises, and lessons from experienced humanitarian practitioners.
Yes, course materials will be provided to participants as part of the programme. Further details on accessing the materials will be shared closer to the course date.
The course is delivered by experienced humanitarian practitioners with first-hand experience working in humanitarian and resource-limited settings over the last two-three decades.
Cancellations made at least 72 hours before the course date are eligible for a full refund. If the course is fully booked, you can request to join the waiting list. We will notify you if a place becomes available.
Yes. Participants who attend the full course will receive a Certificate of Attendance from Doctors Worldwide. As the course is designed as a complete learning experience, participants are expected to attend the entire programme to be eligible for the certificate.
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