Tactical Operations, Emergency and Disaster Medicine, Master of Science

Admission Requirements

With your Master Medic / Master Physician, for example, you work in authorities and organizations with security tasks (BOS), specialized units of the German armed forces, (professional) fire departments, or the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance.

In order to study for the Master Medic / Master Physician – Tactical Operations, Emergency, and Disaster Medicine part-time at the Education Centre for Hazard Control and Crisis Management, you must have at least three years of professional experience with qualifications in the medical field:

• at least emergency medical technician, police paramedic (B-POL), military paramedic (BW)
• Emergency Medical Technician
• Combat First Responder – C (BW)
• medical-technical training occupation as well as health and nursing service (at least 3 years of training duration)

In addition, you must have at least one of the following qualifications:

• Medical license, master's or bachelor's degree (then only 1 year of work experience required)
• Secondary school leaving certificate and professional qualification with five years of work experience after obtaining medical aptitude as well as successfully completed university-specific aptitude test for university admission for professionally qualified applicants.
• For individuals with a lower secondary school leaving certificate, the same requirements apply as for those with a secondary school leaving certificate, but they must also pass the central university entrance examination.

An enhanced police conduct certificate of type O must be provided. In addition, you must prove your physical aptitude through the German Sports Badge in Gold and a rowing ergometry test (male: 2.7 Wkg-1, female: 2.0 Wkg-1). This physical performance capability can be proven in the first semester; until then, you study on a provisional basis.

What will you learn in the Master Medic / Master Physician program?

The Master Medic / Master Physician program - Tactical Emergency, Emergency, and Disaster Medicine (M.Sc.) is designed for experienced professionals in the medical field who want to expand their knowledge in tactical emergency medicine. The aim of the program is to prepare participants for challenging tasks in medical crisis and disaster management.

The training focuses on the impartation of strategic and operational crisis management as well as advanced emergency medical care measures. Through practical modules and the opportunity to obtain special further education certificates, students are empowered to effectively handle medical tasks in special deployment procedures.

Central content of the program includes an introduction to emergency medicine, leadership under stress, and special techniques for medical hazard control. Special emphasis is placed on applied research and qualification for work in a situation center. The practice-oriented training aims to provide participants with the necessary competence and leadership skills to act as a link between medical and tactical tasks.

• 1st Semester: Introduction to studies, cross-sectoral work at national and international management levels, Leadership under stress - SERE
• 2nd Semester: Advanced medical care measures - DCR, Medical hazard control in the context of emergency medicine 18F I, Medical hazard control in the context of emergency medicine 18F II, Constellation analysis in special operational procedures, Applied research in special operational situations
• 3rd Semester: Medical hazard control in the context of prolonged care of severely injured persons, Qualification for work in the situation center (OrgLRD, LNA), Leadership in the situation center (OrgLRD, LNA), Applied pedagogy in emergency medicine
• 4th Semester: Technical rescue in emergency medicine, Special legal aspects in special operational situations, Master Thesis (Specialist group, thesis)

Upon completion of the program, various career opportunities open up, such as in authorities and organizations with security responsibilities, specialized units of the Bundeswehr, fire departments, or in civil protection and disaster relief. Graduates are also well qualified for tasks in international organizations such as the UN, EU, or NATO.

With this degree program, you will receive the following further education certificates

Survival Land - HEAT (18E): This further education provides essential skills for missions in high-risk areas. The course covers navigation, survival techniques, checkpoint behavior, threat response, and psychological resilience. The course includes theoretical units and realistic exercises, including scenarios for leadership under stress, hostage prevention, and care under extreme conditions.
Scope: Two consecutive sections totaling 8 days

Tactical Emergency Medicine (18F): The further education enables emergency medical care under tactical conditions. Topics covered include life-saving immediate measures such as hemorrhage control, airway management, and trauma treatment according to international standards (TCCC, ATLS®, PHTLS). The program is complemented by tactical behavioral strategies, self-protection measures, and collaboration with various task forces.
Scope: 3.5 days with simulation-based mission exercises

Leadership in the Situation Center (18C): The aim is to qualify for leadership roles in crisis teams and situation centers. Decision-making processes, communication structures, situation analysis, and collaboration with external actors are taught. Participants practice leading ad-hoc staffs and professionally managing complex situations in realistic scenarios.
Scope: 7 days, distributed over two coordinated course sections

Tactical Rescue Technician (18H): This practice-intensive further education provides technical assistance procedures in building damage, traffic accidents, fall protection, and decontamination. Contents include, among others, door opening techniques, vehicle rescue, debris recovery, respiratory protection measures, materials science, and tactical self-help. The program is supplemented by guided self-study.
Scope: 7 days presence + 1 day self-study
Location: Situation Center of the Carl Remigius Medical School, Idstein

Organizational Leader Rescue Service (OrgLRD): This further education qualifies for the coordinating leadership of the rescue service in major incidents. In ten modules, participants acquire skills in operational tactics, leadership, communication, legal basics, mission follow-up, and crisis intervention. The contents are taught in block weeks and deepened with practical exercises such as role-playing and reconnaissance drills.
Scope: About three block weeks

Prolonged Field Care & Tactical Evacuation Care (18P)*: This further education focuses on medical care under prolonged operational conditions, such as delayed evacuation. Topics include trauma and shock care, surgical emergency techniques, ventilation, decontamination, and psychosocial aspects. The course concludes with a 72-hour team management and mission resilience simulation.
Scope: 7 days plus 72-hour simulation

Successfully completed further education series 18 from 2023 can be credited towards the degree program.

*with booking of the 72-hour simulation

Structure and Process of the part-time Master's Program

The part-time study program at Hochschule Fresenius is a so-called hybrid program that optimally combines attendance sessions with online study. This allows you to complete a completely flexible study program that integrates ideally into your everyday life, your professional life, and your family life.

The lectures generally take place on 2-3 evenings a week, usually from 6:00 pm to 9:15 pm. Additional lectures take place on 2-3 Saturdays per month, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Practically: You do not have to attend the lectures for every module. Many lectures can also be completed online or from home. With your enrollment, you gain access to our study platform studynet. In addition, you will learn with elaborately designed study scripts, the studymags.

Fields of Application for Tactical Emergency, Emergency, and Disaster Medicine

The part-time Master's program qualifies you for challenging tasks at the intersection of medicine, security, and strategic hazard prevention. As a graduate, you will take on leading and advisory roles in deployment structures with increased exposure potential - both nationally and internationally as well as across organizations. This will make you the central link between medical care and tactical mission leadership.

Typical fields of application:

• Authorities and organizations with security responsibilities (BOS)
• Special units of the Bundeswehr, Federal Police, state police, and customs
• Other federal agencies and special units
• (Professional) fire departments and public emergency services
• German Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance
• Public organizations, NGOs, humanitarian aid services, United Nations, EU, NATO, and nonprofit associations
• Private security companies and operators of critical infrastructure

With a Master's degree, you fulfill, depending on the career regulation, the requirements for activities in the higher or senior service with special qualification at authorities and organizations with security responsibilities.

About the Education Centre for Hazard Prevention and Crisis Management at Hochschule Fresenius

As part of the Carl Remigius Fresenius Education Group, the Education Centre combines academic teaching, applied research, and practice-oriented further education in the field of hazard prevention. The situation center at the Idstein campus is a central training and research venue for scenarios of hybrid threats. It supports degree programs and further education with scenario-based simulations and modern exercise infrastructure.

Research focuses such as resilience and Human Performance Optimization (HPO) strengthen the transfer of knowledge into practice. Study contents and further education formats directly benefit from ongoing projects - such as with the DRF Foundation Airlift and the Ziertech Foundation.

Instructors with operational experience design the teaching interactively and realistically. Small groups and the close exchange with students promote individual and application-oriented training.

A broad network of partners supports quality development in teaching and research, including:

• German Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance
• German Society for Military Medicine and Pharmacy
• German Aerospace Center
• Professional Fire Brigade Wiesbaden, Idstein rope rescue, and others

The continuing education and advanced training offerings are aimed at emergency forces and specialist staff from authorities, organizations, and companies with security responsibilities. The modular courses are predominantly conducted in block form at the Idstein location.

Related Degree Programs Overview

Hybrid Security, B.Sc.: The part-time Bachelor's program provides practical knowledge in the areas of security, disaster control, and hazard prevention. Students work in interprofessional teams and qualify for operations at BOS, Bundeswehr, or in the healthcare sector. Additional qualifications such as Civil Defense platoon leader are integrated. The program comprises eight semesters and concludes with 180 ECTS points.

Crisis and Emergency Management, M.Sc.: This Master's program qualifies for leadership positions in national and international crisis management. Graduates work in situation centers, BOS organizations, and in humanitarian aid. The program combines scientifically based modules with practice-oriented real-time exercises. The standard study period is four semesters, and the degree comprises 120 ECTS points.

Security and Disaster Management, MBA: In the MBA program, participants acquire in-depth knowledge for developing security strategies and managing disaster situations. The program is suitable for executives in the security sector, in companies, NGOs, or public institutions and is mainly conducted virtually. It extends over four semesters and comprises 90 ECTS points.