NEXT COURSE DATE: September 22-25, 2022
LOCATION: Doubletree New Orleans, LA

General Information

The course content follows the approved curriculum of the Diving Medical Advisory Committee (DMAC), the European Diving Technology Committee (EDTC), and the European Committee of Hyperbaric Medicine (ECHM) so to reflect a uniformly balanced and internationally recognized program of instruction. This course has been approved by the Diving Medical Advisory Committee and the European Diving Technology Committee (DMAC/EDTCmed) as a Level 1 - Medical Examiner of Divers course. This is a specific training course preparing physicians to examine commercial, sport, research, and other related public service divers, and determine their fitness to dive.

Course Goal

The goal of this course is to prepare physicians to examine professional, sport, research and other related public service divers, and determine their fitness to dive.

Course Topics

• Hyperbaric Physics
• Hyperbaric Pathophysiology of Immersion
• Pathophysiology of Decompression
• Inert Gas Narcosis and Oxygen Toxicity
• Characteristics of Various Divers
• Diving Equipment
• Regulations and Standards for Diving
• Commercial Diving and Practical Demonstration
• Dive Tables and Computers; Flying After Diving
• Professional and Recreational Fitness Standards
• Non-Dysbaric Diving Pathology
• Medications Under Pressure
• High Pressure Nervous Syndrome (HPNS)
• Acute Dysbaric Disorders
• Long-Term Health Effects
• Diver Incidents and Accidents
• Fitness to Dive Standards
• EKG Assessment
• Fitness to Dive (Including Pulmonary Function Tests)
• Fitness to Dive Assessment Cases

Other course information

• You will be required to bring a laptop or iPad/tablet. This is needed so you can take the online exam and to follow along with the lectures as you wish. Paper copies of the exam will be available.
• You will be provided with a web link to access all the lecture presentations & handouts. 
• You will be given a notebook to take notes (this notebook will have just the lecture topics and objectives). 

Hotel Information

Coming soon

FEES:

• Member Fee - $995
• Member Fellow/Resident - $500
• Member Renewal: Sat & Sun Only - $525
• Non-Member Fee - $1095
• Non-Member Fellow/Resident - $700
• Non-Member Renewal: Sat & Sun Only - $575
• Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant - $650
• RN/CHT/DMT/EMP - $475

CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:

$100 administrative fee will be held on all MEETING(S)/COURSE(S) cancellations from the time you register, until 60 days prior to the meeting/course date. From 59 days to one (1) month prior, 50% of fees will be held on all cancellations. NO REFUNDS will be issued one (1) month before or after the meeting/course date.

SCHEDULE:

Schedule is subject to change

The Medical Examiner of Divers Course of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society scheduled for September 2-5, 2021 at the Doubletree New Orleans, LA is still a go! We are watching the impact of the COVID-19 Delta variant within the US and around the world with great interest and we are regularly monitoring US federal government, Louisiana state government, and New Orleans city government COVID-19 websites for changes to travel and group gathering policies/recommendations/restrictions.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ALL LIVE UHMS MEETINGS

We do not know the COVID-19 vaccination status of any of the registrants and we cannot require all attendees to be vaccinated. UHMS leadership is concerned with meeting attendees' health during and after our meeting and are recommending the following actions during any of the live UHMS meetings to help prevent the spread of COVID-19:
 

• All attendees wear a protective face covering while inside the meeting venue
• Practice physical distancing during the meeting
• Regularly and thoroughly wash hands or use an alcohol-based hand rub

We are excited about our live in-person meeting in more than two years. We want everyone in attendance to enjoy the program and social events. We also want to ensure all attendees are protected from the COVID-19 virus. Following the above prevention steps during the meetings will significantly aid in protecting all.

FACE COVERING AND PHYSICAL DISTANCING RECOMMENDATIONS

The city of New Orleans published the latest Public Health Order on August 16, 2021 and it addresses face covering and physical distancing recommendations
Current Guidelines

Protecting public health and safety will continue to drive the City of New Orleans’ response to COVID-19. Procedures and decisions will be informed by State and Federal guidance, an internal City task force, external advisory groups, and robust data analysis. Specific public health milestones must be met before the City will begin to ease restrictions and progress from one phase to another. If these criteria are not met or if there is a spike in cases or deaths, it may be necessary to move back to stricter measures. View public health dashboard.

Modified Phase Three IN EFFECT AUGUST 16, 2021

• City of New Orleans Public Health Advisory
• City of New Orleans Guidelines
• Non-Congregate Setting Public Health Advisory

The City of New Orleans continues to meet all public health milestones and has fully vaccinated over 74% of all adults with the COVID-19 vaccine. However, only slightly more than 52% of all New Orleanians have been fully vaccinated.  Furthermore, there are several census tracts in the City with vaccination rates below 50%.  Therefore, the New Orleans Health Department is reimposing restrictions on certain activities pursuant to the Mayor’s emergency powers provided by La. R.S. 29:727(F) and the “Mayoral Proclamation to Further Promulgate Emergency Orders During the State of Emergency Due to COVID-19” filed on May 15, 2020. These restrictions will be effective as of August 16, 2021 at 6:00 A.M.

• Masks required

INDOOR MASK MANDATE IN EFFECT

• Everyone, regardless of vaccination status, must wear a mask indoors when with people who are not in their immediate household.
• Masks also required at outdoor gatherings of more than 500 people if total attendance is more than 50% of the outdoor venue's capacity.
• Vaccines required
• Anyone 12 years of age and older must provide proof of at least one dose of an approved COVID vaccine or negative PCR test within 72 hours, including employees, to access:
• INDOOR DINING
• Restaurants
• Bars
• Breweries, microbreweries, distilleries & micro-distilleries

INDOOR FITNESS

• Gyms
• Indoor group fitness centers or individual fitness classes

INDOOR ENTERTAINMENT & PERFORMANCE SPACES

• Indoor sports complexes, stadiums & arenas
• Concert & music halls
• Event spaces such as hotel ballrooms, event venues & reception halls
• Pool halls, bowling alleys, indoor play centers, arcades, skating rinks, indoor playgrounds & arcades
• Adult live performance venues
• Casinos, racetracks & video poker establishments
• Indoor amusement facilities

LARGE OUTDOOR EVENTS

• Outdoor events of more than 500 people if total attendance is more than 50% of the outdoor venue's capacity.
• Gathering guidelines
• INDOOR GATHERINGS
• Masks are required at all indoor gatherings.
• Proof of vaccination or negative PCR tests will be required at all indoor gatherings at establishments included in these requirements.

OUTDOOR GATHERINGS

• Masks strongly recommended for outdoor events of 500+ people if total event attendance is less than 50% of the outdoor venue’s capacity.
• Masks required for outdoor events of 500+ people if total attendance is more than 50% of the outdoor venue’s capacity.
• Proof of vaccination or a negative COVID PCR test result from last 72 hours required for outdoor events of 500+ people if total attendance is more than 50% of the outdoor venue's capacity.

RESTRICTED ENTRY INTO THE UNITED STATES

As of 13 August 2021, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website titled "Travelers Prevented from Entry into the United States" identifies those countries currently restricted from allowing their citizens from entering the United States due to COVID-19 conditions in those countries (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/from-other-countries.html). With specific exceptions, several Presidential proclamations suspend and limit entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of noncitizens who were physically present within the following countries during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States. For a full list of exceptions, please refer to the relevant proclamations in the links below.

• China
• Iran
• European Schengen area(Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City)
• United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)
• Republic of Ireland
• Brazil
• South Africa
• India

As further provided in each proclamation, citizens and lawful permanent residents of the United States, certain family members, and other individuals who meet specified exceptions, who have been in one of the countries listed above in the past 14 days will be allowed to enter the United States. More information about what to do after arriving to the United States is available on CDC’s After International Travel webpage.

The US State Department website offers additional details on restricted entry into the United States (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/covid-19-travel-restrictions-and-exceptions.html).