2020 Conference

**IMPORTANT UPDATE ON 2020 CONFERENCE** 

Due to ongoing health, travel, and personal safety concerns, we have decided to change the International Conference on Disaster Medicine and Hurricane Resiliency planned for Sint Maarten to a one-day virtual event to be held Friday, March 27. The safety of our global community including our participants, speakers, students, and employees is our top priority and we believe this decision is in the best interest of all concerned.

We have been monitoring the coronavirus situation from a global and local perspective. Locally, we know that two confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported in visitors to Sint Maarten, who remain in isolation in the hospital on the French side of the island. As a result, the AUC School of Medicine (host site for the conference) has instituted a set of proactive prevention measures that are recommended by WHO and the CDC to lower exposure risks to our students, colleagues, faculty, and community. The Caribbean Center for Disaster Medicine at AUC is working with local healthcare institutions to ensure that they are well prepared to respond to the coronavirus threat.

Another important factor in our decision was the safety and professional obligations of our presenters and attendees, many of whom may be involved in responses to outbreaks or care for affected individuals at their institutions. While we hope that all of you can attend the virtual conference, we think it’s important that your time be open to your professional responsibilities as needed.

Some of you have contacted us already to express your disappointment about not being able to attend due to travel restrictions and other obligations. The quality of presentations and workshops compiled for the conference was top-notch, and our hope is that we can reconvene in person at a future point to share these important insights and perspectives.

More information on the revised program schedule will be shared shortly. Please refer to the FAQs below and do not hesitate to contact the CCDM at [email protected] if you have additional questions.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1) When will the revised agenda be shared, and how will I know if I should plan to present?  

We are in the process of finalizing a revised agenda and working with presenters to make arrangements. Our goal is to include a variety of sessions reflecting the breadth of topics represented in the original program. Although we would have preferred to accommodate every session, this was simply not possible. Workshops, short oral presentations, and research presentations will not be included in the revised program. We encourage all presenters to stay connected with CCDM for future events and opportunities, both virtual and live.

2) Will you be refunding registration fees that have been paid?

Yes, all registration fees will be refunded. The conference organizing team will begin processing all refunds shortly. Please be on the lookout for a confirmation email.

3) What about the pre-conference workshop on use of personal protective equipment and Stop the Bleed?

This workshop will be cancelled and all registration fees will be refunded.

4) Will the virtual conference be open streaming, or limited to those who registered to attend?

Our goal is to deliver a premier virtual experience that is open to anyone. We will share broadcast information when it is available and encourage you to share it with colleagues and students you think may be interested.

5) What if I decide to continue with my planned travel to Sint Maarten? Can I come to your campus to view the virtual conference?

If you would like to visit the campus to view the conference, please email [email protected]. Please note that all visitors to campus will be screened via a brief verbal questionnaire to enable the campus to guard against risk of coronavirus transmission. Visitors who have been in a CDC Risk Assessment Level 2 or 3 country within the past 14 days will not be admitted onto campus.

6) Will Continuing Medical Education credit still be available?

Because the program has been substantially changed since it was approved for CME credit, we are consulting with the CME approval body to see if it can be re-assessed for credit hours. We will communicate more information on this when it becomes available.

7) When will the next CCDM conference be held?

We hope to announce our 2021 dates soon. Please also be on the lookout for other CCDM events and opportunities, including virtual presentations and workshops.

8) How do I stay connected with CCDM and upcoming events?

Look for our emails in your inbox and encourage your colleagues and students to join our mailing list. Follow us on Twitter at @AUCDisasterMed. Email us any time at [email protected].