St. Maarten medical professionals Mr. Gavin Cossiah, Dr. Felix Holiday, and Dr. Mershack Naawu pose with Dr. John Hardin (second from the right) of Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians.
Staff physicians from Sint Maarten Medical Center and Louis Constant Fleming Medical Center completed a two-day Continuing Medical Education program on the use of point-of-care ultrasound to treat patients. The program was held on the campus of American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, and was taught by physicians from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospital in Boston, USA.
Through lectures and hands-on work with portable ultrasound machines, the participating physicians learned how to use emergency ultrasound to address numerous medical emergencies related to cardiac, orthopedic, obstetric, and other issues.
“This was an excellent program that provided our physicians with up-to-date medical knowledge and practical experience to prepare them to provide high-quality care in an emergency. We look forward to partnering with AUC School of Medicine again to bring world-class education and training to Sint Maarten,” said Dr. Felix Holiday, Medical Director of Sint Maarten Medical Center.
The program was organized by the Caribbean Center for Disaster Medicine (CCDM) at AUC School of Medicine, in cooperation with Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Sint Maarten Medical Center. The program was accredited by the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education and participants were awarded certificates of completion.
This and other educational training activities are part of the CCDM’s work to build regional capacity to care for patients impacted by a disaster or other emergency. On March 26-29, the Center will host its second annual International Conference on Disaster Medicine and Hurricane Resiliency at AUC School of Medicine’s campus. Experts from around the world will share insights and expertise on preparing for and managing disasters, building disaster management capacity, and educating and training in the health professions.