“Medical support for working divers”

A conversion course for experienced recreational diving doctors aiming towards

Diving Medical Examiners (DMAC-EDTC Level I) and

Diving Medicine Physicians (Level IIa),

also a revision course for those world-wide already at that level

Organized by the

Asian Hyperbaric & Diving Medical Association (AHDMA)

9-13 December 2008, Langkawi Islands, Malaysia

This ‘Top-Up' course is an interim measure primarily to fill operational needs in the Asia-Pacific region and will provide experienced medical examiners and treatment doctors serving the recreational sector with that crucial extra know-how needed for the support of working divers, particularly those in in offshore deep diving.

COURSE AIMS: Refresher and higher medical training for current medical examiners of divers and for those doctors who treat diving incidents, with emphasis on commercial diving operations.

Level I will consolidate the European Diving Technology Committee (EDTC) recommended standards for working divers and will be a revision course for all examiners of working divers.

Level IIa will provide an extension of earlier training for those who are now experienced in recreational or military diving medicine. It will cover routine occupational aspects in addition to the emergency medical support of operational diving, including long-term health effects and, in particular, mixed gas and saturation diving which are not usually detailed in recreational or military courses.

PROGRAMME This programme has been endorsed by the Diving Medical Advisory Committee (DMAC) and is suitable for all doctors working with or for IMCA members. Speakers include David Elliott (past Chairman of EDTC and DMAC), Juerg Wendling (Chairman of EDTC-Medical) and Tony Lee (Founding Member AHDMA and Medical Director of Hyperbaric Health Asia).

The Level I revision will be two days followed by Level IIa top-up which will be three days in duration. Participants may register for one or both courses. They are suitable for Diving Medicine Physicians who are already proficient in the management of medical problems in recreational diving and who may provide medical advice for commercial mixed-gas, deep and saturation diving.

It was agreed at a DMAC meeting held in Norway, April 2008, that this course would be to the established DMAC-EDTC Levels and would fill an international gap in the provision of diving doctors on call for offshore activities in the Asia-Pacific region.

It will also be a suitable revision for experienced diving doctors from all world-wide regions.

ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA for Level I Participants: Previous attendance on an introductory course (military or academic) for Medical Examiners of Divers. Fee before 18th October: 700 USD.

ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA for Level IIa Participants: Documented training and experience in the management of air-range diving accidents plus Accreditation or equivalent to Specialist level in any clinical specialty, in occupational medicine or in family practice. (Specialist trainees may attend course in anticipation of accreditation.). Fee before 18th October: 900 USD.

(Though a necessity for medical intervention in a chamber, fitness to work at raised environmental pressure is not required during the course and so a temporary unfitness is allowable.)

Details from hyperbarichealth@gmail.com