The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the fragility of much of the world’s healthcare system. With large metropolitan areas like Rome, New York, Seattle and London struggling, you can imagine how tenuous the situation is in many third-world countries and the huge humanitarian effort involved in helping them.
That’s where the Institute for International Medicine (INMED) comes in. The Kansas City-based humanitarian organization is a global leader in health education and training that has been equipping and preparing healthcare students and professionals to serve the world’s forgotten, locally, nationally and internationally since 2003.
The organization hosts an annual international Humanitarian Health Conference that brings together hundreds of health professionals. This year’s theme is “Equip, Connect, Go,” reflects the need for up-to-date medical knowledge and training that is now more important than ever. The rescheduled conference is now exclusively online Friday June 12, 2020, 10am to 3pm (CST).
The rescheduling was due to the restrictions on gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic and the caution being exhibited as society opens back up. “Public health and safety are paramount at INMED,” stated Elizabeth Burgos Chief Programs Officer for the organization.
For health professionals, and those with a heart for ministering overseas, this year’s virtual conference is timely.
Concern over health in the world’s poorest communities may be a goal but healthcare professionals can still feel ill prepared to serve effectively. The conference will feature “best-of-the-best” presentations, interviews, and participant questions answered live by the speakers.
The conference will bring together leading experts in the field, and instead of offering hands-on learning opportunities (including simulation), will do so virtually by adjusting the teaching techniques for an online audience. It will also provide courses that offer certification upon completion and equip learners to take the next step in partnering with the world’s most marginalized people.
“Until I attended my first INMED Conference, I was unsure how to utilize my passion for international service,” said past attendee Hayley Stolzle of the University of Kansas Medical Center. “However, I walked away from that first conference inspired, connected, and affirmed in my dream to care for the underserved.
“Each year that I attend this conference,” Stolzle added, “I experience life-changing connections that help me move forward on my path to international service work.”
“The forgotten of the world are people who live on the margins of society,” the organization’s website says. “Although many remain vulnerable, they each have intrinsic human value. When we partner with them to improve their health, they deserve our very best.”
The conference is a “forum for those who want to holistically serve the forgotten of this world,” according to the website. It’s not only open to those currently working in the medical fields but also aspiring nursing and medical students.
The 2020 event will include such topics as: Public Health Response to COVID-19 by Joe LeMaster who servies in Community Health); Principles of Trauma Triage & Mass Casualty by Glenn Talboy who works in patient Care; International Educational Experiences for Students and Residents by Kimberly Connelly, and Learner Safety During International Clerkships by Gautam Desai.
This year, one of the more popular sessions will likely be “Today’s Infectious Disease Epidemic Update” by Daniel Hinthorn.
Interested individuals can review the event schedule on INMED’s website. Access to the entire event is just $29, and even after it is over, it can be viewed online until June 21. INMED is approved to provide Continuing Medical Education Credit and Contact Hours to attending physicians and nurses. Participants can earn up to 8 hours of Continuing Medical Education.
For more information, visit their website.
–By Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice
