Family Medicine Conference Covers Updates on Practical Topics
| May 17, 2018 | More than 145 family physicians, nurses, pharmacists and physical therapists learned updates on marijuana and medicine, fibromyalgia, sleep apnea and common orthopedic issues May 10-12 at the 40th annual Family Medicine Intensive Review Course at UAMS.
The conference, one of UAMS’ larger family-medicine conferences, offered 23 hours of continuing education on medical issues commonly encountered in family practice such as vaccinations, smoking cessation, streamlining clinic operations and prescribing opioids.
Amy Mullins, M.D., medical director for the American Academy of Family Physicians, kicked off the first day with an update on the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015.
John Bracey, M.D., right, instructs on hand and shoulder injections.
Jerad Gardner, M.D., a dermatopathologist at UAMS who lectures internationally on bone and soft tissue tumors, skin disease and professional use of social media, spoke on how physicians can use social media to communicate with their patients.
“I was impressed by Dr. Gardner’s impact using social networks. Some are called to medical missions to another country, a free clinic or making house calls to the poor. He paints with a broader brush using the power of social media to connect with and encourage people with rare conditions,” said Jack Blackshear, M.D., who has attended the conference for five years.
The last day included orthopedic topics ranging from neck pain to tingling and numbness in the hand, and some of the attendees practiced joint injections with a hands-on workshop afterward with John Bracey, M.D., instructing on hand and shoulder injections and Michael Cassat, M.D., focusing on knee injections.