Experts from the Caribbean, Harvard Medical School and American University of the Caribbean converge in Sint Maarten, March 8-11, to address disaster medicine issues
CUPECOY, Sint Maarten:--- International and Caribbean experts on emergency preparedness and disaster healthcare will gather in Sint Maarten for an international conference aimed at helping to prepare the Caribbean region to better respond to hurricanes and other natural disasters. Leaders, first responders and healthcare professionals in the Caribbean and from around the globe are welcome and encouraged to attend to add their perspective to these important discussions.
The International Conference on Disaster Medicine and Hurricane Resiliency will be held March 8 – 11 in Sint Maarten, on the campus of American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC). As a part of the conference, notable speakers from the Caribbean, including hospital leaders, public health officials and climate/weather experts will lead crucial discussions on issues facing the region.
AUC, in cooperation with Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts (HMFP), and in close coordination with Caribbean experts, has launched the Caribbean Center for Disaster Medicine (CCDM), a regional center of excellence to foster education, research and training on disaster preparedness and response.
The CCDM was created in the wake of Hurricane Irma, a Category 5 storm that devastated the island of Sint Maarten during the 2017 hurricane season. Through collaborations with international experts, the Sint Maarten government, Caribbean emergency management agencies, academic institutions and others, the CCDM intends to develop partnerships that build capacity to prepare for and respond to major disasters, drawing on global expertise and experiences.
For the conference, the CCDM has assembled a group of highly regarded experts in the field of disaster medicine, led by Dr. Gregory Ciottone, MD, FACEP, FFSEM who directs the Division of Disaster Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, where he holds an Associate Professor appointment.
This conference is a Continuing Medical Education event approved by the American Academy of Family Physicians. This event is intended for physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals; professionals of emergency management agencies; first responders; public health professionals; veterinarians; animal emergency teams; and others interested in disaster medicine, natural disaster preparedness, and the safety and security of people during a disaster. Professionals in the conference’s host country of Sint Maarten and the Caribbean will be admitted at a discount. Please contact the conference at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to express interest in attending. For complete conference information, visit the conference website: https://ccdm.aucmed.edu/.
AUC is part of an alliance of Adtalem Global Education institutions in the Caribbean, which also includes Ross University School of Medicine on Barbados and Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine on St. Kitts. Adtalem Global Education institutions also include Chamberlain University School of Nursing in the United States.
