MER Primary Care Conferences Internal Medicine for Primary Care Neuro Pulm Sports Med Jun 19-21, 2026

1. Overview
This is a primary care medical conference organized by Medical Education Resources (MER), a non-profit organization. The conference is titled “Internal Medicine for Primary Care: Neurology/Pulmonology/Sports Medicine”. It will take place from June 19-21, 2026, at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando in Universal Studios, FL.
2. Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this program, participants should be better able to:

Utilize history and physical examination to distinguish weakness from non-specific symptoms.

Discuss evidence-based management options for Alzheimer’s disease.

Describe the differential diagnosis of headaches and migraines.

Recognize diseases that present with a complaint of dizziness.

Diagnose and manage patients with asthma.

Design treatment strategies reflective of current evidence-based medicine for common respiratory infections.

Describe the current therapeutic management of COPD.

Discuss diagnosis and screening strategies as well as treatment plans for lung nodules and lung cancer.

Discuss signs, symptoms, significance and approach to mild traumatic brain injury as a consequence of athletic endeavors.

Discuss the components of a pre-participation sports physical.

Identify risk factors for Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports and discuss the importance of nutrition and work out programs for athletes.

Identify appropriate exercise prescriptions for a variety of sports injuries.

3. Target Audience

This program is targeted to office-based primary care providers and other health professionals with updates in primary care medicine.
Best for internists, primary care physicians, neurologists, pulmonologists, and sports medicine physicians.

4. Topics
Friday, June 19, 2026

Neurology – Evaluating Weakness: Using the history and physical examination to distinguish weakness from non-specific symptoms; characteristics of neurological diseases that produce weakness; presentations of representative diseases of the nervous system.

Neurology – Alzheimer’s & Other Dementias: Definition; statistics; neurological changes of normal aging; pathology; etiological theories; vascular dementias; investigations; social issues; symptomatic treatment; research therapies.

Neurology – Headaches & Migraines: Basic headache mechanisms; headache history: characteristics, precipitating factors, medical conditions; migraine: common tension, classic, treatment, complicated, cluster, sinus; trigeminal neuralgia; Giant Cell Arteritis; brain tumor; subarachnoid hemorrhage; emergency room treatment.

Pulmonology – Asthma: The medical impact of asthma; fundamental role of inflammation, with possible scarring and irreversible loss of lung function; practical points of diagnosis; goal setting management based on levels of severity; risk factors for mortality and treatment in the acute setting; management options for the difficult to control asthmatic patient.

Pulmonology – Controversies in the Treatment of Common Respiratory Infections: Acute and chronic bronchitis; pneumonia (community versus hospital-acquired); role of the Pneumonia Severity Index score in determining indication for hospitalization; cost- effective use of antibiotics; clinical significance of drug resistance; guidelines for management.

Saturday, June 20, 2026

Pulmonology – COPD: Definition; pathophysiology; early detection and intervention; risk reduction; management update including new modalities (including lung volume reduction surgery) and the role of inhaled corticosteroids and domiciliary oxygen.

Pulmonology – Lung Cancer Screening & Pulmonary Nodules: Appropriate use of the new lung cancer screening recommendations; Fleischner Society guidelines and American College of Chest Physician Lung Cancer guidelines; approach to definitive evaluation and management strategies.

Neurology – Dizziness & Vertigo: Definition of terms; concepts; physiologic mechanisms; medical, neurological and laboratory evaluation of the patient; diseases that present with a complaint of dizziness; acute paroxysmal vertigo; acute positional vertigo; Meniere’s disease; acoustic neuroma; cerebellar hemorrhage, etc.

Sports Med – Concussion in Sports: Recognition, Office Evaluation and Management for Primary Care: Severity and consequences of concussion for those 18 and younger; Current definition, signs and symptoms, their significance; Up-to-date return to sport guidelines and decision making and provide concussion management tools; Discussion the 6th International Conference on Concussion in Sports in Amsterdam 2022 as well as CRT6, SCAT6, SCOAT6; Discussion of helmets, hype and hope.

Sports Med – The Pre-participation Sports Physical: The American Academy of Pediatrics, in conjunction with the American Academy of Family Physicians and American Medical Society for Sports Medicine published the 1st edition of the Preparticipation Sports Physical Examination monograph nearly 30 years ago. Currently in its 5th edition, the monograph contains the most recent evidence and consensus-based recommendations pertaining to the history, physical exam and clearance to play guidelines for practitioners caring for active youth. The presentation will review the contents of this monograph and will also review the latest recommendations for return-to-play for active youth who may have contracted COVID-19.

Sunday, June 21, 2026

Sports Med – Nutritional Considerations for the Young Athlete: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports (RED-S): The growing popularity of organized youth sports is well documented. Young men and women are now participating in organized sports at historic levels. However, many active young athletes are often either misinformed on the proper dietary habits necessary for optimal health or willingly undermine their performance in the short term and adversely impact their health in the long term through destructive eating and exercise behaviors. RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports) is an increasingly recognized disorder in which aberrant eating behaviors coupled with excessive exercise leads to early bone demineralization at a crucial developmental period. The basis of this disorder will be discussed, its pathophysiology, early recognition and approaches to management will be presented from a primary.

Sports Med – Exercise Prescriptions for Primary Care Practitioners: Discussion of the health risks of obesity and a sedimentary lifestyle; Up-to-date evidence for the health benefits of weight management and the risks and benefits of exercise; Exercise-related terminology used in the science of exercise physiology; Tools to confidently risk stratify the patient wishing to begin an exercise program; Basic components on an individual exercise prescription; Tips for becoming more proactive in prescribing exercise to their patents.