MER Primary Care Conferences Infectious Diseases for Primary Care Jul 23-26, 2026

The “Infectious Diseases for Primary Care” conference is a live continuing medical education activity taking place at the Grand Hotel in Mackinac Island, MI, from July 23 to July 26, 2026. Organized by Medical Education Resources (MER), this interprofessional program is designed to provide comprehensive updates on infectious diseases.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this program, participants should be better able to:

Recognize risk factors, diagnostic indicators and clinical features for osteomyelitis and joint infections.

Discuss the approach to a febrile patients with potentially life-threatening diseases in both hospital and clinic-associated settings.

Describe unique infectious risks faced by cancer patients receiving immunotherapy.

Diagnose and manage genitourinary infections.

Recommend appropriate immunizations based on patient specific risk factors.

Discuss emerging infectious diseases including resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases, zoonoses, and diseases related to animal exposures.

Utilize case-based learning to develop treatment plans for various respiratory tract infections.

Evaluate the severity of diarrhea and evaluate the need for treatment.

List goals of an antimicrobial stewardship program and strategies for antimicrobial treatment.

Review travel-associated infections.

Identify patients at risk for healthcare-associated infections.

Describe evaluation strategies for infections in immunocompromised hosts.

Review epidemiology and microbiology of skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI).

Describe the epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of common CNS infectious disease syndromes.

Describe risk factors and clinical manifestations of Candida infections.

Target Audience
This program is targeted to office-based primary care providers and other health professionals with updates in primary care medicine.
Best for Primary Care Physicians, Infectious Disease Specialists, Emergency Medicine Physicians, Oncologists, Neurologists, Orthopedic Surgeons, Gastroenterologists, Urologists, and Gynecologists.
Topics
Thursday, July 23, 2026

Bone and Joint Infections: Presentation on the most important syndromes and pathogens involved in bone and joint infections – e.g., osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, bursitis, prosthetic joint infections and others – including related diagnostic, therapeutic and prevention pearls.

Ambulatory Care Infectious Disease Emergencies: Case-based interactive discussion around exemplary cases that addresses key diagnostic and management strategies for potentially emergent outpatient infectious disease challenges.

Animal Bites and Related Syndromes: Bite-wound management and infections caused by pets, with clinical presentations, diagnostic and therapeutic management strategies and important clinical pearls related to rabies prophylaxis and other potentially life-threatening conditions.

Immunizations: Presentation on key vaccine preventable diseases and their presentations with an emphasis on the latest recommendations including newest schedules, safety and efficacy information.

Emerging Infectious Diseases: Novel influenza viruses, resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases, zoonoses and disease related to animal exposures (including vectors such as mosquitoes that bear west Nile virus and dengue), bioterrorism and food/waterborne illness.

Friday, July 24, 2026

Respiratory Tract Infections: A case-based interactive discussion highlighting critical points regarding the diagnosis and management of pneumonia and bronchitis – with a focus on the impact of multidrug resistant pathogens.

Gastrointestinal Infections & Clostridiodes Difficile: Presentation on important enteric pathogens and their recognition, diagnosis and management; special emphasis on clostridiodes difficile colitis and related updates from the ID and infection control literature.

Genitourinary Infections: Presentation on a relevant and clinically practical approach to the patient with genitourinary complaints focusing on the latest guidelines for the range of urinary tract infections and highlights of selected and important sexually-transmitted disease syndromes.

Antimicrobial Stewardship and Multidrug Resistance: Definition of an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP); Concepts of the antimicrobial stewardship program; Four goals of antimicrobial stewardship; Most recent additions to the antimicrobial armamentarium.

Travel-Associated Infections: Presentation on key travel-associated infections including tick-borne infections in North America and emerging pathogens (including zoonotic infections of public health significance). Emphasis will also be given to protecting health care workers as they travel abroad.

Saturday, July 25, 2026

Healthcare-Associated Infections: Presentation on important pathogens in the healthcare setting and related clinical, epidemiologic and infection control information (please note that the discussion on blood-borne pathogens will NOT suffice for standard hospital CME requirements for BBP training).

Infectious Diseases in the Special Host: Case-based interactive discussion involving important infectious disease syndromes in three special hosts: the diabetic patient, the HIV/AIDS patient and the pregnant woman.

Skin & Soft Tissue Infections: Presentation on important skin and soft-tissue infections and their prompt recognition, emphasizing evaluation and management strategies.

Central Nervous System Infections: Presentation on common CNS infectious disease presentation and syndromes including basic epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment strategies.

Sunday, July 26, 2026

Infections in Cancer Patients on Immunotherapy: Discussion of the unique infectious risks faced by cancer patients receiving immunotherapy; Discussion of how immune checkpoint inhibitors alter host defenses; Review of the common infection patterns, diagnostic challenges, and strategies for the prevention and management in this growing patient population.

Candida Infections: Discussion of Candida and emerging C.auris as a major cause of opportunistic infection; Review of the epidemiology, risk factors, and clinical manifestations of Candida infections; Review of current approaches to diagnosis, antifungal therapy, and emerging resistance trends relevant internists and PCPs.