MER Primary Care Conferences Internal Medicine for Primary Care Cardio Gyn ID Ortho Jul 19-23, 2026

The “Internal Medicine for Primary Care: Cardiology/Gynecology/Infectious Diseases/Orthopedics” conference is a continuing medical education event scheduled from July 19 to July 23, 2026, at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Oahu, HI.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this program, participants should be better able to:

Describe the anatomy and function of the knee joint.

Diagnose and treat orthopedic problems in the hip, thigh, knee and shoulder.

Recognize chronic injuries and pain syndromes to the foot and ankle.

Diagnose and treat shoulder injuries.

Diagnose and treat wrist, hand, and finger injuries.

Identify evidence-based tools to determine best practices in incorporating all necessary elements in the annual women’s health visit.

Assess and manage abnormal uterine bleeding.

Describe the management of abnormal pap smears and HPV.

Discuss menopausal transition and the risks/benefits of treatment options.

Describe the management of HPV infection and abnormal pap smear results.

Implement lifestyle changes as well as lipid and cholesterol guidelines for the prevention of CAD.

Describe the work-up, risk assessment and test selection of patients with suspected CAD.

Implement treatment strategies reflective of recent guidelines and current evidence based medicine for heart failure.

Describe current diagnostic and treatment approaches to arrhythmias and atrial fibrilation.

Explain current concepts in the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension.

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

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

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

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

Diagnose and manage genitourinary 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, Cardiologists, Gynecologists, Infectious Disease Specialists, and Orthopedists.
Topics
Sunday, July 19, 2026

The Knee: Anatomy, Common Injuries, and Exam Techniques (Orthopedics): Discussion of the anatomy and function of the knee joint; Discussion of clinical approaches to treating ACL injuries, meniscus, common sports injuries, osteoarthritis, knee bursitis, prepatellar and pes anserine bursitis, and Baker’s cyst; The basics and common pitfalls of orthopedic x-ray interpretation; How and when to utilize joint aspiration and injection for the knee joint.

Hip and Thigh (Orthopedics): Emphasizing the tools, physical diagnostic techniques and basic investigations available to the primary care practitioner, a practical approach to the undifferentiated hip problem will be reviewed. Diagnostic triage, historical clues and physical examination pearls pertaining to hip conditions will be covered, and evidence-based management.

Ankle and Foot (Orthopedics): This presentation will address a series of common acute and chronic injuries and pain syndromes to the foot and ankle as they would present in the primary care setting. The focus will be on developing a working differential diagnosis based on the historical mechanism of injury and exam findings.

Monday, July 20, 2026

Annual Exam for Women (Gynecology): Best practices in offering annual pelvic examinations in asymptomatic non-pregnant women; Determination of who should be offered a clinical breast exam as a routine part of the annual women’s health exam; The principal elements of the annual women’s health visit: screening, vaccinations, evaluation of health risks and needs, counseling; Evidence-based tools to guide components of the annual women’s health visit based on age and health needs.

Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (Gynecology): Overview of normal/abnormal menstrual physiology/profile; Menstrual disturbances; Ovulatory and anovulatory uterine bleeding; Other menstrual abnormalities; Diagnosis and appropriate treatment options.

Abnormal Pap Smears and High Risk HPV (Gynecology): Current recommendations for cervical cancer screening; Incorporating the ASCCP consensus guidelines for management of cytologic cervical abnormalities (including ASCUS, LGSIL, HGSIL and atypical glandular cells) into your practice; Algorithm for the appropriate use of HPV testing; History of HPV and effectiveness of its use; Recommendations for missed doses; Storage and administration of HPV vaccines.

The Shoulder: Anatomy, Common Injuries, and Exam Techniques (Orthopedics): Discussion of the anatomy and function of the shoulder joint; Discussion of the clinical approaches to treating rotator cuff syndrome, shoulder impingement, frozen shoulder, subacromial bursitis, bicipital tendonitis, and A-C joint disease; The basics and common pitfalls of orthopedic x-ray interpretation; Discussion of how and when to utilize joint aspiration and injection for the shoulder joint.

Wrist, Hand, and Fingers (Orthopedics): Discussion of the anatomy and function of the wrist, hand, and finger joints; Discussion of clinical approaches to treating carpal tunnel, CMC arthritis of the thumb, ganglion cyst, trigger finger, de Quervains disease; The basics and common pitfalls of orthopedic x-ray interpretation; How and when to utilize joint aspiration and injection for the wrist, hand and finger joints.

Tuesday, July 21, 2026

Primary Prevention of Cardiometabolic CVD (Cardiology): Definitions; AHA/ACC and other lipid guidelines updates; HDL Cholesterol: The good cholesterol?; Metabolic syndrome and/or obesity; Who needs treatment and how much; The role of lifestyle changes, exercise and cardiac rehabilitation; Drug therapy updates; Risk calculation; Role of pooled equations for risk estimates.

Work-up of Patients with Suspected CAD (Cardiology): Risk factor evaluation and risk assessment models; 2021 ACC/AHA Chest Pain Guidelines; Test selection including ECG, echo, nuclear and newer imaging modalities (including discussion of appropriate use criteria–AUC); The usefulness of CT scanning; The role of bio markers and EBCT; Suspected CAD in special populations (women, diabetics, the elderly).

Heart Failure (Cardiology): Etiologies and stages of heart failure; ACC/AHA Heart Failure Guidelines; Heart failure with reduced EF (HFrEF) and heart failure with preserved EF (HFpEF); Determining patients for referral using biomarkers, eg NT Pro BNP; Treatment options: ACE inhibitors, ARBs, ARNI, beta blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, SGLT2i; The role of devices (ICD and/or CRT) in treatment and antiplatelet drugs; Issues related to the hospitalized patient with acute decompensated heart failure and readmissions.

Perimenopause: The Beginning and Middle Leading to the End (Gynecology): Discussion of how the body changes in response to diminishing hormones in the body and why patients feel the way they feel during this transformation; Discussion of how to treat perimenopause as a natural physiological transition; Discussion of ways to help patients ease into this next phase using medical and alternative therapies.

Menopause: A Diagnosis Not a Disease (Gynecology): Recognition and definition of menopause as the renaissance after the reproductive roller coaster; Discussion of the physical, emotional and cognitive changes that occur as well as breaking down definitions of bioidentical, compounded and “natural” menopausal hormonal therapy; discussion of supplements and what they can and cannot do for the menopausal patient.

Wednesday, July 22, 2026

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

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

Respiratory Tract Infections (Infectious Diseases): 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.

Arrhythmias (Cardiology): Types and symptoms of arrhythmias; Approach to the patient: when to treat, when to refer, when to admit; Evaluation of the patient with palpitations; Atrial fibrilation: the use of anticoagulants indications, CVA risk scores, warfarin vs newer oral anticoagulants, controlling heart rate vs rhythm; Ventricular and other arrhythmias: when are they serious.

Hypertension (Cardiology): The 2025 AHA/ACC Hypertension Guidelines; The 2024 ESC Guidelines for hypertension; Approaches to treatment thresholds and goals; Choices for initial and combination therapy; Resistant hypertension; Treating special populations: diabetics, the elderly, patients with renal failure; Risk factors by new pooled equations.

Thursday, July 23, 2026

Genitourinary Infections (Infectious Diseases): 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.

Gastrointestinal Infections & Clostridiodes Difficile (Infectious Diseases): 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.