49th Annual ISAM Spring Meeting
Anthony’s Key Resort, Roatan, Honduras
May 17 – 25, 2025
ISAM Spring Conference Agenda
Anthony’s Key Resort, Roatan, Honduras May 17 – 25, 2025
Sunday 5/18/25 – 7:00 – 7:15 Introductions, Agenda and Logistics of the week – Bridget Thomas, RN, MSN
5/17/24 – Dive Physics & the Recreational Scuba Diving Examination (2 credits)
7:15 – 9:30 Dive Medicine for Medical Professionals – J. Paul Martin, MD / James Fulcher, MD
10:00 – 5:00 3 Dives & Dive boat readings: Dive Computer Algorithms for Dummies – You will need to
know your computer’s algorithm for the post-test; Safety Checklist (2 credits)
Skill Challenge – checkout in shallow water: Buoyancy, mask off under water and replace, breathe on octo, release
weights, inflator stuck drill.
Reference: Basic Decompression Theory; Diving Medical Guidance to the Physician; Introduction to Dive Computer
Algorithms
Monday 5/19/25 – Hyperbarics/CPR Update/Dive Hacks (3 credits)
7:00 – 8:30 HBO Theory, Treatment & Indications– Thomas Fralich, MD
8:30 – 9:00 CPR Update – Fralich, Martin
9:00 – 10:00 Pecha Kucha topics 4, 8, 9,
10:00 – 5:00 3 Dives & Dive boat readings: Diagnosing the Skin Bends; CPR Guidelines (2 Credits)
Skill Challenge –Dive 1: 15-foot emergency ascent at beginning of dive; buddy breathing and dual
ascent at end of dive. Dive 2: Line cutting test with knife under water
Reference: 2023 International Consensus on CPR Guidelines, Dive computer data and reviews
Tuesday 5/20/25 The Obesity Epidemic and Diving (3 credits)
7:00 – 8:00 OSA and diving: risk factors, assessment, treatment options – Paul Neis, MD
8:00 9:00 New Indications for GLP-1 agonists – Ann Marie Foley, MD
9:00 – 10:00 Pecha Kucha topics 1, 2, 3, 5, 11
10:00 – 5:00 3 Dives & Dive boat readings: Differentiating Sinusitis and Covid 19(2 Credits)
Skill Challenge – inflate and deploy SMB at 15-20 feet
Reference: TBD
Wednesday 5/21/25 ENT and the other “FP”- forensic pathology (3 credits)
7:00 – 8:00 Case Studies – Diving Related Injuries/Illnesses – Dave Wakely, MD
8:00 – 9:00 Natural disease and diving safely – James Fulcher, MD
9:00 – 10:00 Advanced ENT Procedures – Paul Neis
10:00 – 5:00 3 Dives & Dive boat readings: Spiny Devilfish Sting; DCS in Papua New Guinea;
Bent in Baja (2 Credits)
Skill Challenge – Deploy buddy line; use strobes on night dive
Reference: DAN Boaters First Aid – Guide to Treatment of Hazardous Marine Injuries, Robbins pathology 9 th
edition, DAN fatality summary- annual report.
Thursday 5/22/24 – Travel safety/Hyperbaric Case Studies/High Altitude medicine (3 credits)
7:00-8:00 How not to die while traveling- safety from a medical examiner’s perspective – Fulcher, MD
8:00 – 9:00 Medical/legal considerations for MD emergency care during air travel – Eric Olsen, MD
9:00 – 10:00 High Altitude Sickness/review of Hyperbaric Literature – Thomas Fralich, MD
10:00 – 5:00 3 Dives & Dive boat readings: Weighed Down, Is There a Doctor on Board ? (2 credits)
Skill Challenge – Computer failure at depth; Surface alerts: whistles, mirrors, radios
Reference: TBD
Friday 5/23/24 – The future of medicine (2 credits)
9:00 – 12:00 2 Dives & Dive boat readings: Review of the week’s readings
3:00 –3:30 Pecha Kucha 6, 7, 10
3:30 – 4:00 Drug and Alcohol Update – Martin/Fulcher
4:00 – 4:30 Public Health Implications of the Trump Administration – Martin
4:30 –5:00 Review of Exam and Readings – All faculty
5:00 – Annual ISAM Meeting with vote for future venues
Reference:
Total 26 credit hours
Pecha Kucha topics: 20 slides/10 minutes
1 Pros of Marijuana – Angelo Accomando, MD
2. Cons of Marijuana and diving – Martin
3. AZ experience with recreational cannabis – Foley
4. Hand Signals – Janelle Sandra, MD
5. How to deploy DSMB – Martin
6. Gun Safety at Home – Fulcher
7. What should be in your “Go Bag” on a live aboard – Martin
8. What to do if you become separated from your dive group underwater/signal devices – Martin
9. In water decompression – Martin
10. Cone Shells – Allan Thomas, MD
11. Diagnosis, Prevention and Treatment of External Otitis Media – Fralich
Download Brochure PDF