The Purpose

“Mrs. E. Marr, physiotherapist, with Dorothy Gifford, 2½, at the walking bars in the polio clinic, Sudbury General Hospital, Sudbury, Ont.,” March 1953. Photograph, Chris Lund.

The MedConference, in its 6th edition (*), is born out of the desire of a group of physicians, nurses, students and other medical professionals to pursue within the medical field the ideals for which they decided to embrace the medical profession.

The organizers of this conference strongly desire to provide a yearly meeting place where health care professionals can come to dialogue and gain professional credits to rebuild a person­-oriented health care.

* Previous MedConference themes:

2013: Following the Patient: The Key to Medical Care
2012: That Nature that Urges Us to Care for Others is the Heart
2011: To Cure Sometimes, To Relieve Often, To Comfort Always
2010: Medical Care and the Person: The Heart of the Matter
2009: Why Do We Take Care of Others?

About Us

The core of the medical profession—the relationship between patient and caregiver—is too often reduced to a mechanical process. The very nature of medical care is at risk, because the care of the patient is reduced to the cure of solely his or her physical being.

However, in front of sickness and death patients are confronted with critical questions, regardless of the outcome of their particular situation: Will I be healed? What is the meaning of this illness? Why is there pain and death? Equally critical questions are faced by medical professionals: Why is it worthwhile to be a doctor or a nurse today? What is at the heart of being a truly human health care professional? What is it that a patient ultimately asks of a caregiver?

The MedConference proposes that the specific mission of the medical profession includes 3 main objectives: to cure the patient or at least to attempt to prevent further development of the disease, to alleviate the associated painful symptoms, especially in the advanced stages of illness, and to attend to all the sick person’s needs and expectations.

The American Association of Medicine and the Person (AAMP) invites you to a three-day medical conference for physicians, nurses, students and other medical professionals.

 

The 2014 Theme

As medical professionals, we experience a sense of concern for our patients because of difficult decisions regarding appropriate treatment.

The current “high tech – low touch” medical approach seems to overshadow physical evaluation of and interaction with the patient in favor of exclusive use of laboratory tests and electronic clinical data.

What is the focus of the medical act?

We propose that proper medical care can only be achieved by attentive daily observations, continuity of care, and genuine sympathetic interaction with each patient. Thus, key factors for the best medical care include the combination of both clinical and laboratory data and attentive evaluation of the patient’s needs and expectations.

CME Accreditation

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint providership of Saint Louis University School of Medicine and the American Association of Medicine and the Person. Saint Louis University School of Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide CME for physicians.

American Medical Association

Saint Louis University designates this live activity for a maximum of 9.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurses CEUs

Saint Louis University School of Nursing is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Missouri Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Missouri Nurses Association provider # 115 - III”

Nursing Contact Hours: 9.0