Our office will be closed Thursday, November 24th (all day) in observance of Thanksgiving Day. We will reopen on Friday, November 25th, at 8:30 am.

800-926-3775

University at Sea®

5700 4th Street North
St. Petersburg, FL 33703

E-Mail Us

Office Hours
Monday - Friday
9:00am - 5:00pm EST
Saturday
10:00am - 2:00pm EST
Cruise Conference Planning For Your Association

2023 Updates in Hospital Medicine, Nutrition, Obesity, and Bariatric Surgery

7-Night Eastern Caribbean & Coco Cay
Round-trip Port Canaveral, Florida
July 09 - 16, 2023
Royal Caribbean's <em>Wonder of the Seas</em>
Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas
16.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
16 ACPE Credits
16.0 (part II) MOC points in medical knowledge in the American Board of Internal Medicine's (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program
4.0 Hours of Pharmacology for Nurse Practitioners
16.0 Contact Hours
Course Fees
$995 for Physicians, Attorneys, Psychologists, Doctors of Pharmacy, & Dentists
$795 for Physician Assistants
$595 for Nurses, Residents, Students & Others

Target Audience
Physicians, Physician Assistants, Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Pharmacists
Program Purpose / Objectives

  1. Why is obesity everywhere and so hard to manage? Rational management considerations and strategies.
    • Understand the demographics and penetration of weight issues as you see in your practice, inclusive of co-morbidities seen
    • Explain the impact of obesity in the lives of your patients
  2. Understanding obesity surgery. Understanding the procedures, risks, and benefits.
    • Discuss the historical and current bariatric interventional and surgical options for the non-surgeon
    • Understand the potential use of these interventions for weight control
    • Discuss the risks and benefits of bariatric surgery and treatment
    • Discuss the goals, efficacy, and limitations of bariatric surgery
  3. How to manage bariatric surgery patients post and peri-operatively: behavioral changes, supplements, and understanding issues and complications that may arise.
    • Effectively engage your bariatric surgery patients in their weight loss efforts
    • Develop a patient-driven and empathetic approach to guiding your bariatric surgery patients in their health and weight-loss pursuits
    • Create an interprofessional team to better serve your bariatric surgery patients' weight loss needs
  4. How to talk to your patients about their weight issues. How to guide them in their weight loss pursuits.
    • Effectively engage your patients in their weight loss efforts
    • Develop a patient-driven and empathetic approach to guiding your patients in their health and weight-loss pursuits
    • Create an interprofessional team to better serve your patients' weight loss needs
  5. Myths vs. Science in Nutritional Trends: Approach for the Medical Professional
    • Discussion of how to scientifically navigate the nutritional maze of popular diets and nutritional trends; The potential nutrition benefits and pitfalls of various dietary preferences and related patient concerns; Ways nutrition affects healthy lifestyles
  6. Cutting Edge Nutrition Innovation: A Personalized Approach
    • How to critically evaluate nutrition tools that patients can use to promote optimal health; Review the “latest and greatest” nutrition applications and technologies that can be used to greatly improve patients' nutrition and health pursuits; Creation of personalized health plans based on unique, patient-specific plans, tests, and analyses
  7. Medical Nutrition Therapy: A Practical Approach to Diet and Disease
    • Science-based Nutrition and Behavioral Guide to Treating “The Big” Medical Problems that are taking over your practice; Essential (and proven) strategies to help guide patients' diet and behaviors in the treatment of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and GI health; Travel through the google-mess of what patients hear and why they turn to these as resources; The science-based strategies and resources that can be implemented to help patients take rational control of their health
  8. Nutrition Through the Ages: Prevention and Potential Pitfalls
    • A working guide for a nutritional and behavioral rubric to understand what is expected (and what may undermine) optimal health from infancy through the elderly; Barriers patients face in implementing and sticking with nutritional strategies
  9. Update in C. difficile Colitis
    • Articulate the growing epidemiological concern of C. difficile colitis
    • Identify and treat mild, moderate and severe cases of C. difficile colitis
    • Describe novel treatments in the treatment of recurrent C. difficile colitis
  10. Update in the Assessment and Treatment of COPD Exacerbations
    • Articulate the growing epidemiological concern of COPD
    • Classify patients with COPD using the 2023 GOLD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) guidelines
    • Describe treatments in the management of acute COPD exacerbation
  11. Update in the Management of Heart Failure Exacerbations
    • Explain the impact of heart failure in the US
    • Explain the evidence informing the 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure
  12. Hospitalists and the Opioid Epidemic
    • State key statistics regarding the opioid epidemic in the US
    • Articulate the drivers that contributed to the opioid epidemic
    • Describe 7 key steps for safe prescribing practices
  13. Update in the Identification and Treatment of Sepsis
    • Explain the impact of sepsis in the US
    • Articulate the main recommendations of the 2021 Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines
  14. How Hospitalists Drive Value in Patient Care
    • Define value in healthcare
    • Articulate the urgency to bend the cost curve
    • Explain several evidence-based practical solutions to improve value in practice today
  15. How Hospitalists Drive Quality in Patient Care
    • Articulate the patient and institutional impact on an early discharge initiative
    • Strategize how to formulate quality improvement projects that impact patient care
    • Recognize challenges to an early discharge initiative and other QI projects and develop adaptive strategies
  16. Update in the Management of Acute Liver Failure
    • Explain the impact of acute liver failure in the US
    • Apply the latest guidelines from the AASLD position paper on acute liver failure
    • Describe when to refer patients for transplantation
Conference Sessions generally take place on days at sea (as itinerary allows), giving you plenty of time to enjoy your meals, evenings and ports of call with your companion, family and friends.
IMPORTANT NOTE: All conferees, their families, and guests must book their cruise within the University at Sea® meeting group through University at Sea® at 800-926-3775 or by registering online. This ensures our company can provide conference services and complimentary social amenities to all meeting participants and their guests. Thank you for your cooperation.
Faculty

Katherine A. Hochman, MD, FHM

Katherine A. Hochman, MD, FHM
Associate Professor of Medicine
Associate Chair, Quality
Assistant Chief of Service
NYU Langone Medical Center
New York, NY Katherine A. Hochman is currently the Associate Chair for Quality and the Assistant Chief of Medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City as well as a practicing hospitalist. She is the founder and former Director of the NYU Hospital Medicine program, which grew from 1 to 35 hospitalists under her leadership. 

Katherine serves on national and local committees on quality and patient safety. Her most recent research has focused on maximizing hospital operational efficiency. Katherine's interests include creating a culture of safety, enhancing teamwork and leadership. 

Michael Snyder, MD, FACS, FASMBS

Michael Snyder, MD, FACS, FASMBS
Bariatric and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeon Medical Director
Rose Medical Center Bariatric Surgery Program Denver, Colorado
Dr. Snyder received his medical degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine and completed an internship and residency at Oregon Health Sciences University at Portland, Oregon. He is board certified in General Surgery by the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Snyder is an active member of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and is Medical Director of the Bariatric Surgery Center at Rose Medical Center in Denver.

Dr. Snyder is an international leader in the field of bariatric surgery. As of September 2020, he has performed over 10,000 primary and revisional bariatric procedures. His program is the most comprehensive and highest volume program in the region. He regularly treats patients from all over the US and when appropriate, from other countries. He lectures regularly on obesity and bariatric surgery both for non-surgeon medical professionals and to his surgical peers at AMBS and SAGES.

Jessica Crandall-Snyder, RDN, CDE

Jessica Crandall-Snyder, RDN, CDE
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator
Founder, Vital RD
Centennial, Colorado
Jessica Crandall Snyder earned her Bachelor's degree at Colorado State University and completed her postgraduate work in Oneonta, New York, with rotations at Rose Medical Center. She is accredited by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Jessica is the owner and founder of VitalRD. She caters to the diverse nutritional needs of the community. Jessica has a virtual practice, contracts with numerous doctors' offices (providing them with nutritional services), and develops and manages hospital-based outpatient programs for nutritional counseling services. She is passionate about helping consumers navigate the nutritional maze towards a healthier life in an atmosphere that is comfortable for them and conductive to learning – no matter what the setting or challenges.

As a Registered Dietitian (RDN), Jessica's passion lies in nutritional counseling in weight management, sports nutrition, bariatric education, diabetes prevention and management, cardiac diet modification, oncology nutrition and family nutrition dynamics. She also works with children with special nutritional needs and feeding disorders. Jessica is also a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE), NASM Personal Trainer, and AAFA certified Group Fitness Instructor.

Jessica's accolades include being named 2009 Colorado Dietitian of the Year, served as Colorado Dietetic President-Elect in 2009, and President of Colorado Dietetics Association in 2010. She is a strong supporter of public policy for dietitians and their professional development. She also had the honor to be a National Media Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics from 2010-2019. She regularly speaks for a variety of media outlets and has been quoted in numerous media outlets including WebMD, Prevention, Shape, Weight Watchers, Men's Fitness, Readers Digest, Martha Stewart Whole Living Magazines, and is frequently engaged as an expert resource regarding nutrition and health for many media outlets.

Our staff can assist you with all your travel arrangements.

Questions? Call us at 800-422-0711.
We can assist you with all your travel arrangements. We'd be happy to help you plan your flights, hotels or tours before and/or after your cruise conference.

Cruise Itinerary

DATE PORT OF CALL ARRIVE DEPART
Sun Jul 09 Port Canaveral, Florida
- 4:30 pm
Mon Jul 10 Coco Cay, Bahamas
7:00 am 4:00 pm
Tue Jul 11 *At Sea - Cruising
- -
Wed Jul 12 Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.
1:00 pm 8:00 pm
Thu Jul 13 Philipsburg, St. Maarten
8:00 am 6:00 pm
Fri Jul 14 *At Sea - Cruising
- -
Sat Jul 15 *At Sea - Cruising
- -
Sun Jul 16 Port Canaveral, Florida
6:00 am -
*Tentative course schedule, actual class times may differ.

Ports of Call

Port Canaveral, Florida - As the home of Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral is the launching point for all-out adventure in Central Florida. Its beaches offer a mix of family-friendly shores and secluded swaths of sand. And with Orlando’s theme park sprawl only an hour away, you can easily mingle with your favorite characters. Beyond the parks lie equally amusing gems packed with Old Florida character. Kayak past manatees in the Banana River Lagoon and zip line above alligators at Brevard Zoo. Discover notable art museums and Park Avenue’s ritzy charm. Orlando cruises give you access to trace the region’s roots at the Orange County Regional History Museum.

Coco Cay, Bahamas - Located in the middle of the Caribbean's bright blue water lies the secluded island of CocoCay. With its white-sand beaches and spectacular surroundings, CocoCay is a wonderland of adventure. Reserved exclusively for Royal Caribbean guests, this tropical paradise has recently been updated with new aquatic facilities, nature trails and a ton of great places to just sit back, relax and enjoy a tropical drink.

CocoCay Map

Perfect Day at CocoCay

At Sea - Cruising - Cruising

Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. - Named after a Danish Queen, Charlotte Amalie has one of the most breathtaking deepwater harbors in the world. The key sights of Charlotte Amalie are located within the town centre, making it easy to combine sightseeing with St. Thomas’ fantastic shopping opportunities. Eighteenth century architecture provides the perfect backdrop for walking tours and shopping here in the "Duty Free Capital of the World." For a dose of history, visit Emancipation Park, the American-Caribbean History Museum, or Bluebeard the pirate's castle at Magen’s Bay. If tropical bliss is what you're after, head to any of Charlotte Amalie’s pristine beaches, where the warm water, white sands and palm trees will lull you into deep relaxation!

Philipsburg, St. Maarten - The capital of the Dutch side of St. Maarten is the town of Philipsburg, though St. Maarten is an island with two distinct sides. To the north is the French side, whose capital is Marigot, while Philipsburg sits on the southern part of the island. When exploring on cruises that go to St. Maarten, it’s important to visit both sides to understand their customs and heritage.

You’ll quickly be charmed by all sides of the island. Of course, this Caribbean island is best known for its beaches, like Maho Beach or Great Bay Beach, one of the area’s best snorkeling spots. Sample local seafood or rum during your time in port, which have become symbols of St. Maarten life. There’s just enough to fill the day here, especially if you hop between the French and Dutch beaches.

Our staff can assist you with all your travel arrangements.

Questions? Call us at 800-422-0711.
We can assist you with all your travel arrangements. We'd be happy to help you plan your flights, hotels or tours before and/or after your cruise conference.
SHORE EXCURSIONS
Please note that our shore excursions are operated separately and
independently of those offered by the cruise line.
©2019 - University at Sea®