MER Primary Care Conferences Internal Medicine for Primary Care: Gastroenterology/Nutrition/Pain 2026

Comprehensive Primary Care Update – Gastroenterology, Nutrition & Pain Management

Stay current with important developments in gastroenterology, nutrition, and pain management through the MER Primary Care Conferences – Internal Medicine for Primary Care: Gastroenterology/Nutrition/Pain 2026.

This multidisciplinary educational program provides practical updates for clinicians managing common gastrointestinal, nutritional, and chronic pain conditions in primary care.

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Course Details

• Course: Internal Medicine for Primary Care: Gastroenterology/Nutrition/Pain
• Year: 2026
• Dates: June 12–14, 2026
• Venue: Hotel Terra, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
• Provider: Medical Education Resources (MER)
• Specialties: Internal Medicine, Primary Care, Gastroenterology, Nutrition & Pain Management

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Course Overview

The program is designed for office-based primary care providers and other healthcare professionals seeking clinically relevant updates in gastroenterology, nutrition, and pain management.

The curriculum addresses lower gastrointestinal bleeding, colorectal cancer screening, celiac disease, hepatitis B and C, chronic pain, low back pain, fibromyalgia, opioid management, healthy nutrition, and individualized dietary planning.

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Gastroenterology

Lower GI Bleeding

Review current treatment recommendations for the management of lower gastrointestinal bleeding, including appropriate clinical management strategies.

Colorectal Cancer Screening

Discuss current guidelines for:

• Colonoscopic colorectal cancer screening
• Surveillance
• Appropriate follow-up strategies

Celiac Disease

Review appropriate testing approaches for the diagnostic workup of celiac disease.

Hepatitis B & C

Review current treatment recommendations for:

• Hepatitis B (HBV)
• Hepatitis C (HCV)

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Pain Management

Chronic Pain

Explore strategies to overcome common challenges associated with treating chronic pain in primary care.

Low Back Pain

Review how:

• Non-surgical activity modification
• Physical therapy

can benefit patients with low back pain.

Fibromyalgia

Compare the benefits and side-effect profiles of available pharmacologic treatment options for fibromyalgia.

Opioid Pain Management

Develop appropriate opioid pain management strategies for patients with chronic pain.

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Nutrition

Healthy Lifestyle & Nutrition

Explore how popular diets and current nutritional science can contribute to healthier lifestyles.

Nutrition Across the Lifespan

Identify expectations for optimal nutrition throughout the patient’s expected lifespan.

Dietary & Behavioral Modification

Review strategies for modifying:

• Diet
• Eating behaviors
• Lifestyle behaviors

in patients with a range of health conditions.

Personalized Nutrition

Explore options for developing patient-specific nutrition plans based on individual clinical needs and circumstances.

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Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this program, participants should be better able to:

• List current treatment recommendations for the management of lower GI bleeding.
• Discuss guidelines for colonoscopic colorectal cancer screening and surveillance.
• Recommend appropriate testing for the workup of celiac disease.
• List current treatment recommendations for HBV and HCV.
• Identify strategies to overcome the challenges of treating chronic pain.
• Describe how non-surgical activity modification and physical therapy can benefit patients with low back pain.
• Compare the benefits and side-effect profiles of pharmacologic treatment options for fibromyalgia.
• Design opioid pain management strategies.
• Discuss how popular diets and nutritional science can contribute to healthier lifestyles.
• Identify expectations for optimal nutrition across the patient’s expected lifespan.
• List strategies to modify diet and behaviors in patients with a range of health issues.
• Describe options for personalizing a patient-specific nutrition plan.

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Who Should Attend?

This program is targeted toward office-based primary care providers and other healthcare professionals seeking updates in primary care medicine.

Best For

• Internists
• Primary Care Physicians
• Gastroenterologists
• Nutritionists
• Pain Management Specialists

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Major Clinical Areas

• Gastroenterology
• Nutrition
• Pain Management
• Lower GI Bleeding
• Colorectal Cancer Screening
• Celiac Disease
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C
• Chronic Pain
• Low Back Pain
• Fibromyalgia
• Opioid Pain Management
• Nutrition Across the Lifespan
• Lifestyle Modification
• Personalized Nutrition

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Why This Course Is Valuable

The MER Internal Medicine for Primary Care 2026 program combines three highly relevant areas of everyday primary care practice: gastroenterology, nutrition, and pain management.

The curriculum emphasizes practical clinical decision-making, current treatment recommendations, individualized nutrition strategies, and evidence-based approaches to chronic pain.

4. Topics

Friday, June 12, 2026

• Gastroenterology – Management of Lower GI Bleeding- From Occult to Massive: The correct use and interpretation of tests for occult blood in the stool will be discussed in relation to lower GI bleeding; focus on the utility of different diagnostic and management approached to the spectrum of patients presenting with hematochezia.

• Gastroenterology – Colorectal Cancer Screening and Surveillance: Reviews the most recent recommendations for CRC screening in the general population at average risk for CRC.

• Gastroenterology – Celiac Disease and Chronic Diarrhea: Millions of Americans are now on a gluten free diet. Only some of them actually have Celiac disease. We will review the workup of diarrhea and malabsorption with a focus on celiac disease; We will discuss how to diagnose celiac disease when a patient is already on a gluten free diet and an appropriate differential diagnosis.

• Pain – Chronic Pain Types and Osteoarthritis: Chronic pain is much more complex than just acute pain that lasts a long time; The physiology and categorization of chronic pain will be explored; Osteoarthritis has characteristics of more than one category of chronic pain; Characteristics that affect treatment planning.

• Pain – Back Pain: Back pain is a common cause of long term disability; Non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic interventions will be discussed for a variety of causes of back pain including failed back surgery syndrome.

Saturday, June 13, 2026

• Pain – Fibromyalgia and Cannabinoids for Chronic Pain: Fibromyalgia is a classic example of the nociplastic chronic pain category; A variety of treatment modalities will be discussed; In addition, the evidence regarding the use of cannabinoids for chronic pain will be presented.

• Pain – Safe Opioid Prescribing: The role of opioids in the management of chronic pain will be addressed in the contexts of the updated CDC guidelines and the increasing prevalence of opioid use disorder.

• Gastroenterology – Hepatitis B and C Management: HBV screening: whom to screen, whom to vaccinate; management of patients with decompensated hepatitis B related liver disease; treatment in special populations.

• Nutrition – 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.

• Nutrition – 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.

Sunday, June 14, 2026

• Nutrition – 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.

• Nutrition – 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.