MER Primary Care Conferences Internal Medicine for Primary Care Gastro Geri Ortho Vasc Aug 06-09, 2026

This MER primary care course combines gastroenterology, geriatrics, orthopedics and vascular medicine. The teaching addresses gastrointestinal bleeding, colorectal cancer screening, celiac disease and MASLD, alongside geriatric assessment, urinary symptoms, dementia and behavioral concerns. Musculoskeletal sessions cover common upper- and lower-limb problems, while vascular topics include peripheral arterial disease, stroke, aneurysms and venous thrombosis.

The original conference took place August 6–9, 2026 at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego. Its learning objectives and detailed daily lecture descriptions are retained below for clinicians managing these problems in primary care. This listing concerns study files; the event agenda does not establish complete recording coverage or include live participation.

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 the guidelines for colonoscopic colorectal cancer screening and surveillance.
• Recommend appropriate testing for the workup of celiac disease.
• Identify risk factors for the development of MASLD.
• Utilize a comprehensive geriatric assessment to identify potential issues in the elderly patient.
• Review common lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) that may progress to urinary incontinence, and initiate treatment options.
• Diagnose and treat cognitive impairment, dementias, and Alzheimer’s disease.
• Discuss strategies for the management of difficult behaviors in patients with dementia without the use of psychotropic medications.
• Diagnose and treat shoulder injuries.
• Diagnose and treat wrist, hand, and finger injuries.
• Describe the anatomy and function of the knee joint.
• Recognize chronic injuries and pain syndromes to the foot and ankle.
• Describe the spectrum of maladies included in peripheral vascular disease.
• Discuss presentation and interventional treatment of stroke patients.
• List current pharmacologic options for the management of aneurysms.
• Describe the evaluation and treatment of venous thrombosis.

These learning objectives are confirmed in MER’s official agenda for this specific conference.

Topics

Thursday, August 6, 2026

• Management of Lower GI Bleeding- From Occult to Massive (Gastroenterology): 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.

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

• Celiac Disease and Chronic Diarrhea (Gastroenterology): 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.

• Approach to the Geriatric Patient (Geriatrics): The demographics of aging and the physiologic changes in the elderly patient; Medication use in the elderly including changes in age-related pharmacokinetics and pharmacodymamics and medication adherence; Review of risky medications often used in elderly patients.

• Urological Disorders in the Older Adult (Geriatrics): Review common lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in older adults that may progress to incontinence; Practical approaches to differential diagnoses and management of Stress Incontinence, Overflow Incontinence, and Overactive Bladder (OAB), leading to Urge Incontinence.

Friday, August 7, 2026

• Alzheimer’s & Other Dementias (Geriatrics): Review of normal age-related changes in cognitive function as well as disorders of memory and cognition as part of dementing illness; Mental status exams, including their limitations in evaluating memory; Various types of dementia and the importance of an accurate diagnosis; Current treatment options for various kinds of dementia; Potentially reversible dementias; The responsibilities of healthcare providers in managing patients with dementia.

• Managing Behavior Problems in Dementia Patients (Geriatrics): Review of common behavior disorders often seen in patients with dementia; Behavioral techniques which have shown to be effective in managing some of the behavior disorders in patients with Alzheimer’s and other dementias, focusing on the management of these patients without the use of psychotropic medications; Examples of behavior disturbances along with the behavior management technique which was effective in managing the patient with the behavior problem; Review of the potential adverse effects of the psychotropic medications usually used to manage behavior.

• Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) (Gastroenterology): A primary care approach to evaluating and managing mildly abnormal hepatocellular liver chemistry in the asymptomatic patient; review of MASLD, its implications and management.

• The Shoulder: Anatomy, Common Injuries, and Exam Techniques (Orthopedics): Rotator cuff syndrome; impingement, frozen shoulder; subacromail bursitis; bicipital tendonitis; A-C joint disease.

• Wrist, Hand, and Fingers (Orthopedics): Carpal tunnel, CMC arthritis thumb, ganglion cyst, trigger finger, de Quervains disease.

Saturday, August 8, 2026

• The Knee: Anatomy, Common Injuries, and Exam Techniques (Orthopedics): ACL, meniscus, MRI; common sports injuries; osteoarthritis and hyaluronan; bursitis: prepatellar, pesanserine; baker’s cyst; joint injection/X-ray interpretation; pediatrics.

• 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.

• Peripheral Vascular Disease and Medical Therapy (Vascular Medicine): Defining the spectrum of maladies under the umbrella of Peripheral Vascular Disease including the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis and treatments highlighting lipid lowering agents and antiplatelet therapy.

• Stroke: Initial Presentation to Medical and Surgical Treatment (Vascular Medicine): An overview of embolic stroke including diagnosis and medical, surgical, and interventional therapy.

Sunday, August 9, 2026

• Aortic and Peripheral Aneurysms (Vascular Medicine): A guide for primary care outlining diagnosis, management, and therapeutic options.

• Management of Venous Thrombosis (Vascular Medicine): A discussion focusing on the variety of venous thrombotic diagnoses and the multiple available treatment options.