Next Vacation Destination – CME Conference

A friend and I were just talking about how silly our schedules are as medical professionals when I happened to stumble upon something that gives us an opportunity to have fun while working; not that saving lives and curing diseases is no fun at all. I am talking about CME conferences that are offered during a cruise. Yes, you heard me right – instead of having lectures in a plain old conference hall, you can soak under the Caribbean sun while gathering CME credits.

Their conferences usually run for a week or two, depending on the extent of the topics that will be covered during one schedule. It is held in a cruise ship that sets sail from different parts of the world – France, United States, etc. – and tours around the Caribbean seas. Naturally, you will need to sit on lectures and listen to experts discuss about the topics being covered by the conference; however, you can use the rest of the day toiling around the elegant cruise ship. You can catch up on some sleep in their luxurious bed or go for a dip in their swimming pool – it does not matter what you do, what matters is that you can take a breather from all the pressures within the hospital. The University at the Sea offers conferences that give up to 14 Category 1 CME credits; that cover almost half of the annual CME credits requirements of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

What I like most about this concept, aside from the fact that I gain CME credits while working on my tan, is the fact that I can bring my family with me on this trip. It is honestly like hitting several birds with a single stone. Now, you would not have to feel guilty about not spending too much time with your family.

The cruise ship conferences are expectedly more expensive than regular CME activities. They are, however, definitely worth it. The joy of spending time with your loved ones while working on your CME credits is definitely priceless.