Becoming a Dive Doctor

[cheezeburgernfries]

Hi, I'm wondering if anyone has information about becoming a dive doctor. I am in medical school and am a certified open water diver. I just returned from diving in the Ambergris Cayes of Belize and am thinking about one day moving there and being a dive related-doctor.

After medical school, I would like to specialize in surgery and one day become a dive a doctor working with hyperbaric medicine.

Does anyone know anything about becoming a dive doctor? Can anyone recommend a program, courses, or a school that has dive medicine courses and certification?

Thank you.

 

[smurf doc]

Hi, I'm wondering if anyone has information about becoming a dive doctor. I am in medical school and am a certified open water diver. I just returned from diving in the Ambergris Cayes of Belize and am thinking about one day moving there and being a dive related-doctor.

After medical school, I would like to specialize in surgery and one day become a dive a doctor working with hyperbaric medicine.

Does anyone know anything about becoming a dive doctor? Can anyone recommend a program, courses, or a school that has dive medicine courses and certification?

Thank you.

I've heard of a Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society. A quick Google search revealed their website is: Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society > Home ( DNN 3.2.2 ).

You can contact them, and I'm sure someone there should be able to help you. I can't imagine it being much more than a couple of days course once you finish medical school. It's basically applying your basic medical knowledge/skills to a very specific area.

 

[freewillie]

USC (University Southern California) here in Los Angeles has a hyperbaric chamber and runs a medical clinic related to the chamber. You can call them and inquire about a rotation through there dive medicine program as a fourth year student when you are eligable for elective rotations.

 

[RadHal]

Also contact DAN at Duke in North Carolina, they will definitely steer you in the right direction.

 

[SelkieDVM]

Also contact DAN at Duke in North Carolina, they will definitely steer you in the right direction.

Minor point, but DAN and Duke University School of Medicine are separate entities, though they are only a couple miles from each other. Both might be a good source of information, however. You might try sending Duke Dive Medicine here on the board a PM. Good luck.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I would love my insurance company to get a bill from Dr. Cheeseburgernfries! I will be your first patient!

 

[divermike1011]

My two psi...

If you'd like to become a "Diving Medical Officer" then I recommend doing your residency with the US Navy (other services may have them, but we have a but ton). Someone more familiar with the American match and residency system can correct me if I'm wrong, but I suspect you'd need to do both a surgical and hyperbaric residency if you're interested in both fields. I'd definitely contact the above schools/professional associations others have posted as a good place to start.

You may also want to post more information either in this thread or in the diving medicine forum because I think people will be able to give you more complete advice if they know more about what your specific interests are.

Michael

 

[freewillie]

unless cheezeburgernfires wants to be a surgeon, MD's with hyperbaric medicine and divers are usually internal medicine subspecialist. he would likely match for an internal medicine program that has a hyperbaric medicine subspecialty.

 

[Randy43068]

make sure you document the times when you stay at a Holiday Inn Express, too. That should help the CV.

 

[smurf doc]

unless cheezeburgernfires wants to be a surgeon, MD's with hyperbaric medicine and divers are usually internal medicine subspecialist. he would likely match for an internal medicine program that has a hyperbaric medicine subspecialty.

I had a similar thought. i would think most are internal medicine or emergency medicine trained.

However, I also remember not knowing what I wanted to do until 4th year of medical school. Unfortunately the way the medical school system is set up it is not an easy decision. I went into medical school thinking I would go into EM, stemming from my love of working EMS prior to and during medical school. But by the time I did my rotations I realized it was not for me.

cheezeburgernfries may very well change his mind about his base specialty.