Thousands of medical providers reached!
Will you help us continue?
We’re on a mission to educate healthcare professionals on ME/CFS, Long COVID, and related diseases. We’re accomplishing this through the Medical Education Resource Center (MERC) at Bateman Horne Center. MERC is proudly supported by Open Medicine Foundation.
Since launching MERC in August 2022, we’ve made a big impact. We have broadened our outreach and deepened the medical community’s understanding of chronic, complex conditions. We’ve reached professionals across multiple specialties and attracted over 3,000 attendees globally!
To continue the momentum, we need your help. By joining us as a medical education donor, you will be instrumental in furthering our educational programs. Please consider becoming a monthly donor if you can! Together, we can shape the future of medical education.
Check out the following MERC Milestones:
New Comprehensive Series on PEM
This seven-part series validates and sheds light on one of the most ambiguous disease aspects of ME/CFS, post-exertional malaise/post-exertional symptom exacerbation (PEM/PESE). Follow Drs. Bateman and Yellman as they take a deep-dive into the pathophysiology underlying PEM/PESE and give providers guidance on how to support patients in limiting/avoiding the push-crash cycle. Watch the series!
Occupational & Physical Therapy for Patients with PEM: Educational Series
The MERC team at BHC has done an exceptional job of creating a new educational series targeting rehabilitation professionals. It includes instruction on avoiding post-exertional malaise (PEM)/post-exertional symptom exacerbation (PEM/PESE) and gives assessment and management guidance for physical and occupational therapists that redefines “exercise” or “movement” for a population harmed by traditional graded exercise. Watch the series here.
MERC’s Educational Reach
MERC’s program successfully attracted 3,024 unique attendees worldwide.
Specialties reached:
Cardiology, contact tracers, dermatology, emergency medicine, endocrinology, family medicine, gastroenterology, internal medicine, home health, neurology, neuropsychiatry, pediatrics, pharmacology, psychiatry, rheumatology, skilled nursing
MERC’s Comprehensive Lecture Topics
MERC delivered a variety of lectures addressing relevant topics such as the lingering consequences of COVID-19, post-exertional malaise (PEM), Long COVID, and more.
The lectures also touched upon specialized subjects under the MERC program, like mast cell activation,
headaches, pain, and more. Watch the lectures here!
Medical Rotations and Training
In collaboration with reputable institutions like the Mayo Clinic, Primary Children’s Hospital, and the University of Utah Health’s College of Nursing, MERC provided valuable training and mentorship opportunities for the future of medicine.
Medical Education Resources and Handouts
MERC produced a wealth of resources in 2022, many of which also serve as patient education materials. These assets range from handouts on urgent care medical considerations and orthostatic intolerance to health assessment worksheets and a ME/CFS Crash Survival Guide. Check out the resources here. Click “Patient Resources.”
Notable resources:
- Urgent Care Medical Considerations
- Information on Orthostatic Intolerance
- Health Assessment worksheet
- ME/CFS Crash Survival Guide
National and International Partnerships
OMF and MERC believe in the power of collaboration. Members of our team have joined international groups like Doctors with ME, increasing our capacity for collaboration and outreach. We are also part of important initiatives such as the NIH-funded Collaborative Research Center’s Community Advisory Committee, NIH ME/CFS Research Roadmap Working Group, and the RECOVER
initiative’s Clinical Trials Advisory Committee.
Building Momentum for the Future
The momentum we’ve gained since our launch in 2022 is a testament to our shared commitment to support cutting-edge research and education. We’re excited about the progress made thus far and are optimistic about the potential strides we can make in the future. With continued dedication and your support, we’re confident in advancing our understanding of ME/CFS and related conditions, enhancing the quality of care, and improving patients’ lives.
