The Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda hosted a weeklong Medicine for Mariners and Safety at Sea conference in January, highlighting the latest technology, medication, studies and practices in maritime medicine. And it was there that Mad Mariner's Marine Medicine series was born.

Mad Mariner reporter Kim Kavin attended the week-long conference, which included more than a dozen highly-focused seminars on some of the most common medical emergencies that boaters face. The result of her reporting is Mad Mariner's 11-part weekly series, which launched Feb. 23.

While no magazine article can replace consultation with a doctor, Mad Mariner's series was written to educate boaters on current medical concepts so they can ask more informed questions when they do sit down with a physician.

The January conference was a good place to start such a project. Held for doctors, nurses and health care professionals, it was recognized by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education as a source of continuing education credit.

The speakers were:

"¢ Dr. Michael Jacobs, an internal medicine physician on Martha's Vineyard, co-author of "A Comprehensive Guide to Marine Medicine," author of the "Survival at Sea" chapter in the Wilderness Medicine textbook and a lifelong boater.

"¢ Dr. Eric Johnson, a Staff Physician at Teton Valley Hospital, in Driggs, Idaho; past president of the Wilderness Medical Society; a NAUI diving instructor; and a Mount Everest base camp physician.

Both Johnson and Jacobs were quoted heavily in the series, though additional experts were consulted to provide counterpoints or additional expertise.

Kavin's accommodations were provided by The Bitter End, but Mad Mariner paid for her travel to attend the conference and the conference fee.