Border Health & Security Conference
The Texas A&M Health Science Center School (TAMHSC) of Rural Public Health is hosting a free conference entitled “Emerging Issues in Border Health & Security” from January 24th – 25th.
This special 2-day conference will be held at the TAMHSC School of Rural Public Health campus in McAllen, Texas, and will feature health presentations and discussions related to the Texas-Mexico border and other transnational security issues related to public health. Public health topics will include global health, low intensity conflicts, climate change, emerging infectious diseases and epidemics, and water management. There will also be special consideration for topics related to medical and public health preparedness in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The Texas-Mexico Border offers some of the most dynamic public health challenges to the practitioners of today.
The schedule is as follows:
| Border Health and Security: DAY 1 (Jan 24) | 8:00AM – 11:30AM |
| Welcome | Scott R. Lillibridge, MD (Texas A&M HSC) |
| Border Issues in Public Health (Keynote) | RJ Dutton, PhD (DSHS-Office of Border Health) |
| Current Issues Related to Health Security at the Border – Security Perspective | Sharon Caudle, PhD (Bush School of Government) |
| Transnational Public Health Preparedness | Ana Viamonte Ros, MD (Florida DOH) |
| Facilitated Panel Discussion | Scott R. Lillibridge, MD (Texas A&M HSC) |
| Working Lunch | |
| Global Health: | 1:00PM – 5:00PM |
| Reflections on Bi-national Public Health | Miguel Zuniga, MD (Texas A&M) |
| Preparing Texas for Global Challenges | Bruce Clements, MPH (DHSH) |
| Low Intensity Conflicts | Scott R. Lillibridge, MD (Texas A&M HSC) |
| Climate Change | Mark Keim, MD (CDC) |
| Facilitated Panel Discussion | Nelson Avery, MD, (Texas A&M) |
| Environmental Health and Security: DAY 2 (Jan 25) | 8:00AM – 11:30AM |
| Update on Environmental Health and Security Issues at the Border (Overview) | James Staves (EPA) |
| Local Issues in Public Health and Public Safety at the Border | Eddie Olivarez (Health Director-Hidalgo County) |
| Environmental Exposures and Worker Safety on the Border | Nelson Avery, MD (Texas A&M) |
| Water and Public Health in the Lower Rio Grande Valley | Vincent Nathan, PhD (Texas A&M) |
| Facilitated Panel Discussion | |
| Working Lunch | |
| Emerging Infectious Diseases: | 1:00PM – 5:00PM |
| Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Border | Joe McCormick, MD (UTSPH) |
| TB at the Border: Diagnostic and Treatment Strategies | Barbara Seaworth, MD (Heartland TB Center) |
| Zoonotics in Public Health | John Herbold, DVM(Consultant in Epidemiology & Public Health Practice) |
| Managing Public Health Programs at the Border Related to Emerging Infectious Diseases | Richard Campman, PhD (UTHSCSA- RAHC) |
| Closing Discussant | Sharon Caudle, PhD (Bush School of Government) |
The conference will provide 14 hours of continuing education to physicians (CME), nurses (CNE)* and others (CEU). Due to the high volume of applicants registration is already closed.
For more questions please email osp@srph.tamhsc.edu.
*Nursing contact hours have been applied for through the Texas Nurses Association, an accredited approver of continuing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
Conference funding and organization are part of the Biosecurity and Import Safety Initiative of the Texas A&M National Center for Emergency Medical Preparedness and Response www.ncempr.org.
Media contact: media@tamu.edu
