Advancing Hepatitis B and C Screening Practices: A Learning Opportunity
Open to both internal and external registrants, the University of Miami Millers School of Medicine, presents a new, complementary Continuing Medical Education (CME) course. The course, titled "Screening for Hepatitis B and C," is available now through February 2026.
Dr. Paulo Pinheiro leads the CME course.
This one-hour, asynchronous, remote course tackles the medical community's knowledge gap in screening recommendations. The training emphasizes the need for comprehensive screening practices for Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) during new and existing patient appointments.
Leading specialists in HBV and HCV diagnosis, treatment, and epidemiology present four educational mini-lectures, covering recent updates to medical recommendations, information about prospective high-risk populations, and effective communication strategies to increase screening rates among these patients.
The session is tailored for healthcare professionals in various fields, including family medicine, gastroenterology, hospital medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, and others. Whether an allied health care professional, fellow, medical student, nurse, nurse practitioner, physician, physician assistant, or resident, participants will gain valuable knowledge, enhance their skills, and contribute to better patient outcomes.
“The goal is simple: to enhance participants' ability to screen for HBV and HCV effectively,” said Paulo S. Pinheiro, M.D., Ph.D., a cancer epidemiologist at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, associate professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences, and the lead instructor for the course.
Participants will also be able to learn about the importance of culturally sensitive patient education and
Hannah Cranford, research assistant for Dr. Pinheiro, and third-year Ph.D. student in Epidemiology, serves as the primary coordinator for this course.
recommendations. The session emphasizes assessing higher hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) rates in specific populations, understanding the role of HCV/HBV in HCC development, and recognizing major risk factors in Florida's diverse population.
After the session, participants will become better equipped to understand the diverse patterns of HCC in Florida, focusing on chronic HCV and HBV. They will gain insights into potential racial-ethnic sensitivities regarding screening and become more aware of the CDC's recommendation for a one-time screening of all adults for HBV and HCV.
How Do Participants Engage?
Participants can attend the session online between February 2, 2024, and February 2, 2026. Participants will receive AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ (1.00 hours), and/or Non-Physician Attendance (1.00 hours).
“This learning opportunity is a step towards improving patient well-being by reducing the incidence of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, aligning with the latest CDC guidelines,” said Dr. Pinheiro.
Other instructors for the course include Patricia D. Jones, M.D., associate professor of clinical medicine at the Miller School of Medicine, Katherine Chung-Bridges, M.D., M.P.H., chief community research officer at the Health Choice Network, and Robert J. Wong, M.D., clinical associate professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Written by Deycha Torres Hernández, published on February 26, 2024.
