Internal Medicine
The American College of Osteopathic Internists (ACOI) will present a comprehensive series of internal medicine CME sessions during OMED, focused on practical, guideline-based care and emerging clinical priorities relevant to everyday practice. Educational sessions will address contemporary management of atrial fibrillation, hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, osteoporosis, migraine, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections, as well as early detection and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Additional programming will include improving shingles vaccination uptake and management of vasomotor symptoms in midlife women, as well as participating in the Nutrition session. Sessions emphasize real-world application of current guidelines, evidence-based strategies to close care gaps, and practical decision-making tools. ACOI is pleased to provide this targeted programming as part of OMED, supporting clinicians in delivering high-quality, patient-centered care across a broad range of clinical conditions.
Time
Room
Title
Speakers
CME Credit
10 a.m.–11 a.m.
Julius 10-11
Contemporary Management of Atrial Fibrillation: Practical Decision-Making for Internal Medicine
Chad Link, DO, FACC, FACOI
11 a.m.–12 p.m.
Julius 10-11
Modern Obesity Care in Internal Medicine: Management, Guidelines, Medications, and Real-World Application
Michael Brennan, DO, MS, FACE, FACP
1 p.m.–2 p.m.
Julius 10-11
Optimizing Lipid Management in Internal Medicine: Applying the 2026 ACC/AHA/Multisociety Dyslipidemia Guideline
Chad Link, DO, FACC, FACOI
2 p.m.–3 p.m.
Julius 10-11
Closing the Gap: Improving Basal Insulin Initiation and Adherence in Type 2 Diabetes Care
Michael Brennan, DO, MS, FACE, FACP
3 p.m.–4 p.m.
Julius 10-11
A Generational Opportunity to Partner With Primary Care to Improve CKD
Brian Brady, MD
4 p.m.–5 p.m.
Julius 10-11
From Recommendation to Vaccination: Improving Shingles Vaccine Uptake in Internal Medicine
Patrick Kenney, DO, FACOI
Contemporary Management of Atrial Fibrillation: Practical Decision-Making for Internal Medicine
Learning Objectives
- Identify patients with atrial fibrillation who may benefit from catheter ablation as an initial rhythm control strategy and determine when referral is appropriate
- Describe clinical characteristics of patients who are appropriate candidates for left atrial appendage closure and integrate this option into stroke-prevention planning
- Explain how age influences stroke and bleeding risk in atrial fibrillation and apply this understanding to anticoagulation decisions
- Incorporate patient-specific factors (comorbidities, renal function, frailty, and preferences) into individualized anticoagulation strategies
- Apply contemporary guideline-based management principles for atrial fibrillation to improve patient outcomes
Speakers
Chad Link, DO, FACC, FACOI
Modern Obesity Care in Internal Medicine: Management, Guidelines, Medications, and Real-World Application
Learning Objectives
- Explain obesity as a biologically driven, chronic disease to support consistent diagnosis and treatment
- Apply evidence-based guidelines to diagnose, stage, and manage obesity, including criteria for treatment escalation
- Select, initiate, and monitor appropriate anti-obesity pharmacotherapies based on efficacy, safety, and patient comorbidities
- Develop individualized, multimodal treatment plans that integrate pharmacotherapy with behavioral, nutritional, and physical-activity strategies for long-term management
Speakers
Michael Brennan, DO, MS, FACE, FACP
Optimizing Lipid Management in Internal Medicine: Applying the 2026 ACC/AHA/Multisociety Dyslipidemia Guideline
Learning Objectives
- Describe major updates in the 2026 ACC/AHA/Multisociety Dyslipidemia Guideline Apply PREVENT risk equations and the CPR framework in primary prevention
- Identify appropriate LDL-C targets based on patient risk
- Implement stepwise lipid-lowering strategies using statins and non-statin therapies
- Incorporate Lp(a) and ApoB and CAC testing into clinical practice
- Manage dyslipidemia in special populations using guideline-directed approaches
Speakers
Chad Link, DO, FACC, FACOI
Closing the Gap: Improving Basal Insulin Initiation and Adherence in Type 2 Diabetes Care
Learning Objectives
- Recognize appropriate timing for basal insulin initiation in patients with type 2 diabetes using guideline-aligned clinical indicators and real-world patient scenarios to reduce therapeutic inertia
- Differentiate key clinical and pharmacologic characteristics of basal insulin therapies, including pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles, duration of action, variability, and hypoglycemia risk, and apply these differences to treatment selection
- Individualize basal insulin therapy by integrating patient-specific factors such as comorbidities, lifestyle, and hypoglycemia risk into evidence-based treatment decisions
- Implement practical strategies to support insulin titration, adherence, and persistence, including patient-centered communication techniques and simplified titration approaches that improve long-term glycemic management
Speakers
Michael Brennan, DO, MS, FACE, FACP
A Generational Opportunity to Partner With Primary Care to Improve CKD
Learning Objectives
- Explain how albuminuria guides CKD treatments
- Review practical considerations when prescribing CKD-focused guideline-directed medical therapy
- Discuss opportunities to improve collaboration between primary care and nephrology
Speakers
Brian Brady, MD
From Recommendation to Vaccination: Improving Shingles Vaccine Uptake in Internal Medicine
Learning Objectives
- Apply current ACIP recommendations for recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) to consistently identify adults aged 50 years and older and immunocompromised adults aged 19 years and older who are eligible for vaccination during routine clinical care and chronic disease management
- Implement evidence-based vaccine communication strategies, including strong presumptive recommendations, risk framing, and motivational interviewing techniques, to effectively address shingles vaccine hesitancy and improve patient acceptance of RZV
- Integrate workflow and team-based strategies to improve completion of the two dose RZV series, including scheduling, reminder/call systems, and patient counseling on vaccine safety and expected reactogenicity, in alignment with CDC guidance
Speakers
Patrick Kenney, DO, FACOI
Early and Effective Hypertension Management: Guideline-Based Strategies for Internal Medicine Physicians
Learning Objectives
- Apply current hypertension definitions and BP targets to accurately diagnose and stage hypertension based on updated guideline recommendations
- Incorporate cardiovascular risk assessment and comorbidities into individualized blood pressure treatment decisions
- Implement home and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring to improve diagnostic accuracy and guide therapy adjustments
- Select and optimize pharmacologic therapy, including appropriate use of combination treatment, to improve BP control and reduce cardiovascular risk
Speakers
Mark Baldwin, DO, MACOI, FASN
"How Long Has He Got, Doc?" Prognosis
Learning Objectives
- Learn more about life-limited prognosis and support patients using this information
- Refer to prognostic tools that improve prognostication in serious illness
- Use the patient’s own personal rate of decline to help loved ones understand prognosis
- Apply prognostic information to support patient wishes and guide future care planning
- Recognize how accurate prognostication contributes to better-informed and more patient-centered care decisions
Speakers
Leonard Hock, DO, MACOI, CMD, FAAHPM
From Bench to Bedside: New Answers to Old Questions in Kidney Disease
Learning Objectives
- Review the impact of kidney disease in adults and in minority and especially African American populations
- Describe the evolution of understanding of heroin nephropathy, to HIV associated nephropathy, to collapsing FSGS, hypertension, and preeclampsia
- Discuss the biology of apolipoprotein 1 and its role in immunity and in kidney and hypertensive disease
Speakers
Mark Baldwin, DO, MACOI, FASN
Improving Migraine Care in Internal Medicine: Closing Gaps in Diagnosis, Treatment, and Long-Term Management
Learning Objectives
- Recognize the prevalence, burden, and clinical impact of migraine in adult internal medicine populations
- Apply evidence-based diagnostic criteria to accurately diagnose migraine and distinguish it from other headache disorders
- Assess migraine-related disability and identify patients who may benefit from preventive therapy Implement guideline-supported acute and preventive migraine treatment strategies within internal medicine practice
- Identify and address disparities in migraine diagnosis and treatment to improve equity and quality of care
Speakers
Steven T. Dinsmore, DO, FACOI
DNR "Did Not Realize"
Learning Objectives
- Expand knowledge regarding DNR status and advance care planning
- Use information gained to support patients’ wishes regarding response to their last heartbeat
- Recognize that the DNR versus Full Code question is often not directly discussed with patients
- Share evidence-based information regarding CPR outcomes and code status decisions with patients and families
- Support quality, patient-centered decision-making regarding end-of-life care rather than reflexive emotional responses
Speakers
Leonard Hock, DO, MACOI, CMD, FAAHPM
Early Detection and Early Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease in Internal Medicine Practice
Learning Objectives
- Identify early cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease in internal medicine and primary care settings
- Apply current diagnostic concepts to support timely evaluation and staging of Alzheimer’s disease
- Describe evidence-based early treatment strategies and determine which patients may benefit
- Use shared decision-making to guide early evaluation and treatment discussions Integrate early treatment with dementia risk-reduction and chronic disease management
Speakers
Steven T. Dinsmore, DO, FACOI
Updates in Gastroenterology
Learning Objectives
- Review CRC screening and cancer prevention updates
- Discuss MASLD/MASH and new liver therapies
- Describe IBD therapeutic advances
- Explore endoscopy, AI, and emerging technologies
- Review practical pearls for primary care
Speakers
Charlene LePane, DO, MBA, MSPH, FACOI, FACG, FASGE
AI, Technology, and Innovation for Every Physician
Learning Objectives
- Define clinical informatics and the AI stack in one framework
- Show where AI is already useful in everyday physician work
- Separate high-value use cases from low-value hype
- Review safety, governance, and a practical starting point
Speakers
Charlene LePane, DO, MBA, MSPH, FACOI, FACG, FASGE
Contemporary Heart Failure Management: A Guideline-Based Overview 2026
Learning Objectives
- Describe the four pillars of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), including ARNI/RAS inhibitors, beta-blockers, MRAs, and SGLT2 inhibitors
- Explain the rationale for expanding SGLT2 inhibitor use across the full spectrum of left ventricular ejection fraction (HFrEF, HFmrEF, and HFpEF), independent of diabetes status
- Apply a phenotype-based, individualized approach to heart failure management that incorporates simultaneous initiation of foundational therapies rather than sequential titration
- Differentiate between congestion management, comorbidity treatment, and device therapy strategies to determine appropriate interventions for individual heart failure patients
- Design a comprehensive, multidisciplinary care plan that integrates early GDMT optimization, comorbidity management, and device therapy to reduce hospitalization and mortality in heart failure patients
Speakers
Robert Chilton, DO, MACOI, FACC, FAHA
Six Articles in '26: A Review of Six of the Most Important Articles Published in 2026
Learning Objectives
- Translate updated evidence from 2026 articles into clinical practice
- Review approaches to critically analyzing scientific articles and journals applicable to internal medicine
- Discuss treatment modalities best suited for improvement in patient outcomes
Speakers
Andrew Buelt, DO
Uncomplicated UTI in Everyday Practice: Getting Diagnosis, Classification, and Treatment Right
Learning Objectives
- Define uncomplicated UTI (uUTI) using current evidence-based guideline criteria
- Distinguish uUTI from asymptomatic bacteriuria and complicated urinary tract infections
- Apply diagnostic stewardship principles to reduce unnecessary testing and treatment
- Implement guideline-concordant treatment strategies that support antimicrobial stewardship
- Recognize and address healthcare disparities that influence uUTI outcomes
Speakers
Mia Lynne Van Eken, DO, MBA, FACOG
Closing the Osteoporosis Care Gap: Improving Screening, Risk Stratification, and Evidence-Based Management
Learning Objectives
- Apply guideline-recommended osteoporosis screening strategies to identify patients at risk for osteoporosis and fragility fractures, including older adults, men, and individuals with secondary causes of bone loss
- Recognize fragility fractures as a sentinel event and implement timely evaluation and secondary fracture prevention strategies to reduce imminent and long-term fracture risk
- Utilize fracture risk stratification tools to categorize patients by low, high, and very high fracture risk and translate risk assessment into evidence-based treatment decisions
- Differentiate therapeutic options and sequencing strategies for osteoporosis management, including the appropriate use of anabolic and antiresorptive therapies based on patient risk profile and disease severity
- Integrate post-fracture care pathways and interdisciplinary collaboration models to improve continuity of osteoporosis care across inpatient and outpatient settings
- Align osteoporosis management decisions with contemporary clinical guidelines and emerging evidence to optimize patient outcomes and reduce gaps in care
Speakers
Rubaiya Mallay, DO, FACOI
Beyond the Clot: Long-Term Care and Recovery After Pulmonary Embolism
Learning Objectives
- Distinguish which patients can remain in routine outpatient follow-up versus those needing urgent reassessment, specialized PE clinic referral, or evaluation for CTEPD
- Apply guideline-based decisions on treatment duration, extended-phase therapy, bleeding surveillance, drug interactions, and patient counseling
- Create a practical timeline for the first week, three months, and long-term follow-up that addresses symptoms, recurrence risk, mental health, and special populations
Speakers
Andrew Buelt, DO
Vasomotor Symptoms in Midlife Women: A Practical Guide for Internal Medicine and Primary Care
Learning Objectives
- Describe the epidemiology, duration, and clinical impact of menopausal vasomotor symptoms
- Explain the neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying VMS, including the role of hypothalamic KNDy neurons
- Evaluate the benefits and risks of hormonal and nonhormonal therapies for VMS based on current evidence and professional society guidelines
- Apply individualized, risk-based, and guideline-consistent treatment strategies for VMS in internal medicine and primary care settings
- Incorporate shared decision-making approaches to improve patient engagement and treatment adherence
Speakers
Mia Lynne Van Eken, DO, MBA, FACOG
The Gut-Brain-Inflammation Connection: Emerging Nutrition Science
Learning Objectives
- Explain the relationship between diet, the gut microbiome, inflammation, and brain health
- Describe current evidence regarding dietary patterns associated with improved digestive, cognitive, and metabolic outcomes
- Identify nutrition interventions that may help reduce chronic inflammation and support overall health
Speakers
CL
Charlene LePane, DO, MBA, MSPH, FACOI, FACG, FASGE