Nigel R Telesford
Acclaimed medical professionals from around the region and the globe will assemble in Jamaica next month virtually and physically for the inaugural Caribbean Medical Professionals' Summit (CAMPS).
Scheduled to take place at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica from May 31 to June 2, 2024 under the theme “Toward Professional and Personal Development”, this event and its agenda are designed for both medical students and practicing physicians and will provide opportunities for career development, wellness and self-care, as well as mentorship and expanding networks.
Pioneering U.S. researcher Dr. Kemi Doll, who was named a 2021 Power Player by the Seattle Met magazine and a 2023 Victoria Secret Icon for her work in endometrial cancer, and a British surgeon who is considered one of the world's top 20 experts in digital health, Dr. Shafi Ahmed, are the keynote speakers for the Caribbean Medical Professionals' Summit (CAMPS).
CAMPS was created by Shawna-Kaye Lester, a Columbia University-trained public health professional and journalist turned education consultant. She said:
Shawna-Kaye Lester
"I decided to create CAMPS after listening to hundreds of young doctors talk about their work and lives. It became obvious to me that while the general public is quick to talk about the quality of care received from doctors, not enough people are asking about how doctors are being cared for, given that they do such demanding work," she said. "CAMPS fills a glaring gap in trying to ensure physicians achieve professional and personal wellness and fulfilment.”
Dr. Kemi Doll will be speaking at CAMPS 2024
Dr Shafi Ahmed will speak at CAMPS 2024
The two-day event will welcome over 10 speakers, panelists, and workshop leaders from around the region and the global medical fraternity.
Dr. Doll is an established star in medicine and a rising star in career coaching, who will address intentionally creating a medical career in which you do work you love;
Professor Ahmed is a futurist, who will focus on the use of Artificial Intelligence in healthcare and medicine.
Licensed mental health counselor and life coach, Seneca Williams, and career coach Cheryl Henry will lead the wellness and self-care charge of the summit:
Williams is a Vincentian American and will lead the assembly in a life assessment and also provide them with a prescription for anxiety and burnout.
Henry has been a Jamaican-Canadian career coach for over 25 years and will take attendees on a journey of self-discovery using Personality Dimensions, a psychometric tool designed to help individuals understand themselves and others so they can become more effective in their relationships, work, and lives.
Futurist, Professor Shafi Ahmed will speak at CAMPS 2024. Click on this flyer image to visit the official website.
Event Founder, Shawna-Kaye Lester expressed great pride in the fact that the Summit will be unusual in a number of ways: firstly, there will be doctors present from all stages of the career ladder - from medical student to consultant; then they will be medical professionals hailing from a range of specialties and subspecialties; and they will have a range of careers, not just clinical care. She said:
"I'm particularly excited about Drs. Trena Stoute and Kamilah Spencer, who are Caribbean-born doctors practicing in the United States that have recently launched a telemedicine company to provide specialist medical care to the Caribbean, entitled the Global Med Corporation. One of our panels will focus on physicians like them, who are purposely creating geographically-hybrid careers. This is incredibly exciting and promising for a region that deals with significant migration of healthcare professionals."
Since 2007, Shawna-Kaye Lester has helped over 400 ambitious applicants win more than US $6 million in scholarships to some of the top tertiary institutions in the world. Lester hopes that the Summit will attract medical students and doctors in the Caribbean, as well as those who have an interest in improving healthcare in the region. She added:
"It's for the physician who values their growth and development in all areas of life."
CAMPS will occur from May 31 to June 2, 2024 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica. Interested parties can register to attend virtually or in person and find more information at www.caribmedsummit.com