The Diving Medical Advisory Committee
(Return to homepage link)  
dividing line dividing line dividing line dividing line dividing line dividing line dividing line spacer image

Courses in Diving Medicine

spacer image

DMAC has established an approval system for courses in diving medicine.

Background

Legal regulations and industrial standards concerning training of doctors involved in examination and treatment of working divers and the medical consultants to diving contractors vary throughout the world. Many professional divers work in different nations as a part of their employment and, even though the guidance on medical standards for fitness to dive is reasonably well established internationally, the training of doctors to conduct those examinations and to provide competent support for diving emergencies is patchy. Accreditation or approval of courses in diving medicine would probably best be achieved if multi-national agencies (such as bodies within WHO, ILO or EU) or well-reputed academic institutions with international connections would accept such a responsibility. However, in spite of agreement for many years on the need for approval, little or nothing has happened.

In 2004 the European Diving Technology Committee (EDTC) produced its guidance on the "Medical Assessment of Working Divers", available from IMCA (the International Marine Contractors Association).

Previously, a joint committee of the European Committee for Hyperbaric Medicine (ECHM) and EDTC developed "Training Standards for Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine". At present, this remains the best recognised international standard for such training. However, no organisation has accepted responsibility for administering an approval procedure for these basic courses. Until another recognised body takes on this responsibility, DMAC has accepted the obligation to assess selected courses in diving medicine together with a representative of the EDTC Medical Subcommittee; this alliance is to be referred to as 'DMAC/EDTCmed'.

Two levels of approval are available:

  • Level 1 - Medical assessment of divers (Medical Examiner of Divers)
  • Level 2D - Medical management of diving accidents and illnesses (Diving Medical Physician)

It is emphasised that DMAC/EDTCmed will approve only the courses and not the competence of those who have attended them.

Applying for Approval

Those interested in gaining DMAC recognition for their course should download the recognition document (see below). This sets out all of the requirements and procedures. A Word version for electronic completion is available to course administrators on request. Any further questions should be addressed to the Secretary.

Approved Courses

The following courses are currently approved by DMAC/EDTCmed:

Course Organiser Contact Details Level Approval Expiry
AA Fondazione Mistral
Italy
Leopoldo Lucchi 115
47521 Cesena (FC)
Italy
Tel: +39 0544 500152 (Centro Iperbarico)
Fax: +39 0544 500148
E-mail:  [email protected]
Web:  https://fondazionemistral.com/
Level 1 31 Dec 2024
DDRC Professional Services Ltd
United Kingdom
The Hyperbaric Medical Centre
Research Way
Plymouth Science Park
Derriford
Plymouth
PL6 8BU
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 1752 209 999
Fax: +44 (0) 1752 209 115
E-mail:  [email protected]
1 and 2D 31 Dec 2024
Hyperbaric Medical Centre
Egypt/
Austrian Society fo Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine (ASUHM)
Austria
Krottenbachstr. 267
A-1190 Vienna
Austria
Tel: +43 676 309 24 80
Email: [email protected]
Level 1 31 Dec 2024
Institute of Naval Medicine
United Kingdom
Crescent Road
Alverstoke
Hampshire
PO12 2DL
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 23 9276 8091
E-mail:  [email protected]
Level 1 31 Dec 2024
Norwegian Armed Forces
Norway
Joint Medical Submarine and Diving Medicine Office
Boks 5
Haakonsvern K-21
N-5886 Bergen
Norway
Tel: +47 55 50 21 60
Fax: +47 55 50 37 92
E-mail:  [email protected]
Level 1 31 Dec 2024
Republic of Singapore Navy Medical Service/Singapore General Hospital Hyperbaric and Diving Medicine Centre
Singapore
Singapore General Hospital Postgraduate Medical Institute
Block 6, Level 1
Outram Road
Singapore 169608
E-mail: [email protected] Level 1 31 Dec 2024
The Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN)
Netherlands
Defence Diving School/Dive Medical Center
Rijkszee en Marinehaven 1
1781 ZZ Den Helder
PO Box 10 000
1780 CA Den Helder
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 889 501 417
Fax: +31 223 653 148
Email:  [email protected]
1 and 2D 31 Dec 2024
Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna
Italy
Piazza dei Martiri delle Libertà N° 33
56127 Pisa
Italy
Tel: +39 050 883111
Fax: +39 050 883225
Web:  www.sssup.it
1 and 2D 31 Dec 2024
Stellenbosch University
South Africa
The Occupational Medicine Group
Division of Health Systems and Public Health
Department of Global Health
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
Stellenbosch University
PO Box 241
Cape Town, 8000
South Africa
Tel: +27 21 938 9272
Fax: +27 21 938 9166
E-mail:  [email protected]
[email protected]
Level 1
Level 2D
31 Dec 2024
31 Dec 2024
Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society
United States of America
631 US Highway 1, Suite 307
North Palm Beach, FL 33408
United States of America
Tel: +1 919 490 5140
Fax: +1 919 490 5149
E-mail:  [email protected]
Level 1
Level 2D
31 Dec 2024
31 Dec 2024
United States Army Diving Medicine Programme
Military/government students only
United States of America
2450 Connell Road, Building 2264
Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234-7664
United States of America
Tel: +1 210 466 5647
Email: [email protected]
Level 2D 31 Dec 2024
VUB (Free University Brussels)
Belgium
BLITS - Brussels Labo voor Inspanning en TopSPort
Onderzoeksgroep Menselijke Fysiologie & Sportgeneeskunde
Vakgroep KIMA - Faculteit Lichamelijke opvoeding en Kine
Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0)2 6292222
Email : [email protected]
Level 1 31 Dec 2024