Illinois and other places throughout the country are experiencing spikes in infectious diseases that have generally been well controlled by public health interventions. Vaccine preventable illnesses, including measles, and foodborne illnesses are trending upward, and many patients are presenting with symptoms of infection or have questions about how to avoid illness. This program will provide physicians with the latest information on pressing public health issues, with a particular focus on identifying and managing symptoms of infectious diseases, understanding clinical and public health “next steps” if a patient presents with a reportable condition, and how to counsel patients about the importance of vaccines and how to make healthy choices to minimize the risk of catching a foodborne illness.

The Illinois State Medical Society invites you to join Emily Landon, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine and Executive Medical Director, Infection Prevention and Control at the University of Chicago, for a discussion of the current landscape of infectious disease threats and circumstances putting patients at risk. Dr. Landon will explain how healthcare systems and individual physicians can be better prepared and respond effectively and efficiently.

Who can attend:

Registration is limited to ISMS members and their employed staff.

About the Presenters:

Dr. Landon is Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago in the Section of Infectious Diseases & Global Health where she also serves as the Hospital Epidemiologist and Executive Medical Director of the Infection Prevention & Control Program. After medical school at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, she completed her medical residency, chief residency, and fellowship in infectious diseases at the University of Chicago Medicine. She also completed a fellowship in Clinical Medical Ethics at the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics at the University of Chicago and is an assistant director of the MacLean Center.

Dr. Landon’s work includes studying ethical implications of infection control interventions and finding novel and innovative ways to address common and uncommon infection control problems. As the leader of the University of Chicago’s Infection Prevention & Control Program, Dr. Landon manages a team of outstanding practitioners in infection surveillance, outbreak investigation, performance improvement, and regulatory compliance activities and serves as the medical director for the High Consequence Pathogen Preparedness Program for the University of Chicago.

Learning Objectives:

• Provide examples of significant public health and individual health benefits of vaccines that can be shared with patients to encourage vaccination
• Describe steps physicians need to take if they suspect a patient has measles
• Employ best practices for the evaluation and management/referral of patients who present with foodborne illness
• Identify conditions or diseases that must be reported to the local public health department and where to find the most up to date information on reportable conditions.

Accreditation: The Illinois State Medical Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit designation: The Illinois State Medical Society designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ . Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nutrition is increasingly recognized as a foundational component of medical care rather than a lifestyle issue. Physicians across nearly every specialty encounter patients whose health outcomes are significantly influenced by dietary habits, yet many receive limited formal education in nutrition during their training. As chronic disease remains stubbornly prevalent, physicians need the knowledge and skills to integrate evidence-based nutrition into prevention, treatment, and long-term disease management.

Please join the Illinois State Medical Society in welcoming Melinda Ring, M.D., the Executive Director of the Osher Center of Integrative Health at Northwestern University, to learn more about the fundamentals of nutrition and critical updates for the practicing physician.

Who can attend:

Registration is limited to ISMS members and their employed staff.

About the Presenters:

Dr. Melinda Ring, MD, FACP, ABOIM is the inaugural Tina Trott Professor of Integrative Health at Northwestern University and Executive Director of the Osher Center for Integrative Health, where she also serves as Clinical Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Medical Social Sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine.

She completed her medical training at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and her fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. Her work at Northwestern spans clinical care, research, and education: She founded the Cooking Up Health culinary medicine course, directs the integrative medicine fellowship, and studies nutrition and integrative approaches to women's health.

Dr. Ring is the author of The Natural Menopause Solution and a contributor to leading textbooks and peer-reviewed publications in the field. She hosts the Next Level Health podcast, is a frequent voice in national media, and delivered a TEDxChicago talk on culinary medicine and the power of patients becoming active partners in their own health.

She has served as chair of the American Board of Integrative Medicine and on the Executive Committee of the Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine and Health, and sits on the editorial boards of the Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine and Global Advances in Health and Medicine. In 2023 she was named Integrative Medicine Physician of the Year by the American Board of Physician Specialties, and in 2021 she received the Bravewell Distinguished Service Award, one of the highest honors in integrative health.

Learning Objectives:

• Compare the outcome evidence for major dietary patterns – Mediterranean, DASH, plant-predominant – and explain why pattern-level data has outperformed single-nutrient recommendations in chronic disease prevention
• Specify evidence-based intake targets for the nutrients where typical American intake most often falls short, including fiber and protein, and describe the mechanisms linking them to cardiometabolic, musculoskeletal, and cognitive outcomes
• Appraise the current evidence on ultra-processed foods, meal timing, and frequently asked-about diets, distinguishing well-supported findings from extrapolation
• Identify clinically significant drug-nutrient interactions and nutritional risks in high-prevalence scenarios, including patients on GLP-1 receptor agonists and long-term metformin or PPI therapy

Accreditation: The Illinois State Medical Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit designation: The Illinois State Medical Society designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosure: The planners, faculty, and others in control of content have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.