Start website main content

II LEVEL UNIVERSITY MASTER OF UNDERWATER AND HYPERBARIC MEDICINE “PierGiorgio Data” AA.YY. 2019/2020 – 2020/2021

  • Venue
    Pisa
  • Lenght from 21.09.2020 to 30.09.2022
  • Deadline for application submission 11.09.2020
  • Maximum Number of Participants 35
  • Tuition fees 3.500
  • CFU Credits 60
  • Training hours 720

APPLICATION ONLINE


Course description

The many professional diving activities and the strong impact in this sector of recreational and sports activities, as well as the importance of oxygen Hyperbaric Therapy in the Clinic Scientific and technical bases of excellence and continuous updating in the field of Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine originates from, based on consolidated and modern scientific research.

In this context, the inseparable aspects of the training of Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine are crucial for those who approach, at the highest levels of university teaching, the health problems related to diving and for those responsible for rescue services, as well as modern clinical techniques in hyperbaric therapy.

These needs have led researchers from the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies and the Institute of Clinical Physiology of the CNR of Pisa to create in 2005 the Second Level University Master in Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine "PierGiorgio Data". The Master is aimed at graduates in Medicine and Surgery under the age of 65, also with professional experience in the field of underwater medicine and / or hyperbaric medicine. It is aimed at creating professionals able to prevent and manage underwater accidents, decompression sickness, and diseases that require hyperbaric treatment.

This Master has been the maximum reference at European level for over a decade and is the only one that provides both the highest level certifications for underwater and hyperbaric medicine: its training activity lays the foundations in the research conducted by the Institute of Life of the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies and the Institute of Clinical Physiology of the CNR, for the field of underwater and hyperbaric medicine. The Master combines educational science with fertile scientific and patent production and this is a further added value.

The Master’s educational target, according to the European Guidelines "Training standards for diving and hyperbaric medicine", stated by the Joint Medical Subcommittee of the European Committee for Hyperbaric Medicine (ECHM) and by the European Diving Technology Committee (EDTC), is to provide graduates in Medicine and Surgery with specific knowledge in the bio-medical, physical and technological fields, of Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine.

Specifically, the Master aims to:

  • provide an academic and practical experience for doctors who want to pursue a career as a specialist in underwater and hyperbaric medicine;
  • establish a theoretical-practical basis for assessing the psycho-physical aptitudes of candidates for underwater activities that require certification, as well as for organizing, verifying and guaranteeing the suitability of rescue structures, and training in scientific research in the field of underwater and hyperbaric medicine;
  • provide practical and operational knowledge to prevent and manage diving accidents, decompression sickness, diseases that require hyperbaric treatment;
  • provide practical and operational knowledge to prevent and manage work accidents, in the emerging field of Tunneling work;
  • provide skills to those who want to work and manage a hyperbaric implant and to design specialized research protocols.

The Master will focus on the most modern technologies and methodologies, with particular attention on aspects related to clinical practice.

The teachings will have a strong interdisciplinary character, referring to important aspects of Physics, Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Robotic Engineering, Economics and specific Legislation in the field of insurance and work.

Master students

The Master is aimed to Medical Doctors under the age of 65, also with professional experience in the field of underwater medicine and / or hyperbaric medicine. The main aim is the training of Medical Doctors able to prevent and manage underwater accidents, decompression sickness, and treat diseases that require treatment with hyperbaric oxygen. The Master Diploma will also provide the title to work and manage a hyperbaric medical system.

Formative Objectives

The Master's training objective, according to the European guidelines "Training standards for diving and hyperbaric medicine", developed by the Joint Medical Subcommittee of the European Committee for Hyperbaric Medicine (ECHM) and the European Diving Technology Committee (EDTC) (2011), is to provide Medical Doctors specific Bio-Medical, physical and technological knowledge concerning the field of Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine. The Master’s education provides the theoretical and practical basis for assessing the psychophysical fitting of candidates for underwater activities requiring certification, as well as for organizing, verifying and ensuring the suitability of rescue organizations, and for education to accomplish scientific research activities in the field of underwater and hyperbaric medicine. Then, it will be supplied the practical and operational knowledge to prevent and manage underwater accidents, decompression sickness, and pathologies requiring hyperbaric treatment. Moreover, it is also provide to the students the skills to work in a hyperbaric facility and/or manage the hyperbaric operations, and to design research protocols. The Master will be mainly focused on the most up-to-date technologies and methodologies concerning the Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine, giving particular emphasis to aspects related to clinical practice.

Teaching methodology

The Master's program includes two biennial training courses with a total duration of 720 hours starting on 20 April 2020 and ending on 29 April 2022; the two type of courses differ for the way to supply the necessary theoretical teaching.

1) The first path, is carried out at the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies and at the Institute of Clinical Physiology (CNR Research Area of Pisa) in Italian and English, involves the realization of the teaching activity in mixed mode: by face to face frontal lessons and by e-learning mode;

The course delivered in mixed mode provides a total of 720 hours, organized as follows:

  • 250 hours of frontal lectures in the classroom and stored in clouds files, accessible by web;
  • 50 hours of seminar activity carried out by international experts;
  • 120 hours of webinar training;
  • 180 hours of hyperbaric medicine stage;
  • 100 hours of stage in underwater Medicine;
  • 20 hours stage in tunneling activities

2) The second path, reserved to ten EU or not EU medical doctors (with the exclusion of citizens residing in the Italian territory) provides the teaching activities, in English, completely by e-learning mode. The theoretical training course provided in e-learning mode, carried out in collaboration with the University of Gdansk (Poland), is divided as follows:

- 420 hours of e-learning teaching or seminar activity, provided entirely in English on a specific e-learning platform;

- 300 hours of practical activity.

Course Program

The educational program provides the following subject areas:

- Underwater Medicine Area: aimed at acquiring the theoretical and practical knowledge of the different types of underwater human activities, the fundamental knowledge and practical skills in the field of underwater medicine and extraordinary environments of surface and underwater naval vessels;

- Hyperbaric Medicine Area: aimed at acquiring advanced knowledge and medical and technological skills in the field of hyperbaric treatments with particular reference to hyperbaric oxygen therapy;

- Legal, Economic and Insurance Area: aimed at learning the fundamental principles of national and international legislation applied to the field of underwater and hyperbaric medicine.

The lessons will also provide specific notions of physics and bioengineering concerning underwater and hyperbaric medicine field, as well as physiology of the cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological systems and specific clinical activities related to them.

The following certifications will be provided as part of the Master's program:

International certification of the DMAC (Diving Medical Advisory Committee and the EDTCmed (European Diving Technology Committee), in accordance with the criteria of the European Committee for Hyperbaric Medicine (ECHM):

Level ID: (Medical Assessment of Divers - Medical Examiner of Divers),

Level IID: (Medical Management of Diseases and Underwater Accidents - Expertise in Underwater Medicine)

From 2015, the ECHM (European Committee for Hyperbaric Medicine) and the ECB (European College of Baromedicine) recognize the Master also as a level IIH course of hyperbaric medicine.

Today, the IID and IIH levels represent the highest recognized levels of competence in the field of Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine in Europe.

The Master also includes the participation in the course:

“Medical Gas Handling”, provided by SIAD (Italian Acetilene and Derivati Spa Company) of the Praxair International Group at Avenza's headquarters) and relative certification of frequency certification: 8 hours

Application to the Master

The candidates are required to apply, exclusively by internet, for admission, no later than March 31, 2020.

Registration Fee

Euro 3.500,00

Scholarship

None

Master Title

At the end of the Master, the School releases, pursuant to art. 3 of D.M. 270/2004 and subsequent amendments, the title of II level Master's degree to the students who have attended regularly and profitably to the training program, in compliance with the requirements of the Master Regulations, and in accordance with the payment of the enrolment fee.