Cruising for credits: University at Sea

There is an innovation in the field of continuing education that flies in the face of conventional wisdom that suggests one not mix business with pleasure.

The University at Sea (UAS) is the seagoing branch of a nonprofit corporation called Continuing Education Inc. that offers accredited continuing-education courses for professionals — on luxury cruise ships.

On a UAS cruise, you can earn credits in law, medicine, dentistry, accountancy, insurance, finance, architecture, engineering and other disciplines, “as we like to say, in a venue whose time has come,” says Sandra Barnhart, chairwoman of Continuing Education Inc.

“Our programs are designed to allow the busy professional to obtain the educational course credits required to maintain licensure, while at the same time enjoying a family holiday, without spending too much time away from his or her practice. Almost everyone brings their family or friends,” she added.

The UAS also promises a high quality of education. “We are very particular about our speakers — not only their knowledge base but their delivery style as well,” Barnhart says.

The cruises also provide an opportunity to build professional relationships. “This type of learning environment allows for a good amount of networking. Professionals from all over the world who take our cruises often share very important information with each other in the relaxed atmosphere of our voluntary networking sessions,” she added.

“In one case, a doctor was introduced to a procedure that resulted in the detection of cancer in one of their patients — that otherwise would not have been diagnosed,” noted Barnhart.

After completing the cruise-based curriculum, each UAS participant receives a course book, a UAS shirt and a certificate of completion for the appropriate category-one credits.

Usually, it only takes a few weeks after the cruise to receive your certificate.

Upcoming University at Sea cruises for credits:

Aug. 11
Autism-ADHD-Related Diseases for PCP
14 Category 1 CME credits
10-night Scandinavia/Russia cruise from Copenhagen, Denmark
Holland America’s ms Amsterdam
Aug. 11-21

Aug. 11 
Cancer in Women
14 Category 1 CME credits
Seven-night Alaska cruise from Vancouver, Canada
Holland America’s ms Statendam
Aug. 11-18

Aug. 18 
Obesity Conference
14 Category 1 CME credits
Seven-night Alaska cruise from Anchorage
Holland America’s ms Statendam
Aug. 18-Aug. 25

Aug. 25
Dental Practice Profitability Conference
15 AGD credit hours
Seven-night cruise to Alaska from Seattle
Holland America’s ms Zaandam
Aug. 25-Sept. 1

Sept. 9 
Legal Issues in Medicine
14 AMA PRA Category 1 credits/14 hours MCLE
Hawaii cruise from Honolulu
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America
Sept. 9-16

Sept. 16 
Women’s Health
14 Category 1 CME credits
Seven-night Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona, Spain
Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas
Sept. 16-23

Oct. 7 
Infectious Disease
14 Category 1 CME credits
Seven-night Mexican Riviera cruise from San Diego
Holland America’s ms Oosterdam
Oct. 7-14

Oct. 7 
Dental Program: The Profitability Conference
15 AGD credit hours
Seven-night Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona
Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas

Oct. 7 
T. Rowe Price
Seminars at Sea
Seven-night Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona
Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas
Oct. 7-14

Oct. 7 
Nephrology Survey 2006
14 Category 1 CME credits
Seven-Nights Civitavecchia (Rome) cruise to Monte Carlo
Regent Seven Seas’ Voyager
Oct. 7-14

Oct. 14 
Primary Care: Medical and Psychological Treatment of the Whole Person
14 Category 1 CME credits
Seven-night Mexican Riviera cruise from San Diego
Holland America’s ms Oosterdam
Oct. 14-21

Oct. 14 
Update in Pain Management and Risk Assessment
14 AMA PRA Category 1 credits — Nursing 16.8 contact hours
Seven-night Tahiti cruise conference
Regent Seven Seas’ M/S Paul Gauguin
Oct. 14-21

Oct. 20 
Family Medicine Survey
14 CME Credits
10-night Mexican Riviera cruise from San Diego
Celebrity Cruises’ Mercury
Oct. 20-30

Oct. 21 
Cardiology Review 2006
14 Category 1 CME credits
Seven-night eastern Caribbean cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Holland America’s ms Zuiderdam
Oct. 21-28

Oct. 22 
Breakthroughs in Preventive Medicine
14 Category 1 CME credits
10-day cruise Athens, Greece, to Lisbon, Portugal
Holland America’s ms Rotterdam
Oct. 22-Nov. 1

Oct. 29 
The HELP Network
20 contact hours CE credit
Eastern Caribbean cruise conference
Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas
Oct. 29-Nov. 5

Nov. 4 
Pediatrics
14 Category 1 CME credits
Seven-night eastern Caribbean cruise from Fort Lauderdale
Holland America’s ms Zuiderdam
Nov. 4-11

Nov. 5 
Women’s Health
14 Category 1 CME credits
Seven-night western Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral, Fla.
Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas
Nov. 5-12

Nov. 6 
Dealing With Disability: A Medical Legal Approach including use of the AMA Guides
12 Category 1 CME credits
12 CLE credit hours, including 2.5 ethics credit hours
12 QME hours
Tour of Hawaiian islands
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of Hawaii
Nov. 6-13

Nov. 13 
Emergency Medicine Review
Seven-night Caribbean cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Regent Seven Seas’ Navigator of the Seas
Nov. 13-20

Nov. 15 
Disease State Management and HIV/AIDS
14 Category 1 CME Credits
15-nights Australia and New Zealand cruise from Sydney, Australia
Regent Seven Seas’ Voyager
Nov. 15-30

Dec. 2 
Internal Medicine Review: Cardiology
14 Category 1 CME Credits
Seven-night western Caribbean from Tampa, Fla.
Holland America’s ms Veendam
Dec. 2-9

Dec. 9 
Dental Imaging
15 AGD credit hours
Seven-night western Caribbean from Tampa, Fla.
Holland America’s Veendam
Dec. 9-16

Dec. 9 
Improving the Second Opinion: Topics of Interest to the Indepedent Medical Examiner
15 Category 1 CME credits
Seven-night Mexican Riviera cruise from San Diego
Holland America’s ms Oosterdam
Dec. 9-16

Dec. 23 
Children and the Media
14 Category 1 CME credits
Seven-night Mexican Riviera cruise from San Diego
Holland America’s ms Oosterdam
Dec. 23-30

For more information on the University at Sea go to www.continuingeducation.net.