St. Mary's Health Care System will host a free educational conference for emergency medical services personnel on Thursday, Nov.1, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Mary's Hospital, 1230 Baxter St., Athens.

St. Mary's holds free EMS Conferences twice a year to provide useful and relevant real-world information for EMTs, paramedics and first responders throughout Northeast Georgia. Others who respond to health emergencies or who work in healthcare also are welcome.

Continuing education credits for EMS personnel will be available through the Georgia Office of EMS and Trauma for hours attended. Breakfast, lunch and refreshments will be provided. Free parking will be available in Lot B on the Baxter Street side of the hospital.

Featured speakers will be:

• Clay Chappell, MD, interventional cardiologist with Oconee Heart and Vascular Center and medical director of St. Mary's Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. Topic: "Case Review and Cardiac Services Offered by St. Mary's."

• Gaylord Lopez, PharmD, Director, Georgia Poison Control Center. Topic: "Things That Make You Go Hmmmm... A Day in the Life of the Georgia Poison Control Center."

• Neil Woodall, MD, neurosurgeon, Georgia Neurological Surgery & Comprehensive Spine. Topic: "Update on Interventional Stroke Treatment and Case Reviews."

• Andrew Ke, MD, Athens Hospitalist Services. Topic: "The Healthy Medic."

• Aaron Carr, MD, general surgeon, Athens General and Colorectal Surgeons. Topic: "Trauma: A Surgeon's Perspective."

To help with planning, registration is requested. To reserve your place, please contact John Sartain, EMS liaison, by Oct. 29 at 706.389.3986 or [email protected]