2026 CMDA NATIONAL CONVENTION
Breakout Sessions and Continuing Education Credits
10 hours of continuing education now available
Accreditation
Christian Medical & Dental Associations is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Physician Credit
The Christian Medical & Dental Associations designates this educational activity for a maximum of 10 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Physician Assistant
AAPA accepts certificates of participation for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ by an organization accredited by the ACCME or a recognized state medical society. Physician assistants may receive up to 10 credits for completing this activity.
Nurse Practitioner
The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP) accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME. Individuals are responsible for checking with the AANPCP for further guidelines. Nurse practitioners may receive up to 10 credits for completing this activity.
Dental Credit - AGD
Christian Medical & Dental Associations
Nationally Approved PACE Program Provider for FAGD/MAGD credit.
Approval does not imply acceptance by any regulatory authority or AGD endorsement.
1/1/2023 to 12/31/2026
Provider ID# 218742
10 Lecture Hours Available (see AGD Subject Codes below)
No prior level of skill, knowledge or experience is required (or suggested)
Course designed for physicians and dentists and other healthcare professionals
Saturday, April 25
Times and locations are subject to change.
TBD
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A graduate of the universities of Cambridge and Aberdeen, Dr. Carl Trueman has served as professor of biblical and religious studies at Grove City College in Pennsylvania. He is also a Contributing Editor at First Things and a Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy center in Washington, D.C. |
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Abstract Description: Coming soon... |
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Saturday, April 25
Times and locations are subject to change.
When Medicine Encounters Conscience: Upholding Integrity Amid Moral Conflict
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Kristin M. Collier, MD, is an associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she serves as the director of the University of Michigan Medical School Program on Health, Spirituality, and Religion and an associate program director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program. Her peer-reviewed work has been published in JAMA Internal Medicine, the British Medical Journal, the Annals of Internal Medicine and The Journal of General Internal Medicine. She has had writings published in Notre Dame’s Church Life Journal, Theopolis, America Magazine, Public Discourse and the New York Times. |
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Abstract Description: Healthcare professionals increasingly serve in morally pluralistic environments where deep disagreements persist over life, dignity, and human flourishing. For Christians, the conviction that every human life is sacred provides a stable moral anchor—yet living this conviction within institutions and teams that may not share it presents ongoing challenges. This session will explore what professional integrity means in such contexts and how to navigate tensions between faith, conscience, and institutional expectations without retreating into silence or capitulating to external pressures. The session will aim to help us understand how to act with compassion toward both patients and colleagues, and how to sustain moral courage. Ultimately, it aims to encourage Christian healthcare professionals that their faithful presence, voice, and character can shape the culture of medicine for the good. |
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Saturday, April 25
Times and locations are subject to change.
This breakout track equips Christian healthcare professionals with timely, practical tools for thriving in a rapidly changing medical landscape. Sessions introduce the growing power of artificial intelligence and how to use it wisely, explore how the Direct Primary Care model can create space for more faithful and fulfilling practice, and provide guidance on addressing the spiritual needs of patients as an essential dimension of whole-person care. Together, these sessions offer a forward-looking yet deeply grounded vision of medicine that is both innovative and anchored in Christian purpose.
Introduction to AI: Tips and Tricks for Clinicial and Personal Use
1 Hour CE credit available
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Steven J. Willing, MD, MBA, is a neuroradiologist with more than 40 years of clinical experience in diagnostic and interventional neuroradiology, currently practicing at Children's of Alabama. He also serves as an adjunct Professor of Divinity with Regent University, a radiology consultant for Tenwek Hospital and a visiting scholar with Reasons to Believe. | |
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Abstract Description: In the eyes of some, the explosion of AI in recent years is either a new technological revolution or a harbinger of doom. For most of us, it is a powerful tool offering greater efficiency in research, decision-making and writing. This presentation is intended as a "how-to" session to introduce newcomers to the use of AI. We will look at the many possible applications for both personal and professional use, what is afoot in the medical use of AI and how to avoid the most common pitfalls. |
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Educational Objectives: 1. Describe key applications of artificial intelligence in clinical medicine, research and education, and differentiate between practical tools and speculative claims. |
Direct Primary Care and the Christian Physician
No CE credit available
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Katy Liu, MD, FAAFP, grew up in Taiwan and Iowa. During her training at Via Christi Family Medicine Residency Program, she was exposed to medical missions and further challenged to live a missional life. After residency, while doors abroad were closed, God led her through locum tenens, urgent care, FQHC and employed positions. In God's mercy and perfect timing, she was led to open Olive Branch DPC in 2019, to the surprise of everyone including herself. She continues to lean on God's grace and wisdom for the next steps of the adventure with Christ in life and in medicine. | |
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Daniel J. Swartz, MD, is a board certified family medicine physician with 20 years of experience caring for women and men from birth to death. He has owned Forest Direct Primary Care for five years. Prior to that, he taught medical students and resident physicians with academic appointments at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Centra’s Lynchburg Family Medicine Residency, UVA School of Medicine and VCU School of Medicine. He attended the University of Iowa School of Medicine and completed his residency at Mercy Medical Center - North Iowa. |
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Abstract Description: Direct Primary Care (DPC), a model of practice that eliminates third-party payers, has grown exponentially over the last decade. While this model has advantages from which all physicians may benefit, it has some advantages and opportunities specifically for the Christian physician. This session will provide an overview of DPC, those advantages and opportunities and some of its challenges. |
Faith and Spirituality in Healthcare
1 Hour CE credit available
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Mitchell W. Duininck, MD, FAAFP, is the President and CEO of In His Image, Inc. and the Program Director of the In His Image Family Medicine Residency. This program emphasizes training doctors in Christ-centered, whole person care and preparing them to serve the medically needy in the United States and globally. Many of the graduates of this program are full-time medical missionaries. Dr. Duininck is also the CEO of In His Image International and Good Samaritan Health Services. He is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Medicine. Dr Duininck served as the 2022-2023 President of the Oklahoma Academy of Family Physicians (OAFP) and currently serves on the CMDA Board of Trustees. Dr. Duininck has done medical missions in many countries, including India, Kenya, Ghana, Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, Cambodia, Russia, Romania and the Czech Republic. He has led crisis response teams to Zaire, Honduras, Indonesia, Pakistan, Myanmar, Nepal, Iraq and Turkey. Dr. Duininck and his wife Leah have six children, 12 grandchildren and three on the way. As a family, they served at Manna Mission Hospital in Ghana, West Africa for two years. They also lived for one year in Kabul, Afghanistan, helping train Afghan physicians in the Hope Family Medicine Afghanistan (HFMA) Residency Program. | |
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Abstract Description: Several studies have been published suggesting that most patients have a spiritual belief and regard their spiritual health and physical health as equally important. Patients may have greater spiritual needs during times of illness. Understanding spiritual needs and the role of physicians and other healthcare professionals in addressing these needs is important in caring for the whole person. Learning how to competently address these needs is vital in order to serve our patients and their families with compassion and truth in their journey toward healing. |
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Educational Objectives: 1. Communicate up to date evidence regarding the connection between spirituality and healthcare. |
Saturday, April 25
Times and locations are subject to change.
This breakout track calls Christian healthcare professionals to a deeper examination of the philosophical and ethical foundations of their vocation. Sessions explore how meaning is woven into the very fabric of medical practice, expose the inadequacy of secular ethical frameworks to provide a coherent moral foundation, and wrestle with the profound ethical challenges posed by artificial intelligence in clinical care. Together, they make a compelling case that faithful, excellent medicine requires not just technical skill, but a robustly Christian worldview capable of grounding human dignity, moral truth, and enduring patient trust.
Meaning in Medicine
No CE credit available
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Kristin M. Collier, MD, is an associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she serves as the director of the University of Michigan Medical School Program on Health, Spirituality, and Religion and an associate program director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program. Her peer-reviewed work has been published in JAMA Internal Medicine, the British Medical Journal, the Annals of Internal Medicine and The Journal of General Internal Medicine. She has had writings published in Notre Dame’s Church Life Journal, Theopolis, America Magazine, Public Discourse and the New York Times. | |
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Abstract Description: Medicine is a vocation deeply rooted in meaning, as it centers on the care of human beings who possess inviolable worth and inherent dignity. Yet, this meaning is increasingly threatened by the rise of secularism, which offers no firm foundation for human dignity, the moral law or a coherent understanding of the good. In this presentation, Dr. Collier will explore how meaning is found in the practice of caring for persons, in the truthful use of language, in the embodied nature of human life and in the acceptance of limits. Together, these dimensions reveal that medicine is not merely a technical enterprise, but a moral and human one, grounded in a vision of what it means to be truly human. |
Virtue, True Virtue and Saving Virtue: Are Secular Ethical Theories Helpful or Harmful to Christianity?
No CE credit available
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Paul J. Hoehner, MD, MATS, PhD, FAHA, received his MA in theological studies from Reformed Theological Seminary and his PhD in theology, ethics and culture from the University of Virginia. He holds a BA and MD from The Johns Hopkins University and is a cardiovascular-critical care anesthesiologist currently on staff with the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. He is the author of numerous publications and several books including The Covenant Theology of Jonathan Edwards: Law, Gospel, and Evangelical Obedience (Pickwick, 2021) and Practicing Dignity: An Introduction to Christian Values and Decision-Making in Health Care (Grand Canyon University, 2024). | |
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Abstract Description: This session will evaluate three major secular (human-centered) ethical theories and their relationship to Christianity. While secular theories can sometimes promote virtues that “resemble” Christian virtues, because they are human-centered they cannot provide a complete, unified or consistent basis for ethics. This has resulted in our current situation where “right” and “wrong” have no real meaning. As evident from every quarter of our current secular culture, “ethics” has become merely about my feelings, my opinion or an emotional reaction without any reasoning for support. Only a transcendent, Christian, God-centered worldview can provide a complete, unified and consistent basis for “the good,” that is, TRUE virtue. In other words, “No God = No basis for ethics or morality.” |
AI in Medical Practice: Applying Cool Technology with Warm Hands
1 Hour CE credit available
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William P. Cheshire, MD, MA, is a professor of neurology at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. In his 39 years of medical practice, he has served as president of the American Autonomic Society and president of the staff of Mayo Clinic in Florida. He holds an AB in biochemical sciences from Princeton University, an MA in bioethics from Trinity International University and an MD from West Virginia University. He completed his residency in neurology and fellowship in pain medicine at the University of North Carolina. Dr. Cheshire is a CMDA Trustee and past chair of the Ethics Committee. | |
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Abstract Description: Artificial intelligence, which uses computers to mimic the cognitive capacities of the human brain, is transforming medicine profoundly. Dr. Cheshire will discuss the benefits and potential harms of AI in medicine and how interactions with artificial intelligence are informing patients and influencing their relationships with healthcare professionals. He will also outline ethical approaches to help us sustain our patients' trust in the midst of rapid technological change as we remain committed to our vocation of serving their best interests. |
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Educational Objectives: 1. Discuss the accuracy and reliability of medical information patients receive from large language models. |
Saturday, April 25
Times and locations are subject to change.
This breakout track broadens the vision of Christian healthcare to encompass the whole patient, the whole team, and the whole world. Sessions explore how understanding a patient's worldview can deepen connection and improve care, how healthcare professionals can leverage their existing gifts in global medical education and capacity-building partnerships, and how every member of the care team can serve as the hands and feet of Jesus through holistic, whole-person care. Together, these sessions call attendees to see their skills, their relationships, and their daily work as powerful instruments of the kingdom — at home and around the world.
Connecting Worldview and Your Patient, At Home and Abroad
1 Hour CE credit available
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Trish Burgess, MD, is the Director of Global Health Outreach, the short-term missions ministry of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations. She worked as an emergency medicine physician primarily in Athens, Georgia for 23 years and traveled on short-terms missions with Global Health Outreach (GHO) for 10 years before leaving her clinical practice to become the Director of GHO. Trish has traveled the world serving on healthcare mission trips with GHO. Her heart and passion are to serve Jesus through healthcare missions and to help mentor the next generation of healthcare professionals. | |
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Abstract Description: This talk will define what a worldview is and how poverty can effect this. We will then describe in detail each worldview and the common elements of each worldview. We will discuss how knowing and understanding a patients worldview can help us understand them better and hopefully relate to them better. This talk will hopefully make them more comfortable with our patient care. |
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Educational Objectives: 1. Define what a worldview is and what the three main worldviews are. |
From Classroom to Clinic to the Nations: How to Live Out Your Mission
1 Hour CE credit available
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For 25 years, Dr. Julie Rosa has lived a Jesus-following, full-spectrum family medicine life committed to loving and leading those in her community to whole-person health using the tools of medicine, leadership and education. This work has focused on introducing others to activities that stretch their worldview using speaking engagements, outdoor adventure and short-term medical education trips through Medical Education International (MEI). She has relocated back from the rolling sand dunes of Al Ain, United Arab Emirates to the rolling hills of Northeast Kansas. Serving the world, GOD has enlarged her vision in this multiplicative, mobilizing role! | |
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Abstract Description: Use what you have been given! Come and teach! Join Medical Education International (MEI) in engaging all realms of healthcare professionals in sustainable, capacity-building partnership with our international colleagues. The need is great! So, learn how to step into medical education using the giftings the Father has already given us. |
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Educational Objectives: 1. Explain how Medical Education International is a paradigm-shift in thinking of healthcare missions in sustainable, capacity building ways |
Nurses on Mission
No CE credit available
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Rebecca Meyer, PhD, MSNed, FCN, BSN, RN is a Professor of Nursing and Director of the Nurse Educator Program at California Baptist University in Riverside, California. She is a member of CMDA and Sigma Theta Tau. She received her PhD from Azusa Pacific University in California, and her MSNed and BSN from Mount St. Mary’s College (now University) in California. She trains with and takes students overseas to serve on mission 2-3 times per year. Additionally, she is the co-author and editor of the book Christian Global Health in Perspectives. This course is delivered twice a year to those wanting to learn more about serving on mission. | |
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Abstract Description: Nurses and other healthcare team members can use their gifts and talents to provide evidence-based care to those who are broken, hurt, suffering, and vulnerable. The Lord has placed each believer in the right place at the right time to be a blessing to others. The entire healthcare team can be the hands and feet of Jesus, providing holistic care and meeting people's physical, spiritual, emotional, and psychosocial needs. Discover the best ways to deliver this holistic care and serve the Lord in any way you can. |
Saturday, April 25
Times and locations are subject to change.
This breakout track offers a rich and multidimensional exploration of addiction and recovery through both clinical and humanistic lenses. Sessions examine the biopsychosocial-spiritual factors underlying substance use disorders and make the case for integrating faith and evidence-based practice in whole-person care, while a compelling interdisciplinary workshop draws on the enduring wisdom of Tolkien's storytelling to illuminate the psychological, spiritual, and communal dimensions of the recovery journey. Together, these sessions equip and inspire healthcare professionals to engage addiction with greater depth, compassion, and hope.
Addiction, Hope and Recovery in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings
1 Hour CE credit available
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Lisa Terris, PhD, is a theologian and scholar specializing in the intersection of theology, philosophy and literature. She holds a PhD in theology and religious studies from King's College London, where she conducted groundbreaking research on the theological aesthetics of J.R.R. Tolkien, published as Tolkien's Theology of Beauty: Majesty, Splendor, and Transcendence in Middle-earth (Palgrave MacMillan, 2016). She currently serves as adjunct faculty at West Virginia University in the Department of Behavioral Medicine & Psychiatry, contributing to interdisciplinary research on the intersection of addiction psychiatry and literature. | |
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James H. Berry, DO, is Professor and Chair of the Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry at West Virginia University School of Medicine’s Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute and the Director of Addictions. He is actively engaged in novel neuromodulation research related to substance use disorders including the nation's first trial of Deep Brain Stimulation and Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound for opioid use disorder which was featured in CBS News’ 60 minutes. He has enjoyed advocating on behalf of those suffering from mental illness and addiction before audiences as varied as local town hall meetings to testifying before the United States Senate. | |
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Abstract Description: Addiction is often viewed through clinical and scientific lenses, but its nuanced portrayal in literature can provide profound insights into the human experience of substance use disorders and recovery. This workshop, co-led by a leading Tolkien scholar and an addiction psychiatrist, delves into addiction themes in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings through an interdisciplinary approach combining literature, theology, psychology and addiction studies. It highlights how Tolkien’s lived experiences as a trench writer post-World War I inform his exploration of trauma, despair and resilience, offering timeless lessons relevant to contemporary discussions on recovery from addiction. Using key moments in the narrative—such as Frodo’s burden of the One Ring and Gollum’s self-destructive obsession—physicians, psychologists and other healthcare professionals will analyze addiction’s psychological, spiritual and social dimensions. The workshop will explore evidence-based themes of hope and purpose as antidotes to despair, the transformative power of community in recovery and the role of mercy and moral choice in confronting addiction. |
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Educational Objectives: 1. Demonstrate how to utilize narrative medicine techniques to help patients contextualize their personal struggles within a larger, hopeful narrative, thereby improving patient empathy and the therapeutic alliance. |
The Untapped Workforce: How Recovery-Friendly Churches Can Transform Mental Health and Addiction Care
No Ce credit available
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Elizabeth A. Delaney, DNP, RN, CNS, FNP-BC, OCN, ACHPN, is a respected nurse leader, educator, and advocate whose work bridges clinical excellence, whole-person wellness, and Christ-centered recovery support. She serves as Chief Wellness Officer for Her Story House, where she helps advance a nurse-led model of care for women in recovery, and as Lead Program Evaluator for The Cleft/GOODLIFE, supporting evidence-informed prevention, wellness, and recovery initiatives that strengthen individuals, families, and communities. With more than 30 years of experience in oncology, palliative care, hospice, and supportive services, Dr. Delaney has served in leadership and advanced practice roles at 4CancerWellness, The Ohio State University’s James Cancer Hospital, Dayton Physicians Network, and Miami Valley Hospital. She has also invested in the next generation of healthcare professionals through nursing education and academic leadership at Cedarville University. Known for bringing compassion, credibility, and practical wisdom to complex spaces, Beth has helped develop and evaluate innovative wellness and recovery models that honor both dignity and healing. Her work with Her Story House and GOODLIFE reflects a deep commitment to caring for the whole person—body, mind, and spirit—while equipping organizations and communities to respond with excellence. Dr. Delaney earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice from The Ohio State University and holds board certifications as a Family Nurse Practitioner, Oncology Certified Nurse, and Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse. She is a frequent speaker, collaborator, and contributor to initiatives that advance health, recovery, and hope. |
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Pastor Greg Delaney | |
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Abstract Description: Across the United States, physicians and dentists encounter patients every day who are quietly carrying the weight of addiction, depression, trauma, and family crisis. Clinical care remains essential, yet many patients leave our offices and return to environments where isolation, stigma, and lack of supportive relationships continue to undermine healing. |
Treating the Whole Person: Applying the Biopsychosocial‑Spiritual Model in Addiction Care
1 Hour Ce credit available
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Jennifer Anderson, MD, is a board‑certified OB/Gyn and addiction medicine specialist who serves as medical director for Cedar Recovery’s Opioid Treatment Programs in Knoxville, Tennessee and Bristol, Virginia. Trained at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine and Wake Forest University, she began integrating medication for opioid use disorder into prenatal care and women’s healthcare early in her career. Her fellowship in addiction medicine at Virginia Tech Carilion Clinic strengthened her commitment to expand access to evidence-based whole-person care for the treatment of families affected by substance use disorders. | |
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Abstract Description: As healthcare practitioners, we witness every day how substance use and substance use disorders affect the patients we care for and the communities we serve. Understanding the multidimensional factors that contribute to the development of addiction equips us to offer truly whole‑person care. In this discussion, we will explore addiction treatment through a biopsychosocial‑spiritual lens and consider how evidence‑based medicine and faith‑informed traditions can work together to support recovery and restoration for individuals living with substance use disorders. |
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Educational Objectives: 1. Explain how biological factors (genetics, neurochemistry, withdrawal and stress) impact the development of substance use disorders and how pharmacological treatments target drivers of addiction. |
Saturday, April 25
Times and locations are subject to change.
This breakout track ventures into some of the most dynamic and debated frontiers of contemporary healthcare. Sessions critically examine the factors driving the rise in autism diagnoses, explore how functional medicine's focus on gut health can address a broad spectrum of chronic disease, and provide a balanced, evidence-informed introduction to the rapidly evolving field of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Together, these sessions challenge healthcare professionals to think beyond conventional frameworks and remain curious, discerning, and well-informed as medicine continues to evolve.
Eating Your Way to Better Health
1 Hour CE credit available
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Dawn Drumm, MD, went to medical school at the University of New Mexico. She completed residency and obtained board certification in family medicine in Las Cruces, New Mexico, followed by a fellowship in population health at Presbyterian Health Services in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Dr. Drumm completed training and obtained certification in functional medicine through The Institute for Functional Medicine. Dr. Drumm owns and treats patients at Arise Functional Medicine in Cedar Crest, New Mexico. | |
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Abstract Description: Come learn about functional medicine’s approach to gut health, including the physiology of increased intestinal permeability and the microbiome. Find out how to change a patient’s diet to improve diverse chronic diseases such as mental health, joint pain, eczema and autoimmune diseases. |
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Educational Objectives: 1. Draw the mechanism and describe the physiology of increased intestinal permeability at the cellular level. List three chronic diseases it can impact. |
The Expanding Spectrum: How Shifts in Criteria and Culture are Changing Autism Statistics
1 Hour CE credit available
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Leah Snodgrass, MD, is a board certified physician in child, adolescent and general adult psychiatry who serves as Professor and Chair of Behavioral Health at LMU DCOM. She is a graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and completed her internship, residency and fellowship at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Snodgrass is a native of Middlesboro, Kentucky and has been a member of the DCOM faculty since 2012. She is the current Chair of the CMDA Psychiatry Section. She likes to cook and bake plant-based whole food recipes for herself and her husband. Her 19-year-old twin daughters won’t eat it—but she keeps trying! | |
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Abstract Description: We will explore the evidence-based versus myth-based reasons for the seeming increase in autism. We will review expansion of diagnostic criteria from DSM IV-TR to DSM 5 and its implication in capturing children who prior to DSM 5 would not have been characterized as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We will look at nutritional, psychological and sociological constructs as possible explanations for increased numbers of ASD diagnoses. |
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Educational Objectives: 1. Apply diagnostic criteria to diagnose autism as per DSM 5 and DSM 5-TR. |
New Frontiers in Psychiatry: The Role of Psychedelic-assisted Therapies in Treatment-resistant Disorders
1 Hour CE credit available
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Ria Battaglino, MD, FAPA, is a board-certified psychiatrist and integrative mental health physician, as well as Medical Director of Natural Mind MD, PLLC in Cary, North Carolina. She integrates medication management, psychotherapy and holistic healing, bridging conventional medicine with attention to spirituality, including Christian perspectives, as well as nutrition and lifestyle intervention. She has additional training in emerging areas of mental healthcare, including research-informed psychedelic-assisted therapy. She is a MAPS-trained psychedelic therapist and holds certificates in psychedelic therapy and research from the California Institute of Integral Studies and other institutions. Dr. Battaglino has lectured widely on integrative approaches to mood disorders and emerging areas of psychiatric care and is a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. | |
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Abstract Description: This presentation explores the emerging field of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and its role in treating conditions such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, addiction and end-of-life distress. It reviews historical context, current research and evidence supporting the use of ketamine, psilocybin and MDMA within structured, therapeutic frameworks. Participants will learn about preparation, medicine sessions and integration as essential components of safe, effective treatment. The lecture highlights neurobiologic mechanisms, mystical-type experiences and the importance of therapeutic alliance and set/setting—offering clinicians insight into how psychedelics may transform the landscape of mental healthcare. |
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Educational Objectives: 1. Describe the neurobiologic and psychologic mechanisms underlying psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, including the roles of psilocybin, MDMA and ketamine. |
Saturday, April 25
Times and locations are subject to change.
This breakout track offers a warm, honest, and faith-filled space for women navigating the unique relational challenges of life in medicine. Sessions explore the biblical foundations of friendship and the beauty of shared stories in sustaining couples through the transitions of a medical marriage, and provide practical, clinically grounded guidance for cultivating true intimacy and wholeness at every stage of life. Together, they encourage women to invest deeply in the relationships that matter most — with their spouses, their communities, and our God.
Streams of Grace – Rooted Where It Matters Most
No CE credit available
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Dawn Mast and her husband Mark have been married for almost 34 years (32 of which have been spent in medical training, residency and practice.) They are the parents of four adult children and one grandchild. All their children are practicing/studying medicine, and they call the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia home. Dawn is a writer and speaker for Encouragement Cafè Ministries, works in her family's local Christian bookstore and does stand up comedy. | |
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Abstract Description: Sharing personal stories of our medical marriage journey in order to encourage and equip other couples as they strengthen their faith in Jesus. |
Summit View – Hope & Blessing for the Road Ahead
No CE credit available
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Heather Marra, PT, MPT, PRPC, is a pelvic health physical therapist, speaker and author with more than 25 years of experience. As owner of One Simple Step, LLC, she specializes in helping women heal and thrive through a holistic approach integrating physical, emotional and spiritual wellness. Heather is the author of Connecting With Your Body Throughout Pregnancy (2020) and True Intimacy: Embracing a Woman’s Sexuality (2025), and she is passionate about empowering women in the field of pelvic and sexual health. Heather and her husband Pete have been married for 22 years and have four children through birth and adoption. | |
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Abstract Description: This session will explore health disparities and barriers present in the U.S. in pediatric, adult and prenatal populations, along with examples of how to address these disparities in partnership with community groups, national organizations and innovative practice management. |
Together on the Trail – Showing Up, Laying Down
No CE credit available
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Carol Mason Shrader is wife to Wade, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Nemours Children’s Health in Wilmington, Delaware. Carol and Wade have four children—adult triplets (two boys and a girl), two of whom have Cerebral Palsy, plus an almost-adult daughter. She joined Side By Side during her husband’s residency at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota in 1999. She has been editor of On The Side since its creation, organizing writers and writing herself every few months. She hosts “Coffee With Carol” an Instagram Live ministry bi-monthly on the Side By Side page. | |
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Abstract Description: Exploring what the Bible says about friendship and how to build friends during the transitions of a medical marriage. |
Saturday, April 25
Times and locations are subject to change.
This breakout track places mentorship at the center of faithful Christian life in healthcare, exploring it from every angle — relational, institutional, and transformational. Sessions equip attendees to initiate and sustain Christ-centered mentoring relationships with purpose and prayer, build local communities of faith and professional support through CMDA chapter development, and apply innovative coaching principles to deepen the impact of discipleship. Together, they offer a comprehensive and inspiring vision of mentorship as one of the most powerful ways Christian healthcare professionals can invest in one another and multiply the kingdom across every stage of the medical journey.
Mentoring That Matters: Building Christ-centered Relationships Across the Journey of Medicine by Exploring the Vows of Effective Mentoring Relationships
1 Hour CE credit available
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Mike Chupp, MD, FACS, is a U.S. board certified general surgeon who completed his BA at Taylor University in 1984, his MD at Indiana University in 1988 and a general surgery residency at Methodist Hospital of Indiana in 1993. He worked at Southwestern Medical Clinic in Michigan until 2016. From 1996 to 2016, Mike and his wife Pam served as healthcare missionaries at Tenwek Hospital in Kenya. In 2016, they moved to Bristol, Tennessee, where Mike became Executive Vice President of Christian Medical & Dental Associations. In 2019, he was commissioned as CEO, a position he holds to the present. | |
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Bethany Taylor is a fourth-year medical student graduating in May 2026 with a calling to family medicine and a special emphasis on women’s health. Before entering medicine, she spent decades engaged in short-term missions, community development and global health projects across East Africa, where she later conducted research on preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV and founded a non-profit supporting vulnerable women and children. A mother of five and lifelong advocate for underserved communities, Bethany integrates faith, compassion and cross-cultural experience into her approach to medicine. She brings the perspective of a mentee shaped by deeply transformative, Christ-centered mentorship throughout her nontraditional path to becoming a physician. | |
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Abstract Description: Mentorship lies at the heart of how Christ shapes His followers in healthcare. Across settings of academic medicine to the mission field, mentoring relationships can strengthen resilience, deepen calling and multiply faithful service. Yet many students, residents and physicians struggle to know how to initiate and sustain these relationships in meaningful, Christ-centered ways. In this interactive workshop, Dr. Mike Chupp and medical student Bethany Taylor explore the vows of mission-driven mentoring. Together, they will share stories and lessons from both mentor and mentee perspectives, emphasizing how these principles foster spiritual and professional growth in diverse contexts. Participants will learn to cultivate mentoring relationships that are purposeful, prayerful and sustainable, reflecting Christ’s faithfulness through every stage of a medical career. |
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Educational Objectives: 1. Understand the vital role of mentorship for healthcare professionals as a means of discipleship and spiritual growth in both domestic and cross-cultural settings. |
Kickstarting Mentoring in Your Local CMDA Chapter
No CE credit available
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Joyce M. Johnson, MSN, FNP, RN, is a family nurse practitioner and the mother of two adult children and one grand dog. She is lifetime member of CMDA. She is a current Guide with the Mentoring Academy; a member of the advisory council of CMDA Jackson; and a member of the mentoring ministry for the ;ast two years. She is a very active member and ministry leader at New Hope Baptist Church. Hobbies include singing, reading, travel and photography. Joyce is a volunteer at the Center for Pregnancy Choices and the AWANA youth group. The joy of the Lord is truly her strength. | |
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Tobe S. Momah, MD, is a board-certified family and obesity medicine physician working in Jackson, Mississippi. He is currently an associate Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Mississippi and has authored more than 50 scientific publications and 23 books. He is co-ordinator of Faith and Power Ministries, and he serves as the Mississippi State Representative for CMDA. He is married to Rita, and they parent a set of twins—Kingsley and Gloria. Together they hope to accomplish the vision of God for their lives by “…showing His strength unto this generation, and His power to everyone that is to come” (Psalm 71:18). | |
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KaKa Adams, MD, is a second-year allergy and immunology fellow at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. She completed her pediatrics residency at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and holds advanced degrees in both medicine and medical science, as well as a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Texas Tech University. | |
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Josephine Lee Aguhob Glaser, MD, FAAFP, is a board certified family physician and lifetime member of CMDA. She loves Jesus and seeks to follow Him by aligning her time, talents and treasures toward praying and guiding her family, friends, colleagues, mentees and church community toward a saving, growing and fruitful relationship with the Triune God. She and her physician husband Paul have been married as one-in-Christ for 30 years. They are parenting four adult children and their first grandson toward a saving, growing and fruitful relationship with Jesus Christ. | |
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Abstract Description: This session offers an overview of the purpose and practical application of mentoring Christian healthcare professionals. This session outlines the process for establishing and growing a local chapter of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations (CMDA). Mentoring in this context emphasizes integrating faith with professional life and addressing challenges such as ethical dilemmas and burnout from a biblical perspective. The session will cover the steps for forming a local CMDA chapter, from prayer to building a core leadership team to formalization and ministry engagement, equipping participants with best practices for nurturing a supportive community that provides spiritual and professional encouragement. A panel of experienced leaders and mentors will discuss effective strategies for fostering supportive communities and navigating challenges in faith-integrated practice. |
Discipleship and Mentoring Reimagined: The Power of a Coach Approach
No CE credit available
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Darilyn Falck, MD, FACEP, ACC, is passionate about mentoring and coaching medical trainees. She is an ICF Certified Coach, Coach Trainer and Mentoring with a Coach Approach Trainer with CMDA Coaching. Having graduated from Eastern Virginia Medical School and completed residency in emergency medicine at Loma Linda University Medical Center, she practiced emergency medicine for 20 years. She has since transitioned to practicing telemedicine urgent care and professional coaching. She has served in numerous leadership roles within CMDA, medicine and academia. Dr. Falck completed Western Seminary’s Advanced Certified Transformational Coach Program and earned the Associate Certified Coach (ACC) Credential with the International Coaching Federation. She helps her clients navigate transitions with confidence, clarify their values and strengths and walk in their unique calling. | |
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Abstract Description: In this workshop, we will explore an innovative paradigm shift for discipleship and mentoring—integrating several principles of professional coaching to cultivate deeper spiritual and personal transformation. Participants will gain a clear understanding of the coaching mindset and its effective application in discipleship and mentoring relationships. Together we will explore several tools that can help others discern, respond to and take ownership of God’s call on their lives. The session will also address practical strategies for integrating a coach approach and how to overcome common challenges. Participants will leave equipped with a refreshed vision and actionable framework for guiding others toward deep, lasting transformation. |
Saturday, April 25
Times and locations are subject to change.
Presented by Barnabas Foundation's Philip Admiraal, JD, and Kurt Knoll, this breakout track offers straightforward, practical guidance for Christians who want to give wisely and plan well. Sessions introduce a powerful, tax-smart tool for simplifying and amplifying charitable giving, and provide a timely reminder that estate plans need regular attention as life evolves. Together, they equip attendees to be faithful, strategic stewards of the resources God has entrusted to them.
Smart and Powerful Giving
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Philip Admiraal, JD, is Director of Planning at the Barnabas Foundation. He joined the Barnabas Foundation team in June 2025, bringing extensive tax law and planning experience to the role. Previously, Philip was an attorney at the IRS’s Office of Chief Counsel, representing the IRS in Tax Court and providing legal advice to the IRS. Prior to that, he spent 15 years at two large multinational companies providing tax counsel services. Philip is a graduate of Calvin University and holds a Juris Doctor degree and LLM in taxation from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Philip resides in Northwest Indiana with his family and attends Redeemer United Reformed Church in St. John, Indiana. He works out of Barnabas Foundation’s headquarters in Crete, Illinois. |
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Kurt Knoll is Director of Investments and Member Relations at the Barnabas Foundation. In his role, Kurt provides strategy and overall direction for membership services and is the primary contact for new ministries seeking to partner with Barnabas Foundation. Kurt previously served as Barnabas Foundation’s director of finance and administration, and prior to that, held positions of chief financial officer, VP of finance and administration and corporate controller with various companies. He graduated cum laude with a bachelor of science in accounting from Northeastern Illinois University. | |
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Abstract Description: Did you know there are smart and powerful ways to increase the impact of your giving—often while benefiting your family, too? By understanding the available options, you can multiply the end results of your generosity in ways that are simple, flexible, cost-effective and powerful. Join Barnabas Foundation’s Philip Admiraal, JD, and Kurt Knoll as they discuss gifts that reduce taxes, gifts that pay income and gifts in a will. |
Hidden Mistakes in Your Estate Plan
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Philip Admiraal, JD, is Director of Planning at the Barnabas Foundation. He joined the Barnabas Foundation team in June 2025, bringing extensive tax law and planning experience to the role. Previously, Philip was an attorney at the IRS’s Office of Chief Counsel, representing the IRS in Tax Court and providing legal advice to the IRS. Prior to that, he spent 15 years at two large multinational companies providing tax counsel services. Philip is a graduate of Calvin University and holds a Juris Doctor degree and LLM in taxation from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Philip resides in Northwest Indiana with his family and attends Redeemer United Reformed Church in St. John, Indiana. He works out of Barnabas Foundation’s headquarters in Crete, Illinois. |
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Kurt Knoll is Director of Investments and Member Relations at the Barnabas Foundation. In his role, Kurt provides strategy and overall direction for membership services and is the primary contact for new ministries seeking to partner with Barnabas Foundation. Kurt previously served as Barnabas Foundation’s director of finance and administration, and prior to that, held positions of chief financial officer, VP of finance and administration and corporate controller with various companies. He graduated cum laude with a bachelor of science in accounting from Northeastern Illinois University. | |
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Abstract Description: Most people understand the importance and power of having a completed will or trust in place. But knowing what you need to do, and knowing how to do it, are two very different things. Listen as Barnabas Foundation’s Philip Admiraal, JD, and Kurt Knoll share how you can ensure your will reflects your personal values and goals by avoiding common mistakes in your estate plan. |
Friday, April 24
Times and locations are subject to change.
TBD
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John Stonestreet serves as president of the Colson Center. He’s a sought-after speaker and author on areas of faith and culture, theology, worldview, education and apologetics. John is the daily voice of Breakpoint, the nationally syndicated commentary on the culture founded by the late Chuck Colson. He has co-authored five books including A Practical Guide to Culture and Restoring All Things. Before coming to the Colson Center in 2010, John served in various leadership capacities with Summit Ministries and was on the biblical studies faculty at Bryan College (Tennessee). John is an ordained deacon in the Anglican Diocese of All Nations (Anglican Church of North America). He and his wife Sarah have four children and live in Colorado Springs, Colorado. |
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Abstract Description: Coming soon... |
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