Emergency Number

The Diving Diseases Research Centre (DDRC) offers training courses designed to provide theoretical and practical experience in Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine for doctors. DDRC, a charity, is one of the busiest hyperbaric units in the UK with a varied clinical caseload in elective and emergency hyperbaric medicine.

Other services provided by DDRC include sports and occupational diving medical assessments and training courses for the recreational and commercial diver. DDRC also undertakes research into diving and hyperbaric medicine. Given this environment, DDRC is ideally placed to provide training in diving and hyperbaric medicine to doctors.
Attempts are being made to standardise training in diving medicine across Europe and further afield. Our initial Level I and Level IIa ‘top-up’ diving medicine courses have been approved by an alliance of the Diving Medicine Advisory Committee (DMAC) and the European Diving Technology Committee Medical Subcommittee (EDTCmed). DMAC advises the International Marine Contractors Association and has based its curriculum on the recommendations from the joint committee of the European Diving Technology Committee (EDTC) and the European Committee for Hyperbaric Medicine (ECHM).

Level I – Medical Examiner of Divers

Training to enable doctors to perform the periodic "Fitness to dive assessments" of working and recreational divers and hyperbaric chamber workers. Following successful completion of this course a doctor working in the UK may contact HSE and apply to become an HSE Approved Medical Examiner of Divers (AMED).

Level I (Refresher)

Few refresher courses exist that are aimed specifically at the ongoing professional development of the medical examiner of divers, but the DDRC Level I refresher course has been designed with this in mind. The course assumes some experience in assessing fitness to dive and uses a problem-based approach to encourage revision, discussion and a more critical appreciation of published standards. Each relevant topic area is covered systematically and one or more areas will be selected for special attention in order to broaden experience and / or knowledge.

Level IIa – Diving Medicine Physician

This course adds to the knowledge and skills acquired at a Level I course to achieve the standards required for Level IIa - Diving Medicine Physician. Once both courses have been completed successfully the medical practitioner is considered competent to perform the assessment of working and recreational divers or hyperbaric chamber workers, to manage diving accidents and to advise diving contractors and others on diving medicine and physiology (with the backup of a hyperbaric expert or consultant).

Primary Hyperbaric Medicine Course

This course is designed to meet the needs of a doctor embarking on a career in clinical hyperbaric medicine rather than diving medicine and looks at the physics, physiology and administration of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, its current recommended indications, and ongoing relevant research.

DDRC is not currently offering EDTC/ECHM Level IIb – Hyperbaric Oxygen Physician courses but this will become available in the future.

2010 Course Dates

Level I (Medical Examiner of Divers) Course - £650.00 exc. VAT