Biologist to share personal cancer journey during Seminar by the Sea

Registration is still available for the continuing professional development conference scheduled for March 11-13

A cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming for patients. As a biologist, Sunshine Menezes was better prepared than most people to dig into the research on her cancer and make informed decisions about her care, but there were many lessons from this experience that can inform providers’ approaches toward their patients.

Dr. Menezes, clinical associate professor of environmental communication at the University of Rhode Island, will share her experiences from an informed patient’s perspective to illuminate the explicit and implicit messages patients receive along the way. Menezes — who is also executive director of the Metcalf Institute for Marine & Environmental Reporting at URI — will present her lecture Thursday, March 12 at 11:30 a.m. during the 35th annual Seminar by the Sea Northeast Regional Conference in Newport. She plans to discuss how patient concerns during cancer treatment can be addressed through effective communication with a health care provider.

Menezes is just one of several experts from multiple health care disciplines scheduled to present at Seminar by the Sea, a continuing professional development conference hosted by the URI College of Pharmacy. The three-day conference March 11-13 — “Emerging Healthcare Trends: Treating the Whole Patient” — brings together pharmacists, nurses, students and clinicians from multiple health care disciplines for three days of seminars and discussions. Continuing education (CE) credits are available for pharmacists and nurses, including pharmacology, immunization and law credits.

Preregistration is required for the conference, which will be held at Gurney’s Newport Resort and Marina, 1 Goat Island, Newport. Registration information and a full schedule are available on the Office of Continuing Professional Development website.