Training

The European Committee for Hyperbaric Medicine (ECHM) and the European Diving Technology Committee (EDTC) have established (European) guidelines that the training programmes for diving physicians must meet. The NVD officially acts as an “agency” for the ECB and therefore also holds certification authority for training and recertification.

Level 1 “Medical Examiner of Divers” (MED)

• The MED must be competent to perform the assessments of medical fitness to dive of occupational and recreational divers and compressed air workers, except the assessment of medical fitness to resume diving after major decompression incidents.
• Required teaching hours (ECHM-EDTC): 25 lecture hours + 3 hours practical.

Level 2D “Diving Medicine Physician” (DMP)

• A DMP must be competent to perform the initial and all other assessments of medical fitness to dive of working and recreational divers or compressed air workers, and manage diving accidents and advise diving contractors and others on diving medicine and physiology (with the backup of a diving medical expert or consultant).
• A DMP should have knowledge in relevant aspects of occupational health, but is not required to be a certified specialist in occupational medicine.
• A DMP should have certified skills and basic practical experience in assessment of medical fitness to dive, management of diving accidents, safety planning for professional diving operations, advanced life support, acute trauma care and general wound care.
• Required teaching hours (ECHM-EDTC): 80 hours of training.

Level 2H: “Hyperbaric Medicine Physician” (HMP)

• An HMP will be responsible for hyperbaric treatment sessions (with the backup of a hyperbaric medicine expert or consultant).
• An HMP should have appropriate experience in anaesthesia and intensive care in order to manage the HBO patients, but is not required to be a certified specialist in anaesthesia and intensive care.
• An HMP must be competent to assess and manage clinical patients for hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment.
• Required teaching hours (ECHM-EDTC): 120 hours of training.

Level 3: “Hyperbaric medicine expert or consultant” (hyperbaric and diving medicine)

A physician who has been assessed as competent to:
– manage a HBO centre or the medical and physiological aspects of complex diving activities
– manage research programs on diving medicine
– supervise a team of HBO doctors and personnel, health professionals and others
– teach relevant aspects of hyperbaric medicine and physiology to all members of staff.

Associated specialists (formerly: “diving physician D”)

This title is not a job qualification, but rather a function. It covers experts, consultants and specialists of other clinical specialities who can be nominated as competent to advise within their own speciality upon specific problems in the diving and hyperbaric field.