Masters of Medicine Conference to convene global medical leaders in Jamaica
The Masters of Medicine Conference, a leading regional multidisciplinary medical education forum, returns January 17-19 2026, bringing together physicians, scientists, educators, and health-system leaders from across the world.
The conference is co-hosted by the Heart Institute of the Caribbean (HIC) and Yale Cardiovascular Medicine, reflecting a long-standing academic collaboration focused on advancing clinical excellence, research, and health equity.
It is being held under the theme, “Bridging the Divide: Tackling Obesity and Genetic Heart Disease in the Era of Preventive
Cardiology.”
The 2026 Masters of Medicine Conference will feature keynote addresses from internationally recognised leaders in medicine and cardiovascular science, including:
• Professor Jagat Nurula, MD, PhD. President, World Heart Federation;
• Professor Mark Anderson, MD, PhD. Dean, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine; and
• Professor Panithaya Chareonthaitawee MD. President, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology
Conference Leadership.
The conference is co-chaired by Professor Ernest Madu, Chairman and Founder, Heart Institute of the Caribbean; and Professor Edward Miller, Director, Cardiology Fellowship Program, Yale University School of Medicine.
“The rising burden of obesity and inherited cardiovascular disease demands a shift toward earlier identification and prevention,” said Madu. “This conference focuses on bridging gaps between science and practice, genetics and population health, and innovation and access — particularly in regions that bear a disproportionate disease burden.”
Added Miller: “Preventive cardiology sits at the intersection of discovery, implementation, and equity. Our collaboration with HIC allows academic research to be translated into practical strategies that improve outcomes well beyond traditional academic centres.
The 2026 programme will be held at AC Hotel Kingston and will include plenary lectures, specialty symposia, and scientific poster sessions featuring original abstracts from ongoing collaborative research among multiple institutions, including Yale University and the Heart Institute of the Caribbean. More than 300 physicians, scientists, researchers, global health leaders and allied health professionals are expected to attend the 2 day scientific conference.
To support early-career researchers, Young Investigator Prizes will be awarded to two outstanding abstracts, selected by an independent panel of judges, recognizing scientific rigor, originality, and translational relevance.
The conference will officially open on January 17, 2026, at 8:00 am, with remarks by Jamaica’s Minister of Health, Dr Christopher Tufton, on behalf of Prime Minister Andrew Holness.
The title sponsor of the 2026 HIC/Yale Masters of Medicine Conference is BridgeBio, headquartered in Palo Alto, California, supporting advances in translational science and preventive cardiovascular medicine.
The Masters of Medicine Conference has become a cornerstone of continuing medical education in the Caribbean, attracting participants from North America, Europe, Africa, and the region. The conference culminates with the Hearts of Legend Gala, during which the HIC Trailblazer Award is presented to an individual whose work has made a transformative contribution to human development.
