President’s Column – Q2 2025

This year’s Annual Scientific Meeting of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society marks a bold and forward-looking milestone as we gather in Atlanta, Georgia, in proud partnership with the Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA). This joint meeting reflects the evolving intersections between hyperbaric, undersea, and aerospace medicine—fields that once seemed distinct but are increasingly linked by common physiological principles and collaborative clinical interests. From managing decompression sickness and gas laws to advancing our understanding of oxygen physiology at altitude and depth, our specialties are aligned now more than ever before.

The 2025 meeting promises to be a landmark event. We have assembled a robust, interdisciplinary program that spans clinical hyperbarics, diving medicine, aerospace physiology, human performance under pressure, and the future of extreme environment medicine. Attendees can expect cutting-edge research, engaging panels, and a cross-pollination of ideas among military, civilian, academic, and clinical sectors. This collaborative platform enhances the quality of scientific exchange and reflects the UHMS’s commitment to increasing our field’s visibility and fostering unity with allied specialties.

I encourage every member of our society to attend, participate, and contribute their voice to the dialogue. Whether your interests lie in wound care, dive operations, spaceflight medicine, or safety protocols, this meeting has something to offer. Let Atlanta be the place where we not only honor our shared history but also chart the course forward together.

Owen J. O’Neill, MD, MPH, FUHM
President, Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society