1. Recognizing Outstanding Achievement in Ultrasound
2. A Time for Change?
3. SDMS Membership Benefits Spotlight
4. Member Only Special - One Week Only
5. SDMS Educational Foundation Grant Program
6. Get Jazzed at the SDMS 2004 Annual Conference
7. News & Notes
8. Important Dates

SDMS Awards and Competitions

Each year, the SDMS recognizes outstanding achievement in ultrasound through a variety of awards and competitions including:

• Distinguished Educator Award
• Scientific Presentation Competition
• Sonographer Poster Exhibit Competition*
• Student Sonographer Poster Exhibit Competition*
• W. Frederick Sample Student Excellence Award

SDMS Educational Foundation Awards

The Foundation, in conjunction with several corporate partners, has developed awards in various categories to provide monetary assistance to sonographers conducting sonography-related research. The SDMS Educational Foundation awards were created to nurture sonography research, provide recognition for sonographers involved in these important endeavors, and to encourage continued growth of the profession. The 2004 award categories are:

• 3D Sonography
• Contrast Imaging
• Echocardiography
• Excellence in Sonography
• General Sonography
• Graduate Research
• Sonography Research

* For assistance in preparing a poster presentation, Kathryn M. Kuntz, BS, RDMS, RVT, Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program Director at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota has prepared an online presentation: Expanding Knowledge in Health Education: Preparing a Scientific Poster. View the presentation at:

Changing your name, Email address, or mailing address? Seventeen percent of Americans change their address each year. Even more change their email address one or more times in a year. It's important that SDMS have the most up-to-date information to provide you with your member benefits. Members can now submit an online change request to update their SDMS membership record. To submit a change request, visit:

Earn 2.0 CME Credits with Your Jan/Feb JDMS

The January/February issue of JDMS features two CME articles.

• Practical Arterial Evaluation of the Lower Extremity by Jim Baun, BS, RDMS, RVT, FSDMS (1.0 CME credit in Vascular Technology)



• Sonographic Analysis: Normal Variability of Muscle and Tendon of the Shoulder in Response to Daily Activity and Exercise by Maureen Wilkinson, DCR(R), DMU, MHealth, and Karen Grimmer, PhD (1.0 CME credit)

These (and 26 other) JDMS CME tests are available in the members only area of the SDMS website - online scoring is free to current SDMS members. To view/print a CME article or to complete the online CME test scoring, visit:

SDMS Members Now Receive 20% Discount at Echelonmed.com

For a complete list of SDMS member benefits, please visit:

Each year the Foundation receives donations from various commercial sonographer educational facilities to the Continuing Medical Education (CME) Grant Program. These donations provide qualified sonographers and sonography students with an opportunity to expand their sonography education, as well as earn continuing educational credits to help meet registry requirements. Since this program began, hundreds of sonographers and students have attended educational programs either free or at a substantially discounted registration rate.

For more information, an application, and a lengthy list of seminars currently available through this program, visit the SDMS website at http://www.sdms.org/foundation/CMEgrants.asp

September 30-October 3, 2004
Hyatt Regency New Orleans at Louisiana Superdome
New Orleans, LA

SAVE THE DATES! MAKE YOUR PLANS! Be a part of the most comprehensive 2½ days of continuing education designed for sonographers by sonographers!

Preconference Tutorials

• NEW--Women's Imaging Tutorial: gain scanning secrets from the stars of women's imaging
• Vascular Extravaganza: hear and see masters of vascular ultrasound
• Educators Tutorial: separate tracks for new and advanced educators

Lively interactive panel discussions on:

• Job vs. Career: Which Do You Want and How Do you Get It?
• Contrast and 3D Echo
• Ultrasound Physics: What Has Changed Since You Passed Your Boards? What You Should Know and What's the Future?

The main program provides a menu of five educational tracks: ob/gyn, abdomen, vascular, cardiac, and practice strategies. With more than 60 presentations to select from, you can design your own conference curriculum-stay in one track or visit them all! With a spectacular Exhibit Hall, Mardi Gras Madness party, and all that the 'Big Easy' has to offer, SDMS and New Orleans…a combination that can't be beat!

Registration information will be available in May. For more information, visit:

The News & Notes column includes links to web-based news articles of interest to sonographers. To submit articles, send the URL to webmaster@sdms.org