SDMS Sound News, Volume 8, Issue 5

Volume 8, Issue 6 June 29, 2006 ISSN 1543-0448

In This Issue...

SDMS Election 2006: Last Day to Cast Your Vote!
SDMS Launches Sonography Career Recruitment Effort
Member Survey: Another iPod^® for your thoughts!
JDMS Presents New Manuscript Submission System
SDMS Lobbying Effort Successful
2006 SDMS Annual Conference Reminder
News & Notes
Important Dates

This issue of SDMS Sound News is sponsored by GE Healthcare, a PLATINUM sponsor of SDMS.

GE Healthcare is the leading global pharmaceutical provider of diagnostic imaging products. GE Healthcare is dedicated to providing healthcare professionals with products that expand and improve their diagnostic capabilities and contribute to the treatment of disease. With a focus in cardiovascular imaging, GE Healthcare markets Optison (Perflutren Protein-Type A Microspheres for Injection, USP) for use in echocardiography.

SDMS Sound News is a way of sharing important or time-sensitive news with our members. It supplements our print newsletter, News Wave, and provides links to new information and services available on the SDMS web site. SDMS Sound News is published monthly. An archive of past issues is available at http://www.sdms.org/lists/soundnewsarchive.asp



	SDMS Member: [[FirstName]] [[LastName]] Membership Expires: [[ExpDate]] Email Address: [[Email]]



	1. Last Day to Cast Your Vote! Virtual Voting booth closes at 5:00 pm (CDT) on June 30, 2006. Visit http://www.sdms.org/members/vote/default.asp to cast your vote! Not only is this the place to vote, you can learn more about the candidates, their position on professional issues, and communicate directly with them. Take this opportunity to inform yourself. Then, vote for the candidates who you believe will best represent your views on issues and the future of SDMS and the profession. Cast your vote for the following positions: Two At-Large Director positions Four Nominating Committee positions Note: SDMS members in the following membership categories are eligible to vote in SDMS elections: Active (ACT), Associate (ASC), Fellow (FEL), Advanced Practice Sonographer® (APS®).



	2. SDMS Launches Sonography Career Recruitment Effort “Integrity: We are a credible community accountable for ethical stewardship of our profession's interests and investments in the future.” The Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography has expanded its educational efforts to increase public awareness of the profession of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, its importance as part of the healthcare delivery team, and its potential career opportunities. The Society has developed a new 5-minute career video, Diagnostic Medical Sonography – A SOUND Career Decision, which provides a snapshot of the profession of Diagnostic Medical Sonography and is easily viewed on the SDMS website at http://www.sdms.org/career/decision.asp. A new companion career brochure provides an introduction to the profession, with an added benefit to educators and counselors - the brochure can be customized and printed with individualized career contact information. There is a wide array of other career resources/information available to students, educators and counselors in the Career area of the SDMS website, such as Selecting an Educational Program, Career Path, and the professional Scope of Practice. For more information, or to view this new video, visit http://www.sdms.org/career/decision.asp.



	3. Member Survey: Another iPod^® for your thoughts! Take our survey for a chance to win an Apple iPod^® If you participated in the previous JDMS survey, please don’t pass this one by. If you didn’t, we would greatly appreciate your time and opinions. A New Reader Survey – it’s all about You. Sage Publications, publishers of the Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JDMS), is sponsoring a readership study. This survey is conducted by Readex Research, an independent research firm. We need your contribution in order to provide you with the highest quality journal. Please follow the link below to complete our short survey concerning you - the reader. Your answers are confidential and will only be used for tabulation. Don’t forget to enter the drawing at the end of the survey for another chance to win an Apple iPod Nano 2GB. Thank you for your participation. This offer is provided by Readex and is not endorsed by or affiliated with Apple Computer, Inc. Complete the survey by July 7, 2006 at: http://www.readexsurvey.com/jdms/esurvey.asp



	*4. Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography* Presents New Manuscript Submission System** Authors, submit your article online with SAGETRACK and ScholarOne! The entire process, from article submission to acceptance for publication, just got easier for you. All you need to do is go to the JDMS area of the SDMS website (http://www.sdms.org/jdms) and click on “Submit article online”, follow the prompts to create a user account, then upload your article and images. Quick, easy, and painless! The JDMS is your professional journal and your submissions are always welcome. If you have any questions regarding publication, please contact the Executive Editor, Michelle Bierig at jdmseditor@sdms.org, or call the SDMS Headquarters at 800-229-9506. The SDMS website also hosts a collection of helpful information regarding authorship and publication, as well as easy to follow, step-by-step instructions for online submission through ScholarOne.



	5. SDMS Lobbying Effort Sucessful The 'Tom Cruise' bill filed in the Calfornia Assembly (California AB2360) would prohibit the sale of ultrasound equipment to all except a group of identified healthcare providers. In the first version of the bill, sonographers would not have been included in the group of exempted providers who could acquire ultrasound equipment. The SDMS lobbied independently, and in coordination with a coalition of equipment manufacturers, to get this language changed. These efforts included personal contacts from our Calfornia based SDMS Government Relations Committee (GRC) members as well as written communication with the Assemblyman's staff. The next version of the bill did include sonographers, working within a hospital or medical facility, within the group of healthcare providers who could legally acquire ultrasound equipment. However, it did not include an exemption we had also requested for sonography educators to be recognized within the exempted group. A second round of lobbying efforts was initiated and the latest version of the bill does contain exemption language for educational training programs. This bill modification is directly attributable to the GRC efforts. There have been a number of states who have contacted California requesting background information on this bill -- it has precedent-setting implications. It appears that the 'road has been cleared' for this bill's passage.



	6. 2006 SDMS Annual Conference Reminder *Summer flies by quickly--* so make your plans now! Just a few quick reminders about the 2006 SDMS Annual Conference: It all takes place in Denver, Colorado, October 12-15, 2006 at the Colorado Convention Center. Registration is now open! Register on or before August 11 to receive "early bird" discounted registration prices. Join SDMS and save even more! Just visit: http://www.sdms.org/meetings/default.asp *The Student Conclave is FREE of charge to the SDMS Student Members!* But space is limited, so register TODAY! The 3-day program on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday will showcase educational courses in Abdomen, Ob/Gyn, Vascular, Cardiac, and Practice Strategies for lab management. In addition, there will be live scanning in the cardiac track, and eight optional lunches. SDMS Awards Dinner and Rocky Mountain Highnotes Benefit: Come cheer on your fellow sonographers at the awards ceremony and then pay to hear them or any other attendee sing karaoke. All proceeds will benefit sonographer and student programs through the SDMS Educational Foundation. Wild Wild West Shindig. Join us for an unforgettable night of hor d’ oeuvres, entertainment, dancing, and cash bars.



	7. News & Notes 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 Appendiceal Involvement Distinguished in Crohn's Disease Grayscale sonography and color doppler flow features http://www.ardms.org/newswire/06262006/06262006.htm#Appendiceal Ultrasound to Treat War Wounds http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5106598.stm Metamaterial Adds Clarity to Ultrasound http://www.e4engineering.com/Articles/294707/Metamaterial%20adds%20clarity%20to%20ultrasound.htm Ultrasound May Help Regrow Teeth http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-06/uoa-umh062806.php 2D Ultrasound Offers Similar Info to 3D/4D Obstetric Ultrasound http://www.ardms.org/newswire/06122006/06122006.htm#2D

8. Important Dates

June 30	2006 SDMS Elections voting booth closes
July 7	JDMS Reader Survey deadline
July 31	SDMS Educational Foundation Scholarship deadline
July 31	SDMS Educational Foundation CME Grants deadline
August 11	2006 SDMS Annual Conference early bird registration deadline
Oct 12 - 15	2006 SDMS Annual Conference, Denver, Colorado
November 30	SDMS Educational Foundation Scholarship deadline



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