1. Sonograms Safe if Done Properly
   
2. SDMS Educational Foundation Scholarships Awarded
3. Walk-Ins Welcome at 2006 SDMS Annual Conference
   
4. Are You Ready to Celebrate Sonography?
   
5. "OSHA" Phone Scam Alert!
   
6. News & Notes
   
7. Important Dates
   

The Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography issued a pess release urging caution in light of media reports about a Yale University study that showed ultrasound used on mice fetuses could adversely affect brain cell development.

According to a letter issued by the Food and Drug Administration to the SDMS, "From a medical standpoint, ultrasonic fetal scanning is generally considered safe, and should be used without hesitation when clinical benefit is expected. But ultrasound energy delivered to the fetus cannot be regarded as innocuous. Viewed in this light, exposing the fetus to ultrasound with no anticipation of medical benefit is not justified. Thus, we believe that these prenatal entertainment videos should not be performed. Persons who promote, sell or lease ultrasound equipment for making "keepsake" fetal videos should know that we view this as an unapproved use of a medical device, and that we are prepared to take regulatory action against those who engage in such misuse of medical equipment."

To read the complete SDMS press release, visit http://www.sdms.org/pdf/SDMSPressReleaseSafe.pdf

Please join us in congratulating all the scholarship recipients and in wishing them much success in their careers! The following students have received scholarships from the SDMS Educational Foundation:

Recipient	School
Hanna Arthur	Keiser College – Daytona
Nora Kopecky	University of Nebraska Medical Center
Kandy Lamb	University of Colorado Hospital
Jerrica Rawlins	Keiser College - Daytona Beach
Maria Vizcarra	El Paso Community College
Lisa Walton	Tidewater Community College

The SDMS Presidential Scholarship has also been awarded to Jillian Kindig, a student at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. This scholarship was established in honor of the past SDMS Presidents and is awarded each year to a student who displays a clearly defined high level of excellence in academics, as well as the drive that epitomizes the ultrasound professional.

3. Walk-Ins Welcome at 2006 SDMS Annual Conference

The 2006 SDMS Annual Conference in Denver will take you and your career to new heights! September 9 is the mail and online registration deadline, but on-site registrations are welcome, space permitting. Please stop by the SDMS registration desk at the Colorado Convention Center.

Registration desk hours are:
Thursday, October 12:  6:30 am to 8:30 pm
Friday, October 13:  6:30 am to 6:00 pm
Saturday, October 14:  7:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sunday, October 15:  7:30 am to 12:30 pm

We may still have limited seating in our pre-conference tutorials on October 12 and Lunch & Learn educational sessions on October 13 and 14. Check availability at the registration desk.

If you can’t make it to the educational sessions, an exhibit hall pass is only $35. Our exhibitors range from ultrasound equipment manufacturers to recruiters.

Hotel Reservations: If you have not yet made your hotel reservations, you should make them as soon as possible. The SDMS headquarters hotel, Hyatt Regency at Colorado Convention Center, is sold out.

There are several other hotels within walking distance of the Colorado Convention Center including:

Holiday Inn
1450 Glenarm Place
Denver CO, 80202
(303) 573-1450
$139/night- tell the operator you are with SDMS

Adam's Mark
1550 Court Place
Denver CO 80202
(800) 444-2326
$149/night-tell the operator you are with SDMS

Hotel Teatro
1100 14th Street
Denver CO 80202
(888) 727-1200
$169/night- tell the hotel you are with SDMS

For complete program details, visit: http://www.sdms.org/meetings

Recognizing the importance of increasing public awareness of medical ultrasound and promoting its value in health care, the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography has joined together with other sonography-related organizations to sponsor Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month every October.

All of the sponsoring organizations are encouraging members of the medical community to participate in Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month by familiarizing and educating their patients and the public about medical ultrasound through specially planned activities and educational materials.

For 2006, the SDMS is proud to offer t-shirts, tote bags, mugs, buttons, posters, and pens on a rope. It’s not too late to order! You can also visit www.sdms.org/resources/muam to download a free promotion kit, and a free computer desktop wallpaper image.

The SDMS would like to alert all members of an alleged phone scam in which people claiming to be OSHA employees threaten companies with fines unless they purchase materials that will supposedly put them into compliance with OSHA requirements. In one instance, a person who says her name is Sandra Collins has claimed to be from OSHA’s Chicago North Area Office. This person has allegedly called several Spanish-speaking managers (who also speak English) in the Chicago area and threatened them with OSHA fines if they don’t purchase her materials. There have also been reports of similar fraudulent phone calls in Texas.

These people are not OSHA employees. You can get the required OSHA poster and many other OSHA publications free of charge simply by visiting the Publications page (http://www.osha.gov/pls/publications/pubindex.list) on OSHA’s Web site, or by calling OSHA’s Publications Office at (202) 693-1888. If you believe that you’ve received a fraudulent solicitation, please report it to OSHA at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) or contact your local OSHA area office (http://www.osha.gov/html/RAmap.html). If you’re in a State Plan State (http://www.osha.gov/fso/osp/index.html), please contact your State agency.

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