1. 2007 SDMS Annual Conference Registration Opens May 1st!
   
2. National Education Curriculum for Sonography
3. 2007-2008 SDMS Product Catalog
4. SDMS 2007 Elections - Coming Soon!
   
5. Call for Educational Foundation Board Members
   
6. News & Notes
   
7. Important Dates
   

1. 2007 SDMS Annual Conference Registration Opens May 1st!

Join us at the new Red Rock Casino Resort Spa in Las Vegas, October 11-14, for the 2007 SDMS Annual Conference! Twelve miles from the neon lights of the Las Vegas strip we're bringing you the perfect balance of excitement and relaxation. In your down time, roll the dice at Red Rock's in-house casino or visit the "sinfully-sweet" Cherry Nightclub. If you need a break from the rock star life, unwind with a shiatsu massage or a Champagne Pedicures and Caviar Creams treatment at the resort's incredible spa.

Not so lucky at the blackjack tables? Come take advantage of a sure-thing: the chance to get up to 18.5 CME credits in a mere three days. This is one bet you can't lose!

Reasons to Register Early!

• Save $100 on your 3-day conference registration by registering on or before August 10th.
• The last time the SDMS Annual Conference was held in Las Vegas, it completely sold out...before the early registration deadline!
• If you register online, you will automatically be entered in a drawing to win a FREE registration for the 2008 SDMS Annual Conference at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT!

The National Education Curriculum Task Force is pleased to offer a draft sonography education curriculum for SDMS members to review and provide comments. This draft curriculum is intended to be a starting point to facilitate community dialogue that will lead to a curriculum that can be utilized by the sonography education community throughout the country as a guideline for developing and established educational programs.

The SDMS will host a National Education Curriculum for Sonography Consensus Conference on July 14-15, 2007, at which a draft will be discussed. The organizations that have been invited to participate at this conference include:

• American College of Cardiology (ACC)
• American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
• American College of Radiology (ACR)
• American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM)
• American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS)
• American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)
• American Society of Echocardiography (ASE)
• American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT)
• Canadian Registry of Diagnostic Ultrasound Professionals (CARDUP)
• Canadian Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (CSDMS)
• Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI)
• Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
• Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories (ICAEL)
• Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL)
• Joint Review Committee on Education in Cardiovascular Technology (JRC-CVT)
• Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS)
• Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound (SRU)
• Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS)
• Society for Vascular Ultrasound (SVU)

The curricula, in both print and electronic copy, have been sent to these organizations to encourage review and comment by their members and leadership. Feedback will be crucial to a successful meeting in July. You can access the curricula at http://www.sdms.org/curriculum. Any comments or suggestions that you have should be sent to Dawn Sanchez, the NEC Task Force's staff liaison, by June 1, 2007 and she will forward your questions, comments, and feedback to the Task Force. Dawn may be reached by phone at 214-473-8057, or email at dsanchez@sdms.org. Where appropriate, please specify the document, page number, and line number in your comments (e.g., Ultrasound Physics, page 11, line 473: This item is unclear. Should a definition be provided here?).

The Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography is pleased to offer an expanded line of educational products and specialty items - more than 30 new educational products (and more than 180 CME credits available). SDMS members receive a 10% discount on the retail price of each of these items!

The 2007-2008 SDMS Product Catalog will appear in your May-June issue of Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography.

4. SDMS 2007 Elections - Coming Soon!

Cast your vote and let your voice be heard! Your profession is counting on you.

The SDMS 2007 Elections will ‘go live’ on Monday, May 21 with the opening of the SDMS ‘Virtual Voting Booth’ and run through Friday, June 29. To cast your vote, simply go to: http://www.sdms.org/members/vote/default.asp

Candidate pictures and statements can be accessed at the SDMS Virtual Voting Booth. You must be an SDMS member in good standing to vote. SDMS membership categories which include the ‘right to vote’ are:

• Active
• Fellow
• Advanced Practice Sonographer
• Associate

• President Elect
• Vice President
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• At-Large Director (3 positions)
• Finance Committee (2 positions)
• Nominating Committee (2 positions)

Would you like to be more involved with YOUR association? Would you like to participate in the development of programs to assist sonographers?

If you would, resumes or CVs are now being accepted for two positions on the SDMS Educational Foundation Board of Directors, which must be comprised of at least four registered sonographers. The term of office is three years and begins at the conclusion of this year’s SDMS Annual Conference in Las Vegas. If you are an SDMS member in good standing and would like to be considered for one of these positions, please mail or fax (214-473-8563) your resume or CV with a cover letter to SDMS headquarters by June 30, 2007.

The News & Notes column includes links to web-based news articles of interest to sonographers. The articles do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of the SDMS. To submit articles, send the URL to webmaster@sdms.org.