Remember, end-of-year performance evaluations and salary adjustments are coming. The SDMS Salary and Benefits Survey Report has been used as a critical resource by members preparing for those meetings. We need YOUR INFORMATION to make it work. The information you provide is confidential and only reported in aggregate.

To make the SDMS Salary and Benefits Survey Report valuable to you, we need statistically sufficient data – the more the better.

Please give us just 10 minutes of your time to complete this survey at http://www.sdms.org/salarysurvey/default.asp. We have extended the deadline to October 15, 2007.

You will help yourself and thousands of your fellow sonographers, and greatly improve the quality of the Salary and Benefit Survey Report.

There are only 15 days left to complete the survey.

We would like to thank those of you who already completed the survey. Congratulations to the winners of the Salary Survey Drawing!

1st Prize - Free registration at the 2007 SDMS Annual Conference ($350 value):
Vicki Norka of Issaquah, WA

2nd Prize - Free SDMS Membership Renewal ($119 value):
Melissa Fouts of Winter Haven, FL

2. Walk-ins Welcome at the 2007 SDMS Annual Conference

Rest, relax, rejuvenate and learn at the 2007 SDMS Annual Conference in Las Vegas on October 11-14! September 10 was the mail and online registration deadline, but on-site registrations are welcome, space permitting. Please stop by the SDMS registration desk at the Red Rock Resort Casino Spa.

We may still have limited seating in our pre-conference tutorials on October 11 and Lunch & Learn educational sessions on October 12 and 13. 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 Accommodations: The SDMS Conference Hotel, the Red Rock Resort Casino Spa, is sold out. A list of alternate hotels with limited shuttle service is available here: http://www.sdms.org/meetings/hotel.asp.

For complete program details and registration information, please visit: http://www.sdms.org/meetings/default.asp

To better serve our members who are not attending the Annual Conference, some of the SDMS staff will be staying in the SDMS office to process orders and answer questions as needed.

In past years, the SDMS office was closed during this time. This year, we will be open normal business hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday.

The SDMS Conference Management Committee (CMC) will begin planning the 2008 Annual Conference shortly after the conclusion of the 2007 Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. To assist the CMC in its continuing efforts to provide a conference that meets your needs and exceeds your expectations, you are encouraged to submit course and faculty proposals for the 2008 Annual Conference at the Foxwoods Resort & Casino, Mashantucket, CT. All proposals will be considered by the CMC during the 2008 Annual Conference planning meetings.

Proposals are due November 3, 2007.

Every year, SDMS and other sonography organizations join together to promote the month of October as Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month to increase the public’s awareness about sonography. This year’s high-tech design labels sonography as the new surround sound.

Posters, ceramic mugs, canvas tote bags, buttons, and pens-on-a-rope with the new slogan are now available for purchase while quantities last. Simply visit http://www.sdms.org/resources/muam for more information or call us at 800-229-9506 to order.

Congratulations to Amy K. Westerman, CMP, SDMS Director of Education and Meetings for becoming a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP).

The foremost certification program of today's meetings, conventions and exhibitions industry, the CMP program recognizes individuals who have achieved the industry's highest standard of professionalism. Established in 1985, the CMP credential was developed to increase the proficiency of meeting professionals in any component or sector of the industry.

Forum: Career/Job Issues (including UP)
Topic: A Loaded Question

I know there is going to be a lot of fire behind this question and I truly don't mean for it to be. I have always referred to myself and collegues as "sonographers" honestly, because I don't want to be confused with a radiology tech or anything else. I know this has been discussed before...but what is wrong with Ultrasound technologist? Just curious about people's opinions on that. I don't really have one...yet. : )

The following September/October JDMS CME article and post-test is posted in the members only area of the SDMS website. It can be accessed at: http://www.sdms.org/members/JDMS/default.asp#available

• Frequency of Uterine Malformations Among Women in a Restricted Gene Pool Community

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.