1EFSUMB Newsletter

Ultraschall in Med 2007; 28

Editorial

Fresh from my Caribbean holiday and justin advance of departure to AIUM in NewYork I need to write to you aware that youhave only just received the last editionand not much has happened in the earlypart of the year apart from the meeting inRotterdam to revise the Contrast Mediaguidelines about which you will hear mo-

re. Revision of the indications for use inthe previous areas together with newerguidance make this revision very im-portant and shows how EFSUMB is verymuch leading the way in its advice tomembers.

David Evans and his colleagues on theExecutive Bureau have produced a state-ment published here outlining the valueof EFSUMB membership. I think as some-one very much involved with the workingof EFSUMB. I can relate very much to thefirst section but perhaps less with thesecond. I think many of us as ordinarymembers will relate more to our Nationalsocieties forgetting what the European Fe-deration has to offer us as individuals - atimely reminder therefore.

Building a European Ultrasound Community

Dear Colleagues,

A question the EFSUMB Executive Bureauconstantly ask themselves (and I am surethis is also true of many of our members)is: 'Where has EFSUMB got to and what isits role in the first decade of the 21st Cen-tury'? In many ways EFSUMB is in a veryhealthy state: it has an ever increasingmembership - we are by far the largestmember of the World Federation for Ul-trasound in Medicine and Biology - andwe have a relatively stable financial base.But we need to build on this. Remainingstationary in a more and more rapidlychanging world is not an option, and thereare many challenges that we have to face.

We need to continue to define our role,and adapt to changing circumstances. Inthe early days organisations such as ourschampioned the use of ultrasound, triedto persuade other of its benefits, and en-couraged the widespread use of the tech-nique. In this endeavour we succeeded,but the irony is that we were so successfulthat ultrasound has become such an inte-gral part of medicine that most peopleworking in the field no longer think ofthemselves primarily as ultrasound prac-titioners - ultrasound is simply part oftheir diagnostic (or therapeutic) arma-mentarium. We therefore face the chal-lenge of maintaining a central role in ul-trasound research and development, in

ultrasound education, and in the ex-change of scientific knowledge as manda-ted by our constitution.

Too much navel-gazing can lead to paraly-sis. It is important that we continue to ex-amine our role, but there are many achie-vements we can celebrate, many reasonswhy we should continue to press for astronger organisation, and many reasonsfor both individuals and National Societiesto be members of EFSUMB. It is our beliefthat one of the most important roles ofEFSUMB is to continue to build a EuropeanUltrasound Community so that the indivi-dual National ultrasound societies canwork together, can benefit from a much

EFSUMB NewsletterEuropean Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology

To return to my initial thoughts, I alwaysenjoy AIUM. It is a very intensive meetingover a weekend (Friday to Sunday). Thisyear being held in a hotel in Times Squarewill put serious temptations in the way ofclinicians and scientists although I amsure the excellent programme will enableall but the weakest to make the most ofthe Programme. Whether we can resistthe temptation of it being St. Patrick's dayas well or not only time will tell.

I hope if deadlines permit to give you morenews of this in this newsletter but if notcertainly next time.

David PillingEditor EFSUMB Newsletter

2 EFSUMB Newsletter

Ultraschall in Med 2007; 28

greater critical mass, can learn from eachothers experiences, and can play an im-portant role on the World ultrasound sta-ge.

What then are the advantages of being amember of EFSUMB? These can perhapsbe divided into two categories, the advan-tages of the existence of EFSUMB as an or-ganisation, because without individualmembers there would be no organisation,and advantages to individual members gi-ven the organisation exists.

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Advantages of EFSUMB include:

3 A Europe wide Ultrasound Federation which encourages networking between ultrasound professionals of all discipli-nes throughout Europe, allowing them

to benefit from the wealth of experi-ence and knowledge from other coun-tries and other health-care systems.3 The annual EUROSON meetings which

provide a unique opportunity to meet with practitioners from other European countries, to hear talks given by many international experts, to present exci-ting new data to colleagues from across Europe, and to become involved in ul-trasound science, education, research, teaching and politics at a supranational level.3 The ability to influence Ultrasound issu-

es on a world-wide basis through our membership of the World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology.3 Euroson schools which provide high le-

vel ultrasound education in diverse parts of Europe.

3 ECMUS - the European Committee for Medical Ultrasound Safety, which takes a lead in keeping the membership up-to-date with all aspects of medical ul-trasound safety, and provides expert considered views through the publica-tion of statements on ultrasound safety.3 The Education and Professional De-

velopment Committee which considers all aspects of medical ultrasound edu-cation and professional development throughout Europe, and publishes re-commendations on a variety of matters such as minimum standards of training.3 The Publication Committee which en-

sures that the membership is kept up-to-date with the affairs of EFSUMB.

Advantages to individual mem-

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bers include:

3 Participation in a large Pan-European ultrasound community.3 Eligibility to attend meetings of the

EFSUMB General Assembly and com-ment on EFSUMB affairs.3 Eligibility to serve on all EFSUMB com-

mittees.3 Opportunity influence European and

World-wide ultrasound issues through membership of EFSUMB.3 Reduced fees at Euroson meetings.3 Reduced fees at many EFSUMB sponso-

red meetings.3 Greatly reduced subscriptions to Ultra-

schall in der Medizin / European Journal of Ultrasound.3 Six news letters per year.3 Automatic membership of the World

Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology.3 Reduced subscriptions to Ultrasound in

Medicine and Biology.3 Personalised membership certificates.3 Eligibility for awards such as the Young

Investigator's award and the Euroson Lecturer.

David Evans (EFSUMB President)Norbert Gritzmann (EFSUMB President-Elect)Kurt Jaeger (EFSUMB Past-President)Lucas Greiner (EFSUMB Honorary Secretary)Pietro Pavlica (EFSUMB Honorary Treasurer)