EFSUMB Newsletter
European Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology
Next EUROSON Congress Dear Colleagues, Euroson 2017 Congress is six months ahead and the preliminary programme is on the website http://www.euroson2017.org. Abstract submission is already available. This year, the congress will be running in 5 parallel meeting halls covering a great variety of topics in ultrasound: US-guided interventions, pediatrics, emergency, breast, musculoskeletal will be covered widely and interactively. New guidelines will also be discussed in detail. Those who are interested in obstetrics or thyroid US will have the chance to participate in full-coverage structured condensed categorical courses. In these courses, ex-
perts will not only present their theoretical knowledge, but will also share their practical experiences with interactive practical demos. Abdominal and gastroenterological US sessions will be plentiful with all tips and tricks about the use of elastography and contrast agents for abdominal organs and the gastrointestinal tract. Furthermore, medical students will become familiar with the spectrum of sonography. Hands-on training with experts in the Ultrasound Learning Center (ULC) will also be available for all students and of course for all other participants. Participants can be more active by sending their scientific works in several forms (oralposter and video-case presentations), to be
presented within the major sessions, if selected. Please, forward abstracts before 21 April. Beyond the scientific content, a congress is expected to offer an enjoyable social atmosphere. Ljubljana is certainly an excellent city to create this warm environment. We are looking forward to meeting you in Ljubljana, Slovenia Friday 22- Sunday 24 September. Prof. Dr. Odd Helge Gilja, EFSUMB President Prof. Dr. Adnan Kabaalioğlu, EUROSON Congress 2017 President Prof. Dr. Mustafa Seçil, Chairman Local Organising Committee
Prizes to be won at EUROSON 2017 EFSUMB offers an annual 500 euro prize for the best published paper, that is an original article published in a journal up to three years before EUROSON 2017. The EFSUMB member’s National Society should propose up to two articles as soon as possible. All the details of the criteria for consideration are listed on the EFSUMB website under the Research heading. If you are under 39 years of age and are nominated by your National Society you can
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have the chance to win the Young Investigator Award prize at EUROSON 2017 Ljubljana, Slovenia, which has been increased to 3000 euro. The prize money can be divided between the best technical and clinical presentation. The Walter Krienitz Society offers an annual prize of 500 euro for the best oncological abstract submitted to a EUROSON Congress. The abstracts will be considered by a specially appointed jury of EFSUMB Com-
mittee members to evaluate the best paper. Register your abstracts online now. If you missed our webinar on Paediatric CEUS you can visit the EFSUMB website to view it in the archive section. Our next webinar will take place on 4 May at 18.00 CET on how to perform CEUS with lectures from Dr Robert Eckersley on the Technical prerequisites, Prof Fabio Piscaglia on Clinical prerequisites and Prof Christoph F Dietrich offering Tips and Tricks.
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EFSUMB Newsletter
EFSUMB at ECR 2017 At ECR 2017, the joint ESR/EFSUMB session ‘Hand held devices – Game changer?’ included a summary of EFSUMB’s position on medical student education using ultrasound. Vito Cantisani (Chairman of the EFSUMB EPSC) suggested that although education for students is traditionally based on training methods such as presentations, courses and workshops, the new technologies such as ultrasound equipment and web-based information have new educational applications. Ultrasound is recognised as an effective tool in anatomic and pathologic evaluation of different organs. In addition, availability of new ultrasound scanners, portable and miniaturized, with lower costs and greater effectiveness offer more teaching possibilities. Increasingly ultrasound is being used, not just by radiologists but also by a broad range of clinical specialists. With competency it offers enhanced opportunities for diagnosis and treatment. The need for qualitative standardization of minimum competency in ultrasound before being allowed to practice was raised in the session discussion. Throughout Europe there is differentiation in competency levels (basic, advanced, teacher), which should be defined based on modules throughout Europe. In the last few years, US has been proved to be effective for diagnostic clinical purposes increasing the quality of clinicians’ diagnosis and management in almost all areas of medicine. Experience in the USA, at Har-
vard and North Carolina Universities and in Europe at Oslo, Bergen, Gdansk and Vienna suggest that US can be effective for educational purposes. EFSUMB decided to focus on student education in order to promote a standardized introduction in the US teaching programme at the beginning of student training. This is based on the technological innovations such as simulators and hand-held devices. After reviewing the literature, current experience, and preparing educational material, such as the EFSUMB Course Book for students and website material EFSUMB published a position paper in two journals, Ultraschall (short version) and UIO (long version). Additionally a new Student Committee was established in 2016 and a Task Force Group prepared a survey which was sent to many European medical school deans. Only 45 responses from 14 countries have been received which have been evaluated. This survey will be available on the EFSUMB website and sent to all EFSUMB National Societies and mailing list members for completion: https://de.surveymonkey.com/r/897RC8X From the initial responses we learnt that implementing US into the medical school curriculum has been considered beneficial for the following reasons: ultrasound knowledge is useful for all physicians; it is useful to learn for later clinical practice, it may help students learn anatomy. However, barriers for a better standard US curriculum in medical schools that emerged were: Lack of time (in the curriculum); problems in equipment funding and lack of faculty funding.
Therefore, the three main challenges are: ▪ US machines (need for investment with help from US producers?) “each student should have a US machine in the pocket”; ▪ SIMULATORS, simple, easy to manipulate, realistic, but expensive and not widely available; ▪ TEACHERS specialized in medical education and US practitioners in different clinical specialties currently are insufficient to teach US a in an easy way, to explain artefacts and how to avoid them and to explain the limits of the procedure. Currently, US education of medical students is mostly covered by radiology; however, in many medical schools, other departments, (anatomy, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology urology, etc.) are probably increasingly sharing the load to achieve this educational goal, but not yet in sufficient student education departments. More teachers and hands-on training is the goal. Deans, medical education departments, other academics and students are aware of the need to implement practical US education into the curriculum since they consider ultrasound as a very good educational tool for medical students. Teachers should be qualified experts to help students to identify the relevant data from the large amounts of information in the US image. Medical School pilot studies results will help to promote proposals for a European curriculum platform. Vito Cantisani, on behalf of the EFSUMB EPSC and TFG
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Next Euroson Schools
Next WFUMB Congress
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