Editorial

As we emerge from the winter in Northern Europe, thoughts turn to the increasing number of meetings in the coming year. It is good to see the EUROSON schools going from strength to strength both in the variety of content and in the various parts of Europe where they take place. These are a great opportunity to widen the appeal of ultrasound and give some real educational opportunities to those who may not be able to travel outside their area to get the relevant experience. This is all building on the aims of EFSUMB to inform about the value of ultrasound and get more people involved in providing, with appropriate training ultrasound examinations. I think it will be interesting as years go by to see if the two EFSUMB initiatives have an impact. The training document provides a framework for all those interested in providing ultrasound to know what level of experience is required to provide a service. The newer initiative of encouraging other specialities using ultrasound to recognise EFSUMB is a very important one and would certainly seem to be the way forward if clinicians for whom ultrasound is only a small part of their work become involved in EFSUMB and recognise the Federation as their natural link between Clinical Societies and the ultrasound world and industry at large. I suspect this will work better in some countries than others but is certainly an interesting development.

By the time this Newsletter is published either on the website or in the Journal the Publications Committee which manages the Newsletter will have met. With our new membership I am hopeful that we will have new ideas to make the newsletter even more relevant to people so that we can utilize our 2 pages of space five times a year as well as the 24 pages in February.

The EUROSON meeting in Bologna is already taking its final shape. It would be interesting to see how well received the “Bookmarks in Ultrasound” talks are. Potentially these should be very interesting to experts and newcomers alike and is an example of how the Federation continues to modify its programme to keep interest up for all those of varying experience. I will certainly be there. Will you?

David W. Pilling

Editor EFSUMB Newsletter