Well, the winter is over and the conference season is upon us. Preparations for Euroson 2005 in Geneva are well advanced and the outline programme looks very comprehensive. All are to be encouraged to submit papers and posters. All the details are on the website and elsewhere in the newsletter.
But there are many more meetings to tempt us all before that. As regular readers will remember I have exhorted you to try the British meeting in December which attracts few visitors from Europe but I am lucky enough to have been invited to the Danish Society meeting in Copenhagen in April and so will have the opportunity to see for myself how another national society conducts its meeting. I am sure I will learn much about ultrasound, enjoy some hospitality and return refreshed. It seems to me that the more meetings there are the more difficult it is to choose but wherever I go I probably learn at least as much from chance conversations over a drink as I learn from formal presentations. Sometimes the question and answers after presentations are every bit as helpful as the presentations themselves but it does take someone to be brave enough to ask the right question.
As a further attempt to show readers what else is going on in other parts of Europe this newsletter contains a short contribution from Francesco Drudi, Editor of the Italian Ultrasound Journal. It is fascinating to see a different emphasis and different problems faced in a national journal compared with a multinational one. I hope to have future contributions from other Editors. At least one has already been promised and maybe more will be.
Young Investigators award
Young Investigators award
As for the past few years there will be a session at Euroson 2005 for young investigators. I am sure most national societies already have the matter in hand but we should all be encouraging our young colleagues to submit for this most valuable award.
General Assembly
General Assembly
The Executive Bureau is preparing for a General Assembly meeting in Geneva where a number of important decisions must be made. It is hoped that a good number of delegates will attend to contribute to important decisions for EFSUMB.
Board of Directors
Board of Directors
Several committee memberships will change in Geneva. All societies should consider nominating to the Publications and Education and Professional Standards committee.
Publications Committee
Publications Committee
This committee will meet to consider all aspects of its activities and in particular to develop further the web site and Newsletter as well as input to the Journal in April.
Education and Professional Standards Committee
Education and Professional Standards Committee
The latest version of the Minimum Training Standards document has been approved by the Executive Bureau and will be available to all members in the summer after their May meeting.
With all this activity it is clear that these are exciting times and we all have the opportunity to have our say. Will we bother? I hope so.
David Pilling, Editor Newsletter
