Travel Grants Provide Opportunities for Growth and Renewal
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VASCULAR COUNCIL COMMUNICATION Travel Grants Provide Opportunities for Growth and Renewal In 2012, the ASE Education and Research Foundation provided fund- ing for two $1,000 travel grants for attendance at the ASE Scientific Sessions for each of its four councils. This year, the Council on Vascu- lar Ultrasound awarded grant funding to Suzanne Poston, RDCS, FASE, a cardiac sonographer at University of Texas Physicians in Houston, Texas, and to Rene Quiroz, MD, MPH, an advanced fellow in vascular medicine at Boston University, Boston, MA. We asked them to share their experiences with us. Suzanne: Due to the changes in healthcare, funds for continuing education are limited for healthcare workers. I have proudly been a member of the ASE since 2000, and since attending my first ASE Scientific Sessions in 2005, I have always made it a goal to attend. Recently, however, my personal and professional finances have changed. Fortunately, I am not only an ASE member, but a volunteer. While attending a meeting of the Public Relations Committee, I learned of the opportunity to apply for a travel grant so that I might attend the scientific sessions. Due to the demands in healthcare, my position at the University of Texas has allowed me to provide vascular services as a technologist. This was a great opportunity for me, as I have been doing adult echo- cardiography since 1986 and pediatric echocardiography since 1994, and was ready for a refreshing change. I have recently been trained in vascular studies and am preparing for the vascular registry exam. The ASE Scientific Sessions were a perfect educational venue for me to listen and ask questions. More importantly, I was able to connect with other vascular sonographers. Although I have attended the Scientific Sessions in the past, this is the first time I have observed the vascular track, and I highly recommend it for any sonographer. The presenters were excellent. Even though I am a newer vascular sonographer, the track started with the basics and evolved with the advances in vascular technology. Most helpful to me were the carotid Doppler from beginning to advanced sessions, as well as helpful techniques regarding the abdominal aorta examination. I am especially thankful for the ASE Vascular Council for support- ing me and giving me the opportunity to grow in the vascular commu- nity. As sonographers, we must be open-minded about change and the ability to learn and grow. I embrace the changes to my career as a sonographer, and look forward to attending many more Scientific Sessions from ASE in the future! Rene: This spring, one of my mentors encouraged me to attend the ASE’s Annual Scientific Sessions. Thanks to the generosity of the travel grant awarded by the Vascular Council, I had the opportu- nity to attend an ASE event for the first time in my career. Annual conferences allow me to stay up-to-date on current ad- vances and future research directions. As a vascular medicine fellow seeking an academic career, the latter is particularly important. Often when speakers are presenting data from their most recent publica- tions, they detail aspects not mentioned in the manuscript or edito- rials. It can be unpublished data, an unforeseen obstacle in the study process, or a glimpse into their current research endeavors. These ‘‘pearls’’ are invaluable and provide insight that an electronic medium rarely provides. In addition, there is always mention of unex- plored research areas of general interest. As an example, one of my research interests lies in exploring the re- lationship between diastolic dysfunction and arterial stiffness. There were separate talks on both ventriculo-arterial coupling and diastolic dysfunction; hearing experts discuss the specifics of each was good background for my current project. The ASE provided a unique venue to learn about both subjects, which are rarely discussed at such depth. Attending the Scientific Sessions was a great venue to meet people with similar research and clinical interests. I met members of the Vas- cular Council and chatted with members of the audience. There were abundant opportunities to make new acquaintances; I had lunch with sonographers and attending physicians; I caught up with old class- mates and spent time with my family in the DC area. Most of all, after hearing conference talks, I returned excited about my future in vascu- lar medicine. It’s invigorating to hear about recent advances from leaders in the field. It’s nice put a face with the name of the author of an article I discussed in journal club a few months ago; it’s even bet- ter to have an opportunity to meet him or her, or quietly sit together and share the experience of learning something new. Dr. Vijay Nambi presents the Council’s travel grant to Suzanne Poston, RDCS, FASE. Dr. Nambi presents a travel grant to Rene Quiroz, MD, MPH. 32A Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography Volume 25 Number 11
Transcript of Travel Grants Provide Opportunities for Growth and Renewal
VASCULAR COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
Travel Grants Provide Opportunities for Growth and RenewalIn 2012, the ASE Education and Research Foundation provided fund-ing for two $1,000 travel grants for attendance at the ASE ScientificSessions for each of its four councils. This year, the Council on Vascu-lar Ultrasound awarded grant funding to Suzanne Poston, RDCS,FASE, a cardiac sonographer at University of Texas Physicians inHouston, Texas, and to Rene Quiroz, MD, MPH, an advanced fellowin vascular medicine at Boston University, Boston, MA. We askedthem to share their experiences with us.
Suzanne: Due to the changes in healthcare, funds for continuingeducation are limited for healthcare workers. I have proudly been
Dr. Vijay Nambi presents the Council’s travel grant to SuzannePoston, RDCS, FASE.
Dr. Nambi presents a travel grant to Rene Quiroz, MD, MPH.
a member of the ASE since 2000, and since attending my first ASEScientific Sessions in 2005, I have always made it a goal to attend.Recently, however, my personal and professional finances havechanged. Fortunately, I am not only an ASE member, but a volunteer.While attending a meeting of the Public Relations Committee, Ilearned of the opportunity to apply for a travel grant so that I mightattend the scientific sessions.
Due to the demands in healthcare, my position at the University ofTexas has allowed me to provide vascular services as a technologist.This was a great opportunity for me, as I have been doing adult echo-cardiography since 1986 and pediatric echocardiography since 1994,and was ready for a refreshing change. I have recently been trained invascular studies and am preparing for the vascular registry exam. TheASE Scientific Sessions were a perfect educational venue for me tolisten and ask questions. More importantly, I was able to connectwith other vascular sonographers.
Although I have attended the Scientific Sessions in the past, this is thefirst time I have observed the vascular track, and I highly recommend itfor any sonographer. The presenters were excellent. Even though I ama newer vascular sonographer, the track started with the basics andevolved with the advances in vascular technology. Most helpful to mewere the carotid Doppler from beginning to advanced sessions, aswell as helpful techniques regarding the abdominal aorta examination.
32A Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography
I am especially thankful for the ASE Vascular Council for support-ingme and giving me the opportunity to grow in the vascular commu-nity. As sonographers, we must be open-minded about change andthe ability to learn and grow. I embrace the changes to my career asa sonographer, and look forward to attending many more ScientificSessions from ASE in the future!
Rene: This spring, one of my mentors encouraged me to attendthe ASE’s Annual Scientific Sessions. Thanks to the generosity of
the travel grant awarded by the Vascular Council, I had the opportu-nity to attend an ASE event for the first time in my career.
Annual conferences allow me to stay up-to-date on current ad-vances and future research directions. As a vascular medicine fellowseeking an academic career, the latter is particularly important. Oftenwhen speakers are presenting data from their most recent publica-tions, they detail aspects not mentioned in the manuscript or edito-rials. It can be unpublished data, an unforeseen obstacle in thestudy process, or a glimpse into their current research endeavors.These ‘‘pearls’’ are invaluable and provide insight that an electronicmedium rarely provides. In addition, there is always mention of unex-plored research areas of general interest.
As an example, one of my research interests lies in exploring the re-lationship between diastolic dysfunction and arterial stiffness. Therewere separate talks on both ventriculo-arterial coupling and diastolicdysfunction; hearing experts discuss the specifics of each was goodbackground formy current project. TheASE provided a unique venueto learn about both subjects, which are rarely discussed at such depth.
Attending the Scientific Sessions was a great venue to meet peoplewith similar research and clinical interests. I met members of the Vas-cular Council and chatted with members of the audience. There wereabundant opportunities to make new acquaintances; I had lunch withsonographers and attending physicians; I caught up with old class-mates and spent time with my family in the DC area. Most of all, afterhearing conference talks, I returned excited about my future in vascu-lar medicine. It’s invigorating to hear about recent advances fromleaders in the field. It’s nice put a face with the name of the authorof an article I discussed in journal club a fewmonths ago; it’s even bet-ter to have an opportunity to meet him or her, or quietly sit togetherand share the experience of learning something new.
Volume 25 Number 11
