 |
In This Issue...
-
September President's Message
Dr. Berl discusses how the ASN has assisted those affected by Hurricane Katrina, our upcoming Renal Week 2005, the success of our 10th Annual BRC, and ASN's policy activities.
-
10th Annual BRC- A Huge Success
ASN thanks everyone for the success of this year's BRC and offers the opportunity to purchase materials from the meeting.
-
Renal Week 2005 Deadlines and Details
Read about upcoming deadlines and additional details of Renal Week 2005 in Philadelphia from November 8-13.
-
CJASN is Coming!
Learn about ASN's newest journal, the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN).
-
3rd Annual Renal Week Highlights
Join the ASN at our 3rd Annual Renal Week Highlights Meetings taking place in February and March in a city near you!
-
- ASN's Council Nominations
Don't forget to vote for ASN's newest Councilor.
Dear Members of the ASN:
The tragedy that has befallen our colleagues and the citizens of the Gulf Coast region has shaken us all. While there is a sense of helplessness, we do want to contribute our best efforts to ameliorate this catastrophic situation. Please click here to read about the ways in which the ASN is assisting in relief efforts for those in need (and how you can help), including our recent $50,000 contribution to the American Kidney Fund devoted specifically to assisting patients with kidney disease during this crisis. Many members of our society who live in the affected areas must be operating under great duress, particularly as their skills and assistance are in enormous demand. Likewise, many of our members, particularly those in adjacent states, are engaged in the care of patients that had to evacuate the affected areas. These efforts are to be applauded. The scope of this natural disaster is stunning and our hopes and best wishes are with all who are suffering in this unspeakable tragedy.
Amidst the uncertainty and challenges facing us nationally, the ASN is buzzing with activity as the days of summer are waning and fall begins to settle upon us. Preparations are now well underway for the upcoming national meeting, fully described to you by Program Committee chair, Dr. Mo Sayegh, in the August Renal Express (available here). The program promises something for everyone, and I urge you all to attend what is expected to be an extraordinary meeting.
Among other activities taking place at the ASN is the 10 th Annual Board Review Course & Update which recently ended. It attracted a record number– 460 participants who eagerly absorbed the enormous syllabus and the massive amount of information imparted to them. This was also the first in which Dr. Lynda
Szczech, Assistant PGE Director of BRC, took an active role. We are most grateful to Dr.
Szczech
and to Dr. Robert Narins for putting forth such a stellar review course.
In other news, our Public Policy Director, Mr. Paul Smedberg, has also been involved in a number of initiatives. In order to clearly define the Society's public policy agenda, the Council convened a strategic retreat over the summer. The document emanating from this retreat is being carefully considered and implementation of the recommendations is underway. As a result, we have made a commitment to significantly increase our advocacy activities, and we are exploring how to effectively do so. Through this retreat, it became increasingly clear that the challenges our profession faces require the collaborative efforts of all professional renal societies. In this spirit, I have paid special attention to ensure that we coordinate our activities with leaders of the National Kidney Foundation and the Renal Physicians Association. We strongly believe that our members and patients will be best served if we speak in a unified manner.
The consequences of the budgetary constraints under which the NIH is operating this year are beginning to be felt by many, both in terms of research and training awards. We are deeply concerned that this trend could have a devastating effect on a new generation of nephrologists, and we are in contact with NIDDK leaders to share this genuine concern. Concomitantly, this situation further reinforces the importance of our own grants program. To ensure the viability of this program for many years and to make it independent of a variable operating budget, the Council is examining options for the development of a research endowment. More details on this extraordinarily important effort will be forthcoming in the near future. I am confident that the membership of the Society will rally to this cause.
Sincerely yours,
Tomas Berl, MD
2. 10th Annual BRC- A Huge Success
Thank you to everyone who helped make this year's Board Review Course a huge success! Our 10th year brought us record numbers; 460 attendees joined us this year in San Francisco!
The following materials are now available for purchase from the 10th Annual Board Review Course & Update: Audio tapes/CD ROMs and BRC Syllabus.
Save the Dates!
11th Annual Board Review Course & Update
August 26-September 1, 2006
The Palace Hotel
San Francisco, California
3. Renal Week 2005 Deadlines and Details
Save the Dates
November 8 - 13, 2005
Pennsylvania Convention Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Program and Abstracts-on-Line
By the beginning of October, the ASN's Program and Abstracts-on-Line will be available through the ASN website at www.asn-online.org. As in years past, this system will be an online, searchable program that includes all the scheduled sessions and abstracts. Attendees may create a customized itinerary to print or download to a PDA, print an entire electronic, pdf version of the supplement, or purchase a copy of the Abstract Book in advance of Renal Week.
Abstract Book Pre-Order: You may pre-order an advance copy of ASN's Abstract Book for Renal Week 2005 for $50 plus shipping and handling. Click here to pre-order an Abstract Book and fax the completed form to 202-659-0709. Incomplete forms will not be processed. The deadline for pre-ordering the Abstract Book is Friday, October 7, and the book will be shipped on Friday, October 14. As with last year's meeting, you will still receive a free copy of the Abstract Book onsite in Philadelphia, whether or not you pre-order it.
Registration: Please review the following deadlines, so that you can be sure to join us in Philadelphia.
- Membership Deadline - Friday, September 16, 2005. (Print an application or renewal form.)
- Attendee Early Registration Deadline - Monday, September 26, 2005. (Register Today.)
- Refund Deadline - Requests must be received in writing by Monday, September 26, 2005.
- Exhibitor Registration - Friday, October 7, 2005. (Register Today.)
Housing: To ensure a confirmed housing reservation at the discounted rate, the ASN Housing Bureau must receive your reservation by the request date; however, we strongly encourage you to reserve your housing as soon as possible, as sleeping rooms fill up very quickly.
4. CJASN is Coming!
The inaugural issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN) will be available online next month and in the mail to all ASN members in December. This new journal will complement JASN and NephSAP, providing ASN members with an additional resource to keep up with the latest developments in the science and practice of nephrology, along with educational programs to earn CME and prepare for board certification or recertification. JASN , CJASN , and NephSAP – an unparalleled lineup of professional publications and postgraduate education for members of the ASN!
CJASN publishes manuscripts involving high quality clinical research relevant to the broad area of clinical nephrology, hypertension, organ transplantation, and critical care. Areas of emphasis include clinical outcome studies, natural history of renal diseases, chronic kidney disease, dialysis, hypertension, cardiovascular disease in the context of renal dysfunction, diagnostic/therapeutic interventions in renal disease, and critical care medicine. Submit your manuscript to CJASN online at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cjasn.
5. 3rd Annual Renal Week Highlights
Join the ASN at our 3rd Annual Renal Week Highlights Meetings taking place in February and March 2006 in a city near you! Expert faculty will summarize, critique and put into perspective key presentations from the Renal Week 2005 in Philadelphia. These "Renal Week Highlights" programs are perfect not only for those of you who couldn't attend Renal Week but also for those November attendees who missed several key presentations.
Topics include:
- Glomerulonephritis
- Transplantation
- Hypertension
- Clinical Nephrology
- ESRD/CKD
- Mineral/Bone
Join us in one of the following 7 cities!
Chicago, Illinois · February 11 – 12, 2006
Washington, DC · February 18 – 19, 2006
Los Angeles, California · February 25 – 26, 2006
Seattle , Washington · March 4 – 5, 2006
New York, New York · March 11 – 12, 2006
Houston, Texas · March 18 – 19, 2006
Toronto, Canada · March 25 – 26, 2006
Stay tuned for additional details!
6. Volunteer to Participate on the NephSAP Review Panel
Would you like to help us select and edit questions for each issue of NephSAP? We're anxious to involve more of the membership in the editorial process and to further enhance the rigor of the question review.
Interested parties should email their curriculum vitae no later than October 31, 2005 to:
Gisela Deuter, BSN, MSA
CME Administrator
Direct Phone: 202-416-0673
gdeuter@asn-online.org
Please click here to learn more.
7. ASN's Council Nominations
All ASN active members, defined as, "Any person holding an M.D., Ph.D., or its equivalent, who has demonstrated a major and continuing interest in nephrology, and who is a resident of North or Central America" are eligible to vote during our annual council nominations. If you meet the criteria and have not received ballot information by mail, fax, or email, please contact Ms. Neysa Matthews at nmatthews@asn-online.org.
The deadline to vote is Friday, October 7, 2005.
|
|
|
