As 2007 ends, the ASN bids farewell to Dr. Karen Campbell, who is retiring after seven years of incredibly distinguished service as Executive Director of the Society. Fortunately, among her many outstanding qualities was her skill at recruiting and sustaining a superb and dedicated staff who will provide invaluable continuity to the organization. Moreover, the ASN has been very fortunate to recruit Tod Ibrahim from the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine to serve as the next Executive Director of the Society starting in 2008.
The first major change at the ASN after Karen joined as its Executive Director in 2001 was the move to self-management. In addition to reducing administrative and staff costs, self-management offered more control and the flexibility to respond quickly to changes in the Society and the marketplace. To coincide with the move to self-management, the ASN headquarters relocated to new, custom-designed space in 2002. These changes were also accompanied by the development of a "new look" for the ASN, including an updated website and a new ASN logo.
During Karen's tenure the ASN greatly expanded its educational programming, finding additional ways to provide physicians with meaningful educational activities and complementing the already successful Board Review Course and Renal Week. One such initiative was the Renal WeekEnd meetings that summarize and critique presentations from the previous Renal Week. Renal WeekEnd meetings are held in cities throughout North and Central America, and a similar format has been introduced internationally.
Another key initiative in the educational arena during Karen's tenure was ASN's successful application to the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education and CME credits to physicians; the ASN was re-accredited in July 2006. A system was installed to make it easier for meeting attendees to obtain and track CME credits online. The ASN also implemented an online transcript system, which provides participants the ability to review their CME credit information and print a summary directly through the ASN website. In addition, a greatly revised ASN website will be launched in the next few weeks, a site that is specifically designed with the capability to provide new electronic educational products that will be available to ASN membership in future years.
During the past seven years there has been impressive growth in ASN publications and membership. ASN's publications have tripled in scope (with the addition of CJASN and NephSAP to JASN) and become self-published, a major accomplishment. Our membership has grown by about 50% and, just recently, the ASN transitioned to a new, more powerful, electronic membership database that will facilitate on-line membership renewal and invoicing. This new enhancement will be available later this month for existing members.
The ASN focus on policy and public affairs has grown exponentially as well. The hard work of the ASN staff in this area, with the very capable assistance of the Public Policy Board, has increased ASN's visibility and influence on Capitol Hill and at the NIH, and with regulatory agencies critical to the viability of clinical nephrology.
Taken together, Karen's contributions have literally transformed the ASN. Her dedication and effort on behalf of the ASN have been extraordinary. It is therefore with a deep sense of gratitude that we wish Karen well as she reclaims her life to enjoy other pursuits.
Best wishes to all for a joyous holiday season and for a New Year of peace and good health.
Sincerely,
Peter S. Aronson, MD, FASN
President, American Society of Nephrology
2. ASN Awards Nominations
The deadline for all ASN awards nominations is Thursday, January 31, 2008. Nomination letters should be faxed to (202) 659-0709 or emailed to mkerlin@asn-online.org. To Nominate a candidate please submit a brief cover note (less than 100 words) and the nominee's CV.
Please note that the society will not consider additional letters of reference.
Descriptions about each ASN award are as follows.
The Robert G. Narins Award honors individuals who have made substantial and meritorious contributions in education and teaching. This award is named for Robert G. Narins, who is also the first recipient of the award.
The John P. Peters Award recognizes individuals who have made substantial research contributions to the discipline of nephrology and have sustained achievements in one or more domains of academic medicine, including clinical care, education, and leadership.
The Belding H. Scribner Award is presented annually to one or more individuals who have made outstanding contributions that have a direct impact on the care of patients with renal disorders or have substantially changed the clinical practice of nephrology.
The Homer W. Smith Award is presented annually to an individual who has made outstanding contributions that fundamentally affect the science of nephrology, broadly defined, but not limited to, the pathobiology, cellular, and molecular mechanisms, and genetic influences on the functions and diseases of the kidney.
The Young Investigator Award is presented annually to an individual with an outstanding record of achievement and creativity in basic or patient-oriented research related to the functions and diseases of the kidney. This award is co-sponsored by the Council on the Kidney of the American Heart Association and is limited to individuals who are less than 41 years of age on the first day of the ASN meeting at which the award is presented or who are less than 8 years from the start of their first faculty or staff research scientist position beyond post doctoral training.
Please click here for additional information about these ASN awards.
3. Renew Your Membership Online
ASN membership is on a calendar year from January-December. New this year, the ASN is pleased to offer ASN members the ease of online renewals and the ability to update demographic information online. Please stay tuned for information on how to renew your membership for 2008 directly online.
4. Renal Weekends Coming Soon-Register Now
Did you know that there are so many simultaneous presentations during Renal Week that even if you attended back-to-back sessions you could only partake in about 20% of the entire program? That's why we're offering all Renal Week 2007 attendees a special, reduced-rate to attend our upcoming Renal WeekEnd Meetings, which will take place in February and March of 2008.
The meetings will be held in the following seven cities:
New York City (Feb 2-3)
Washington DC (Feb 9-10)
Los Angeles (Feb 16-17)
Mexico City (Feb 23-24)
Vancouver (Mar 1-2)
Chicago (Mar 8-9)
Orlando (Mar 29-30)
New this year, all nephrology fellows are eligible to attend the Renal WeekEnd meeting of their choice for only $35!
To learn more about Renal WeekEnds, click here. Space is limited, so ASN encourages you to register now.
5. ASN Grant Applications due in February
The ASN recognizes the need to support the clinical and basic science research of its members. Thus, we offer grants to assist researchers at various points in their careers.
The application deadline for the following grants is February 1, 2008:
Alaska Kidney Foundation-ASN Research Grant
Carl W. Gottschalk Research Scholar Grant
Norman Siegel Research Scholar Grant
ASN-ASP Junior Development Grant in Geriatric Nephrology
ASN-AST John Merrill Grant in Transplantation
Halpin Foundation-ASN Research Grant
Please visit the ASN website for more information about these and other ASN grants.
6. Obtain Your CME Credits for Renal Week Online
Again this year, credits for Renal Week must be obtained directly online through our Online CME Center. Verification of participation requires an ASN User ID and a valid registration ID number for the ASN Annual Meeting and the PGE programs. Go to the ASN website and click on "Access ASN's Online CME Center" in the Renal Reminders box, then follow the prompts. Your CME certificates are printed in real-time for the sessions you evaluate online at any given time. To receive your CME credits, please complete the online form by Thursday, January 31, 2008.
7. New Feature for NephSAP: Core Knowledge Questions
NephSAP will begin a new program to help trainees and others preparing for Board Certification and recertification. Beginning with the issue on Hypertension in March 2008, 5 multiple choice questions, designed to test knowledge of core aspects of clinical nephrology, will be added as a non-CME component of NephSAP. The questions and answers will be available in both the print and on-line editions of NephSAP. Each will be associated with a link to Up-To-Date for further information on the topic. The Editors believe that this feature will enhance the utility of NephSAP as a comprehensive self study, self assessment program for current and future members of the ASN and will aid in their preparation for Board exams and future in-service exams.
8. 2008 FOCIS Meeting
The 8th Annual Meeting of the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies (FOCIS) will be in Boston, June 5-9, 2008. This year’s meeting promises an excellent scientific program covering a broad range of immunological topics. As in years past, FOCIS 2008 will include thematic symposia, plenary sessions, oral abstract sessions and poster sessions.
The goal of the FOCIS 2008 Organizing Committee is to continue the tradition set by previous FOCIS meetings, to provide an interdisciplinary program that will allow exchange of ideas and encourage interaction among a wide variety of immunological backgrounds.
FOCIS strongly encourages the submission of high quality abstracts. ASN trainees selected for presentation within the FOCIS program will receive travel awards to the meeting. For full meeting information, online registration, and abstract submission forms, please visit the FOCIS website at www.focisnet.org. The Abstract submission deadline is January 9, 2008.
