ASE has the best study tool available if you are planning to take the Advanced Cardiac Sonographer (ACS) examination in August. This guide was designed by accomplished expert sonographers and ACS imaging specialists. It includes a video and workbook set that has 20 modules on a variety of topics. The workbook correlates with each lecture providing a question and answer section for each module. The final workbook chapters include two 180-question mock exams designed to test your overall knowledge and skill set in preparing you to take the ACS Registry Exam with success.To learn more about the ACS Registry Review Guide, click here.

Visit ASEMarketPlace.com to see all of ASE’s educational resources, and do not forget to login to your member portal to take advantage of your member discount.

It’s time to plan ahead and join us for the 30th Annual Echo Hawaii, January 20-24, 2020, on the beautiful Kohala Coast at the Westin Hapuna Beach Resort. The average high temperature in January is 81 degrees Fahrenheit which is a full 10 degrees warmer than most other Hawaiian islands at this time of year. And, the Kohala Coast only receives nine inches of rain a year and offers everything you desire like dependable sunshine, superb sandy beaches, warm turquoise fish-filled waters, swaying coconut palms, and pristine rain forests. A few Big Island attractions include Volcanoes National Park, Parker Ranch, Mauna Kea Observatory, Waipio Valley, Akaka Falls, and Hapuna Beach State Park.

Expert U.S. and international faculty will discuss state-of-the-art technologies with a particular focus on how they may be effectively applied in the clinical setting. Echo Hawaii Abstract Submissions will open September 1. Visit the website to review all the details for 2020’s Call to Science on the Big Island. Download the Advance Program and register today.

Do you have a teacher and/or mentor whose impact you can still feel? ASE is looking for those excellent instructors/mentors to honor them at the 31st Annual Scientific Sessions in Denver, Colorado, June 2020. Check out the links below to see how you may nominate someone (or yourself!) for an award.

• ASE Mentorship Award
• Cardiovascular Sonographer Distinguished Teacher Award
• Excellence in Teaching in Pediatrics Award
• Richard Popp Excellence in Teaching Award

Make sure you do not miss the upcoming deadline of August 1, 2019. If you have any questions, or want to submit a nomination, contact Awards@ASEcho.org.

In an effort to understand the needs of our members, ASE is requesting some quick feedback from you regarding the Society’s current Strategic Goals and member resources. Your input will help shape the next Strategic Plan, which will debut in 2020. This survey will gather your thoughts and opinions to help ASE build a future of value to you and other members of our medical community. Your voice matters!

Complete this short 16 question survey, by August 5, and enter to win a free 2020 ASE membership. Be sure to provide your name and email at the end of the survey to be entered in the drawing. Thank you for your time and feedback!

ASE’s 8th Annual Echo Florida course is a comprehensive review of cardiovascular ultrasound in clinical practice. The course takes place October 13-15, 2019 with a preconference Learning Lab available October 12, at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts at Walt Disney World® in Orlando, FL. Course Director, Gerard P. Aurigemma, MD, FASE, Co-Director Linda D. Gillam, MD, FASE, and Learning Lab Director, Matt Umland, ACS, RDCS, FASE, have created a program with a heavy emphasis on case-based learning that includes fun opportunities for the participants to interact with the faculty. Download the Advance Program and register today.

The July JASE contains, “Superior Prognostic Value of Right Ventricular Free Wall Compared to Global Longitudinal Strain in Patients with Heart Failure,” by Carluccio et al. Dr. Carluccio said, “Results of this study provide substantial new insights in right ventricular (RV) function assessment and risk stratification of heart failure (HF) patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), with important clinical implication. This study, for the first time, clearly shows that, at least in HFrEF patients, the independent contribution of RVGLS to the prediction of outcome is lost when parameters of LV systolic function are taken into account, suggesting that prognostic performance of RVGLS might be hampered by concomitant impairment in global LV systolic function involving the interventricular septum. In contrast, the prognostic role of RVFWS is not affected by LV systolic dysfunction.”

Other JASE articles cover echocardiography in pulmonary embolism, echocardiographic assessment of patent foramen ovale, coronary microvascular dysfunction, assessing treatment of obstructive sleep apnea by echocardiography, longitudinal strain, measuring with echocardiography, and echocardiography in infants and children along with several brief communications and an editorial comment by Drs. Lopez and Colan, “How Well Does the Neonatal Heart Measure Up?” Read the first President’s Message by Madhav Swaminathan, MD, MMCi, FASE, “Creating a Caring Society,” and the Sonographers’ Communication by Raymond Musarra, BSAS, RCS, RDCS, FASE, “Changing Healthcare Costs Impact the Way We Provide Patient Care.”

We are pleased to announce that the 2018 Impact Factor for JASE is 6.111 keeping JASE in its competitive place among cardiology journals with a ranking of 17 out of 136 publications.

Madhav Swaminathan, MD, FASE, took helm as ASE President during the 30th annual Scientific Sessions. Learn more about his term and his goals for ASE each month by reading his monthly blog at ASEcho.org/Presidents-blog.

“Writing my first blog as the ASE president, I am excited, enthusiastic, and humbled by the role and the possibilities. The ASE is an extraordinary organization. The world’s largest Society of cardiovascular ultrasound professionals is fortunate to have an abundance of talent, skill, and passion among its members, staff, and leaders. Each of these characteristics were on full display at the Scientific Sessions in Portland, OR last month. As we joyously celebrated innovation and science at our 30th annual meeting, we also recognized that we must face a new challenge to our professional and personal well-being – burnout.” Read more here.

The ASE Echo Image Calendar has become a very popular member renewal gift over the past five years. Members are encouraged to upload images for the 2020 Image Calendar Contest by Monday, August 12. Voting for the favorite images to be included in the colorful, 12-month calendar will begin on August 14 and close on Friday, September 13. The 2020 calendar will be mailed to all members who renew by December 31, 2019.

To upload your images, head to the ASE 2020 Calendar Contest Library on Connect@ASE:

1. Login to Connect@ASE using your username (email address) and password.
2. Using the top navigation, scroll to Libraries.
3. Click on Image Library.
4. Click on the folder called ASE 2020 Calendar Contest.
5. Click “New” under Folder Contents on the right hand side of the menu and upload your image. Image files need to be no larger than 30 MB.
6. You are able to upload as many images as you would like.

Please note this is a membership competition and is open to members only. If you have any questions, please contact Arissa Cooper at acooper@asecho.org.

Madhav Swaminathan, MD, MBBS, MMCi, FASE, Vice Chair for Faculty Development, Duke Anesthesiology, and Professor of Anesthesiology, Duke University School of Medicine, has taken the helm as president of the ASE. His presidency, which will last one year, marks the first time that an anesthesiologist has been elected to head ASE in its 44-year history.

Dr. Swaminathan addressed the members of the Society at their annual business meeting and shared his excitement for leading ASE for the next year. He said, “ASE has taken an unprecedented step of tapping the first anesthesiologist as its president. It is a bold statement about celebrating diversity. I look forward to leading the Society that has opened its arms to everyone who is interested in cardiovascular ultrasound. In addition to guiding ASE into a new strategic plan beginning in 2020, I am committed to building a network of leaders that supports the well-being of the entire cardiovascular ultrasound community.”

Dr. Swaminathan served as ASE’s Vice President and President-Elect prior to ascending to President. Joining him as new members of the 2019-2020 Executive Committee are Vice President, Raymond Stainback, MD, FASE, Texas Heart Institute, Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, Houston, TX; and Secretary, Matt Umland, ACS, RDCS, FASE, Aurora Healthcare, Aurora, WI. Read more about the continuing ASE officers and the new board of directors members here.