Deborah A. Agler, ACS, RDCS, FASE

The 27 ^th ASE Annual Scientific Sessions were held at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, WA, June 10–14th.

The sessions were in attendance by 2500 attendee’s uniting cardiovascular professionals from near and far. Our international sonographers from India, Australia, and Nigeria came to enlighten us on how cardiovascular ultrasound is performed globally.

This was a year of renewals and firsts. Sonographer mentors were appointed to 13 mentees. The faces of the upcoming sonographers shined throughout their entire presentations as their mentors looked on with pride.

Three learning labs covering 3D volumes, 3D cropping, and 2D strain were directed by a team of physicians and sonographers. These experts shared their passion of teaching to 55 attendees in each session.

The Interventional Echocardiography Live Case Demonstrations from the “University of Washington Medical Center” engaged both world-renowned physicians and sonographers on site and as panelists. The exhibit hall held over 400 engaged attendees throughout the sessions. This was a phenomenal demonstration of teamwork.

The Advanced Cardiac Sonography (ACS) credentialing session adjourned to the hallway so that the moderators and speakers could answer the many questions. The ACS writing committee is currently developing educational materials for those studying to take the examination. The materials should be ready early in 2017.

A longer session has been requested for next year’s Educator Summit as a result of engaging round table discussions including international cardiovascular ultrasound, ergonomics, and ACS credentialing.

Congratulations to this year’s recipients of awards and grants. The 7th annual Research Awards Gala was a roaring good time. It was a night of joviality amongst 340 attendee’s there to honor the achievements of a group of well-deserved recipients. Maryellen Orsinelli, RN, RDCS, FASE from Ohio State University was the prestigious recipient of the 13 ^th Cardiovascular Sonographer Distinguished Teacher Award.

The moderated Sonographer Investigator’s Award Competition was presided by four primary investigator finalists presenting their original work. Weimin (Allen) He, RDCS, from Mazankowski Heart Institute in University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada was this year’s recipient.

The Alan D. Waggoner Student Scholarship Awards provided $1,000 awards to students enrolled in a cardiac ultrasound program accredited by the Commission on Accreditations of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAEHEP).

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  Beth Anderson, UAMS College of Health Professionals, Little Rock, AR

  
  
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  Ellen Garcia, Community Regional Medical Center, DMS Program, Fresno, CA

  
  
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  Abigail Kaminski, Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center, School of DMS, Milwaukee, WI

  
  
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  Pamela Keebler, South Hills School of Business and Technology, State College, PA

  
  
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  Deanna Knox, Bellevue College, DMS Program, Bellevue, WA

  
  
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  Gina Lamonaca, St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, CVT Sonography Program, Harford, CT

  
  
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  Ashley M. Maes, Bellevue College, DMS Program, Bellevue, WA

  
  
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  Melissa McKnight, El Centro College, CVT Sonography Program, Dallas TX

  
  
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  Erin Monroe, Mayo School of Health Sciences Echocardiography Program, Rochester, MN

  
  
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  Ha Ni Nguyen, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, CVT Sonography Program, New Orleans, LA

  
  
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  Alexis Pentheros, Sanford Brown College, CVT Sonography Program, Dallas TX

  
  
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  Jason Pereira, St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, CVT Sonography Program, Hartford, CT

  
  
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  Edward Pierson, Lackawanna College, DMS Program, Scranton, PA

  
  
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  Lindsay Provenzano, Johns Hopkins Hospital, DMS Program, Baltimore, MD

  
  
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  Bobbi Jo Schlick, Mayo School of Health Sciences Echocardiography Program, Rochester, MN

  
  
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  Michael Silverman, Johns Hopkins Hospital, DMS Program, Baltimore, MD

The Council on Cardiovascular Sonography Travel Grant, Ultra Echo, LTD., funds attendance to the Scientific Sessions

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  Lisa Bienvenu, RDCS, ACS, FASE, Ochsner Medical Center. New Orleans, LA

  
  
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  Merissa Gatti, BS, RDCS, St. Thomas West Hospital, Nashville, TN

The Feigenbaum Cardiovascular Sonographer Student Travel Grant is supported by Elsevier Inc. to honor Dr. Harvey Feigenbaum’s commitment and tenure as the former Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography (JASE) Editor for 20 years.

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  Kelsey Bogen, St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, DMS Program, Hartford, CT

Two more grants will be included in the future sessions. The Katanick Scholarship Award will be given annually to the highest-ranking student sonographer candidate nominated for the ASEF scholarship awards in the honor of Sandy Katanick’s role building the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) and her 25 years of service to the field. The Adams Global Service Award is a travel grant that will be awarded to one sonographer mission volunteer in the honor of David Adams’ past and continuing contribution to the success of ASEF humanitarian benefits. As I write this paper, David is currently in the Philippines on another mission.

The ASE Foundation 2 ^nd annual team building Scavenger Hunt on Capitol Hill gave everyone an opportunity to network and get his or her steps in while enjoying the city on a beautiful evening. Congratulations to team “Cardiac Heroes” for being the first to complete the hunt.

It has been a privilege and honor to serve as the sonographer Co-chair with Chair Dr. Richard Grimm, an exceptional planning committee, and the outstanding ASE staff that ensure that the meeting is a success.

Next year’s program will be chaired by Dr. Geoff Rose and Co-chair Elizabeth McIlwain, RDCS, FASE. They are diligently planning an exhilarating 28th Annual Scientific Sessions June 2 – 6, 2017 at the Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD.

If you did not have the opportunity to attend the sessions, take the opportunity to educate your staff year-round with the purchase of the ASE 2016 Conference online library at ASEUniversity.org .

Deborah A. Agler, ACS, RDCS, FASE is the Coordinator of Education and Training in the Echo Lab in the Department of Cardiovascular Imaging at Cleveland Clinic.