Report of Education & Professional Standards Committee

The main work of the committee has been in developing Minimum Training Recommendations from EFSUMB, in producing further guidelines and in looking at links with the European Union of Medical Specialists.

Minimum Training Recommendations for the Practice of Medical Ultrasound in Europe

This publication is now complete and it was published on the EFSUMB website in September 2005. It is available in paper form in this Newsletter. It includes an introductory section on the principles of minimum training recommendations, 6 recommended syllabuses and associated competence assessment sheets. The 6 syllabuses cover obstetrics, gynaecology, gastroenterology, nephro-urology, breast and vascular ultrasound. EFSUMB member societies are now being asked to comment on these recommendations. In particular they are being asked to comment on whether they have their own national guidelines and/or process for competence assessment and if so how these compare with the EFSUMB guidelines, if they do not have their own guidelines then we would like to hear what difficulty there might be with implementing the EFSUMB guidelines. We would also like to hear whether it would be useful to draw up other syllabuses in other areas eg musculoskeletal and emergency department ultrasound. The committee considers this to be a dynamic document which will undergo revision from time to time and the views of member societies are important in shaping any changes.

European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS)

The committee has been in touch with the UEMS to discuss a variety of issues:

• UEMS recognises discrete medical specialties and not technique based organisations

• It is possible for individual syllabuses from the Minimum Training Recommendations document to be sent to individual sections of UEMS eg the urology syllabus could be sent to both the nephrology and urology sections to ask for their ratification. A decision as to whether to do this will be taken when responses from member societies to the document have been received

• The process for awarding CME credit points has been clarified. Any organisation in Europe running an ultrasound course or meeting should apply to the most appropriate body in the host country to allocate an appropriate number of CME points to the meeting. The organising group needs then to submit this recommendation for CME points together with the programme etc to UEMS on its website (www.uems.net)) through its EACCME section. A fee proportionate to the likely number of delegates is also payable. UEMS will then ratify the allocation of CME points for recognition in European Union countries.

Other Publications

During the course of the year the committee has commissioned the following publications for the EFSUMB newsletter:

• Guidelines for Ultrasound Guided Breast Biopsy

• A Commentary on the Complications of Interventional Ultrasound from a Paediatric Perspective

• Ultrasound Guided Chest Interventions

Possible Future Work of Committee

• To develop further syllabuses for the Minimum Training Recommendations Document (see above)

• To run courses based on these syllabuses

• To produce educational material using CDs, DVDs etc

• To organise educational sessions at Euroson Congresses

• To make proposals for Euroson Schools

• To develop further guidelines for publication in the EFSUMB Newsletter

Retiring Chair

Ass Prof Lil Valentin's term of office as Chair of the Committee has come to an end. The Committee is very grateful to her for her work in leading the committee to the production of the major publication on Minimum Training Recommendations as well as being instrumental in initiating other guidelines published in the Newsletter.

Dr David RM Lindsell

Chairman Education & Professional

Standards Committee