The Chicago OB/GYN Ultrasound Symposium 2018, scheduled for September 28-30, is designed for OB/GYN healthcare practitioners who currently use ultrasound or are interested in integrating this technology into their practice. Other professionals who may find this conference useful are current students, genetic counselors and OB/GYN residents and fellows.
Whether physicians and other healthcare professionals are already using ultrasound as part of their daily routine or are just starting out, professional and continuing education is a key component in becoming knowledgeable and proficient, and in learning new ways to incorporate ultrasound into practice. Ultrasound technology is advancing at a quick pace, with widening use of point of care ultrasound and the impending emergence of big data as a way to streamline diagnoses.
Skill Building for Ultrasound Use
Conferences such as the Chicago OB/GYN Ultrasound Symposium teach basic as well as advanced skills, and provide not only the "how" but also the "why" of ultrasound use. The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) core competencies for this course are listed as:
- Patient care and procedural skills.
- Medical knowledge.
- Practice-based learning and improvement.
- Interpersonal and communication skills.
- Systems-based practice.
For professionals practicing in obstetrics, the course covers topics ranging from fetal observation — including skeletal development and assessing fetal soft tissues — to amniotic fluid, growth and identifying fetal anomalies. The symposium also includes talks on the uses of ultrasound in family planning, locating pregnancies of unknown location and ectopic pregnancies, integrating ultrasound into the labor and delivery suite and using Doppler ultrasound in obstetrics.
For professionals who specialize in ultrasound in gynecology, course offerings on Friday include an overview of imaging the pelvic floor and the utility of ultrasound in abnormal uterine bleeding and diagnosing adnexal masses.
Sunday's schedule includes talks on 3D ultrasound in both obstetrics and gynecology.
Symposium Details
The Chicago OB/GYN Ultrasound Symposium is sponsored by the University of Chicago, and the course director is Dr. Jacques Abramowicz, a faculty member of the University of Chicago's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
The conference offers a sliding registration fee scale based on the attendee's job title, with a greatly reduced fee for students. Attendees may register for the entire conference or for just a single day, based on their interest in the courses offered.
Attendees will want to take advantage of the networking opportunities to meet with other ultrasound professionals at the opening reception on Friday evening, and at the Faculty Dinners on both Friday and Saturday.
This year's conference will be held at Hotel Chicago, located near many attractions such as Wrigley Field, the River North Gallery District and Navy Pier. Late September in Chicago brings cooler weather, with daytime highs falling from the 70s to the 60s, and nighttime temperatures falling from the 50s to the 40s.
Conferences such as the Chicago OB/GYN Ultrasound Symposium 2018 offer an excellent opportunity for healthcare professionals to extend their knowledge base in ultrasound technology and techniques while earning CME credits. There won't be many more opportunities for specialized OB/GYN training in ultrasound before the end of the year, so be sure to visit the conference website for the full itinerary and registration information.
Photo courtesy of Flickr.
