The Plans for the Future of ISUOG

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Dr. Josh Copel: “This is Josh Copel and I’m on the Editorial panel of Ultrasound at OBGYN.net, and also on the Executive Committee of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. We’re in Edinburgh at the International Conference Center at the 8th annual meeting of ISUOG, and we have a chance to talk to Sturla Eik-Nes who has now been invested formally as the President. It’s good to be here with you.”

Professor Sturla Eik-Nes:  “Thank you.”

Dr. Josh Copel: “You’re not wearing your gold medal.”

Professor Sturla Eik-Nes:  “No, not today but I was heavily loaded with gold a couple of days ago.”

Dr. Josh Copel: “After eight years as President, Stuart Campbell stepped down and on the same day, Sturla became President and was given the Ian Donald Gold Medal for Achievement in Ultrasound. Maybe we should start by hearing a little bit about your plans for the next four years as President.”

Professor Sturla Eik-Nes:  “I would like to continue the traditions that ISUOG has established. I think we have to accept that there is a gap between the level of achievement of the very skilled and the average. That gap is increasing, and it’s very important to focus on education because actually this gap should decrease but technology is advancing very, very fast and I have a feeling it’s difficult for the practice in neuro-ultrasound to follow. So I would like to focus extensively on teaching and training in the years to come. ISUOG has established several teaching programs, we have our annual conferences moving around in the world and we are doing satellite symposiums. A few years ago we established the Outreach Program to the developing countries and that program will be expanded. We’re now looking into establishing teaching and training centers at a fixed location where we would cooperate with the industry and establish a regular center which is working year round but where the advanced members of ISUOG can do courses two or three times a year.”

Dr. Josh Copel: “Has one of those already been set up?”

Professor Sturla Eik-Nes:  “We are about to set up one in Prague and that will be our first. We hope that we will be finished with that during the spring. We’re very much looking forward to that site because it’s a fine city, which is attractive, and it is in the Czech Republic and the Slovac Republic which is close and Hungary, Poland, and Romania are also close. So I think the location is perfect for such a place.”

Dr. Josh Copel: “The Outreach Program has been to a number of different countries, you’ve been to St. Petersburg.”

Professor Sturla Eik-Nes:  “Yes, we were in St. Petersburg in June of this year and the Outreach Program actually started in Asia. We’ve been to Manila and Bangkok a number of times, and this year we also passed by Hong Kong on our way to Manila. Of course, Hong Kong is not a developing city but it’s a doorway to China, and we are getting interested in China. We realize it’s important to establish a connection with the Hong Kong Chinese in order to get into China, and we’re planning some activity in China, hopefully, in September of 1999.”

Dr. Josh Copel: “The people who will listen to this interview by definition have Internet connections so they are probably in developed areas. What sort of educational activities are there for practitioners in the developed world?”

Professor Sturla Eik-Nes:  “Our activity for the people in the developed world will probably be the conferences we have. This program here in Edinburg is very extensive and probably our annual conferences represent what we have for our members in the developed world.”

Dr. Josh Copel: “To give the people who are listening an idea of how extensive it is, the conference has gone from eight o’clock in the morning until six o’clock at night, and on Sunday we started late at noon but Monday, Tuesday, today – Wednesday, and tomorrow until noon. We’ve really gone all day for three days with short breaks, and there have been three rooms going most of the time with lectures, free communications, and other activities so it’s really been a very broad array of things available for people.”

Professor Sturla Eik-Nes: “Yes, I think you have to look hard to be able to go somewhere and have this offered - whatever you’re interested in that concerns ultrasound in gynecology and obstetrics, you will find it here.”

Dr. Josh Copel: “Next year the conference will be November 14-18 in Buenos Aires.”

Professor Sturla Eik-Nes: “Yes.”