I am a very shy person. I don't speak well in public, failed speech class in school because I talk too fast and get nervous and stutter in front of people. The ONLY reason that I ran for the President of the South Carolina Society for Vascular Ultrasound (I am from South Dakota, for goodness sake) was because the chapter was going to dissolve because no one would run for office. We couldn't have that! It's too hard to get to National Meetings for most of us...the cost is sometimes very prohibitive. This was my third year attending the SCSVU, so when Ada Free started asking who we should give our funds to since there would not be an SCSVU, I looked at my boss and mentor Debbie Milliken and said, "Nominate me". She gave me a questioning look and I nodded at her and there we go....my lack of foresight and as they say, the rest is history. :) Actually, I am very glad that I had the experience as President of the South Carolina Society for Vascular Ultrasound. It taught me many things and helped "hone" my skills in certain areas.
The SVU has been a very helpful resource for our group. When I took over the chapter, our mailing list had 20 or so members on it. When Roger Pierce took over in October, it had grown to over 100 people. I used the tools that the SVU provided me with and helped "grow" our chapter with much thanks to Pat Washko, Anita Harrington and Jeanette Flannery. They provided me with needed information, were my mentors, and provided me with what we needed to be successful.
If you are not part of an educational or affiliate chapter, I highly recommend becoming involved or starting a local chapter for the following reasons:
1. You get to meet other people who do what you do and discuss the profession we love (or hate depending on the day) from the same geographical area.
2. If you become involved in the organization, you get to see the difficulties that are facing our profession and become part of the solution with the advocacy committee.
3. You can help educate and continue the growth of our profession in the right way. Make sure that things are being done in the best interests of our patients as well as our sonographers. New subjects are always coming up and what better way to learn than from people you know?
If there is not an affiliate chapter in your region, look on the SVU website for the instructions to create one. You may have Physician Continuing education but that does not mean you cannot gain additional meetings from the SVU with modality specific information. North Central Heart has an excellent Vascular Symposium every spring....I have attended several years since it is so value priced. But, if is aimed at Physicians foremost. It would be great to hear that my hometown has started the biggest affiliate chapter of the SVU with such a large sonography community in Sioux Falls, SD that that is possible. I have several South Dakota sonographers in mind for President. (You know who you are)
Sincerely,
Dawn Stirrat, RVT
Past President, SCSVU
www.svunet.org/chapters/scsvu
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