ASN News

Renal Week 2003

Thanks to the enthusiastic participation of our many registrants, speakers, moderators, and exhibitors, ASN posted yet another highly successful Renal Week in San Diego. Attendance was at near-record numbers, and it’s probably safe to say that everyone found the meeting enlightening (but tiring).

For the first time, the new Board of Advisors (BOA) met with Council to review the activities of ASN committees and advisory groups and of our sister organizations. In addition, BOA members brought a long list of important issues to be explored during this meeting, and as these items are discussed and developed more fully, they will be shared with you in subsequent ASN News columns. Further, most committees and all ASN advisory groups met in San Diego to define issues that will require attention over the next year. This was also an opportunity to thank committee members whose terms had expired and to welcome new members to the important activities of these groups.

Thanks again to all who worked so hard to put together a dynamic and outstanding program and to those who participated in the PGE courses and the Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition. Put the dates for Renal Week 2004 (October 27–November 1) on your calendar NOW!

Regional Meetings: Renal Week Revisited

With Renal Week behind us, we now can look forward to the new Regional Meetings, which are to be held in early 2004 in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. These 1-day meetings are designed to summarize information presented at Renal Week 2003 and are for those who:

Missed Renal Week 2003 in San Diego
Attended Renal Week, but missed key sessions
Want to hear well-known authorities “Put it All Together”

The regional meetings will cover key areas in nephrology, including parenchymal diseases, transplantation, hypertension, and ESRD/CKD. Go to ASN’s web site at www.asn-online.org to learn more, register, and find out about housing arrangements. Space is limited; if you hurry, you can also take advantage of early-bird discounts on registration!

Renew Your ASN Membership

Very soon, you will be receiving a dues notice to renew your membership to the ASN. Being prompt with your renewal ensures that your many membership benefits are not interrupted! Member benefits include:

Subscription to JASN
Online access to JASN, the ASN membership directory, and Renal Express
Subscription to the Nephrology Self-Assessment Program
Discounts on registration fees for all ASN meetings, including Renal Week, Regional Meetings, and the Board Review Course
Free use of the ASN Placement Service (details below)
Eligibility to apply for FASN status
Ability to sponsor your own abstract(s) for the Annual Meeting
Eligibility for ASN-sponsored research grants

Watch for your email notification for membership renewal and instructions on renewing easily on-line!

New and Improved Job Placement Service

On the basis of suggestions from the recent Council Strategic Planning Retreat, a new Job Placement Site is now in development for the ASN web site, www.asn-online.org. The new site is far more user-friendly for both employers and job applicants. The service will be FREE to members and, as such, will be a great membership benefit. The only cost involved in this service will be a flat fee for each job posting that employers pay to post their job(s). Each job posting remains on the ASN web site for a predetermined period of time. Employers also have the option of removing the posted position at any time if the position becomes filled or predetermining a removal date for the job on the basis of an application deadline. The online form for employers to post jobs is easy to use, with drop-down fields offered whenever possible. Categories and free-form information to be completed by employers include:

Company name
Industry (with a drop-down list provided)
Company size (with a drop-down list provided)
City, state, ZIP, and country (drop-downs provided for state and country)
Web site address of company
Position title
Job description
Benefits (optional field)
Contact information for the position’s main contact person

Candidates will be able to scan through all posted positions or search by selected categories, such as geographic location, to narrow their search. Once they have narrowed their search, the system pulls all applicable jobs for the candidate to view. Candidates can then select the job(s) in which they are interested. The jobs are viewable on a full page with all the previously provided employer information. The contact information for the position’s main contact is also available to the candidate on the same page as the job posting. If the candidate wishes to apply for the job, he/she simply clicks on a button that says Apply for This Job. Stay tuned to Renal Express and the ASN web site, www.asn-online.org, to find out when this new service will be ready.

CMS Proposed Changes

Stay up-to-date on the status of proposed rule changes that affect physician reimbursement by visiting the ASN web site. As always, we encourage our members to submit suggestions and recommendations associated with these important changes to ASN Director of Public Policy, Paul Smedberg, at psmedberg@asn-online.org.