Reston, Va. -- SNM, an international scientific and professional organization of more than 16,000 physician, technologist and scientist members, announced that it has redefined its core mission and intends "to improve health care by advancing molecular imaging and therapy."
"We have reached a defining moment--one where molecular imaging and nuclear medicine merge into one at SNM--and one that will impact the evolution of molecular medicine and current practitioners and those of generations to come," noted SNM President Martin P. Sandler, the associate vice chancellor for hospital affairs for Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. "SNM is uniquely poised to take on a strategic position as the recognized leader in knowledge of molecular imaging and nuclear medicine by capitalizing on our signature strengths: multidisciplinary members who are intensely gifted researchers; forward-thinking leaders who promote the discovery of new science and the creation of new techniques and technologies; the extensive body of knowledge published in our journal; exceptional annual meetings that showcase current research; and the longstanding and deep commitment to training the next generation of medical practitioners," he added. SNM leaders voted in April--and affirmed at the society's Annual Meeting in San Diego in June--to embrace this new core mission: To improve health care by advancing molecular imaging and therapy. "This is the right thing to do and the right time to do it. We are moving forward with a clear vision and strong plan for the future," stated Sandler.
"For more than 50 years, SNM has successfully followed its mission of educating professionals, policy makers and the general public about the potential of nuclear medicine," noted Virginia Pappas, SNM's chief executive officer. "Advances in molecular biology, molecular medicine and medical imaging, however, have signaled an expansion in the direction of the profession and its ability to contribute to improved health outcomes, requiring our leaders to examine the society's long-range future," she added. Pappas indicated that the society added the new tagline "advancing molecular imaging and therapy" to the SNM logo to clearly communicate its focus to newcomers to the field.
In light of the society's action, its Technologist Section "will shape and define its role in molecular imaging," according to SNMTS President D. Scott Holbrook. "SNMTS knows the importance--and value--of developing well-rounded technologists who can work in PET/CT, SPECT/CT, research, and information technology and understand cross-sectional anatomy, contrast media, and instrumentation. We want to help develop a curriculum to prepare technologists to take advantage of the opportunities offered by these advances in molecular imaging," added the vice president of Clinical Pharmacy Services, an independent nuclear pharmacy in Gray, Tenn.
Over the next three to five years, SNM intends define itself as its' members' indispensable resource for education, knowledge exchange, training and networking; as the powerful advocate for molecular medicine, including imaging and therapy; as the leader in education and in promoting collaboration with referring physician and patient groups; as a significant supporter of innovations in translational research; and as the society that positions molecular medicine as an essential tool in providing the highest standards of patient care around the world.
According to Sandler, these goals affirm SNM's most recent action: embarking on a five-year $5 million "Bench to Bedside: A Molecular Imaging Campaign" to fund outreach activities to referring physicians and patient groups, support translational clinical studies and small innovative trials and offer research grants and fellowships to advance new medical developments.
About SNM--Advancing Molecular Imaging and Therapy SNM is an international scientific and professional organization of more than 16,000 members dedicated to promoting the science, technology and practical applications of molecular and nuclear imaging to diagnose, manage and treat diseases in women, men and children. Founded more than 50 years ago, SNM continues to provide essential resources for health care practitioners and patients; publish the most prominent peer-reviewed journal in the field (the Journal of Nuclear Medicine); host the premier annual meeting for medical imaging; sponsor research grants, fellowships and awards; and train physicians, technologists, scientists, physicists, chemists and radiopharmacists in state-of-the-art imaging procedures and advances. SNM members have introduced--and continue to explore--biological and technological innovations in medicine that noninvasively investigate the molecular basis of diseases, benefiting countless generations of patients. SNM is based in Reston, Va.; additional information can be found online at http://www.snm.org.