LAUREL, MD - AIUM president Joshua Copel, MD, will present the 2009 Distinguished Sonographer Award to Jean Spitz, MPH, RDMS, on April 3 at the AIUM Annual Convention in New York, New York. This annual award, established in 1997, honors a current or retired AIUM member who has significantly contributed to the growth and development of diagnostic ultrasound.
Ms Spitz serves as director of the Nuchal Translucency Quality Review Program at the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Foundation, providing continuing medical education, image review, credentialing, and ongoing quality review reports to more than 3000 participants. She is also currently practicing as the obstetric and gynecologic sonographer at Edmond Renaissance Physicians in Edmond, Oklahoma, as well as a weekend prenatal sonographer at the Department of Radiology of Integris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City.
Her work as an educator, including curriculum and program development, has earned her several professional honors. She received an AMOCO Foundation Teaching Award in 1994 and was a semifinalist in AuntMinnie.com's national competition for Most Effective Radiologic Technology Educator in 2001. She has developed and directed a Web-based degree completion program and developed and taught Web-based courses in health care administration, correlative imaging, and research and writing skills.
Ms Spitz obtained a master of public health degree at the University of Oklahoma in 1982. She has contributed to16 published journal articles and delivered more than 40 professional presentations, covering technical, ethical, legal, and educational issues in medical ultrasound. Her research credits include participation in 6 funded projects.
Ms Spitz served as president of the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography from 1987 to 1989 and again from 2005 to 2007. She served as an editor of the Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography for 10 years and as editor-in-chief from 2005 to 2008. She is an elected AIUM fellow and a current member of the AIUM Bioeffects Committee.
The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine is a multidisciplinary association dedicated to advancing the safe and effective use of ultrasound in medicine through professional and public education, research, development of guidelines, and accreditation.