July 26, 2017 Posted by rgill
To foster the next generation of transplant physicians and investigators, the AST is committed to providing opportunities to expose trainees to the field of transplantation. These include mentoring our young professionals and students through programs including the Fellows Symposium and the ATC Student/Resident Travel Grant program.
The ATC Student/Resident Travel Grant program, developed by Dr. Sharon Bartosh, is designed to inspire medical students and residents who have not yet committed to a...
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July 06, 2017 Posted by rgill
In just a few months, the AST will host its annual Fellows Symposium in Grapevine, Texas. This meeting provides a unique opportunity for physicians in training to spend dedicated time to enhance their knowledge and confidence in key areas of transplantation medicine.
Registration for the Fellows Symposium will close on July 26 at 12:01 AM EST.
To give prospective attendees further insights about the meeting, I have invited former Fellows attendee, Hector...
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June 30, 2017 Posted by rgill
It was an honor to be inducted as President of the American Society of Transplantation (AST). Being a member for more than 13 years, I am proud of the work the Society has done, and I am excited about its growth potential going forward. The AST is made up of members of diverse backgrounds and concentrations in transplantation, but our work has one final goal – to improve the lives of our patients.
To achieve our goal of better overall care for patients, the AST is advancing several initiatives that are aligned with our strategic priorities. Below are some highlights:
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May 08, 2017 Posted by achandraker
We were pleased to have Dr. Daniel Schwartz from CMS present at CEoT 2017 as part of our “Transplant Value- How to Survive the Next Decade” session. Dr. Schwartz focused his presentation on valuing the public payor perspective in transplantation. As part of his talk, he provided an overview of the recent CMS regulatory changes regarding how transplant programs outcomes requirements are reviewed. I asked Dr. Schwartz to write a blog on this topic to ensure that this information is reaching our members who were unable to join us in Phoenix for the CEoT meeting, as it impacts all of us....
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March 27, 2017 Posted by achandraker
At AST, we take pride in the success of our 14 Communities of Practice (COPs), which are specialty-area groups within AST that allow members to network, advocate for issues, and exchange knowledge and ideas. This idea of specialty breakout groups is unique to AST and is very beneficial to our members and our society.
This year, the AST will be adding a 15th addition to its COP portfolio, the Organ and Tissue Preservation COP. This exciting new COP will officially launch at the American Transplant Congress (ATC) meeting next month. This group...
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March 13, 2017 Posted by achandraker
At the end of February, AST held its 5th annual Cutting Edge of Transplantation (CEoT) meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. We considered it a successful event, as nearly 400 transplant professionals attended in a collaborative meeting entitled One Transplant for Life: Many Pathways to Success. The location didn’t hurt, either, as attendees flew from all over the world to participate in a meeting surrounded by warm weather, palm trees, and pools.
The meeting started with something a little bit different: Transplant Tolerance Shark Tank (ably moderated by Tony Jevnikar and Ken Newell). This...
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March 08, 2017 Posted by achandraker
Last week, the transplant community lost an icon. At the age of 90, Dr. Thomas Starzl passed away peacefully at his home in Pittsburgh. While he was a transplant legend, he was also a longtime member of AST. In 2006, AST awarded Dr. Starzl with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
There have been countless tributes since Dr. Starzl's passing, noting his incredible accomplishments. For this blog, I have invited Dr. Angus Thomson, Distinguished Professor of Surgery and Immunology from the University of Pittsburgh, to write a guest...
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February 15, 2017 Posted by achandraker
The number of both deceased and living organ donations continues to grow. However, there is little content online to educate living donors about the potential medical, psychosocial, and financial impacts of being a living donor.
As a result, the AST website now includes a Live Donor Toolkit, which provides much needed resources for these donors. For this post, I have invited donor advocate, Rebecca Hays, to do a guest post about this new resource. ...
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January 04, 2017 Posted by achandraker
December marked the year’s end and the half-way point of my presidency. We have had a packed and eventful year, with numerous projects coming to fruition in the last 6 months.
First, the big news. As of January 1st, the AST transitioned to a self-management model. Our society, like many other medical societies and associations, was not self-managed. Instead, we paid a fee to an association management company (Association Headquarters, or AH) to run the AST, pay and employ staff, and provide office space and support services such as accounting and technical support. As the Society...
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November 15, 2016 Posted by achandraker
Earlier last month, AST was recognized by Charity Navigator with a 4-star rating for the society's philanthropic efforts. Achieving this designation lets our supporters and others within the transplant community know that AST continues to strive to be a good steward of its financial resources.
Continue reading to learn more about how you can contribute to the good work of the AST from Dr. Richard Formica of Yale University, this month's guest author on the blog...
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