Guidelines For Academic Events

  • Rules and Guidelines for Academic Activities
  • Logistic Guidelines and Tips for Academic Events

    Please read the Regional Chapter Rules and Regulations and follow them.

    Attention is especially drawn to the following:

  1. It is mandatory for the regional chapters to inform and take permissions from the Central Office, three months in advance of any proposed program. The format of the program will have to be in accordance with the SFM format and every program / faculty has to be finalized in email communications with the Central Office.

  2. No private diagnostic center or individual doctor is authorized to issue program invites or publicity material for any academic event at a personal level. All communications have to be issued by the President / Secretary of the regional chapter or by the Chairperson / Organizing Secretary of an event, provided the committee of the regional chapter has appointed these.

  3. No publicity material of any diagnostic center is to be distributed or relayed over audio or video during or after the academic programs. Any action that indicates personal promotion at an SFM event is prohibited and against the spirit of the Society. Derecognition of the chapter and cancellation of membership for 10 years is the punishment for such an activity.

  4. A report of activities of the Regional Chapter will be submitted to the central office preferably within four weeks of each activity and latest by the first week of each quarter of the financial year

  5. Funds for local academic activities may be raised from local representatives of trade partners; however, all payments that accrue from this have to be made to the Central Office directly by the trade partner.

    Types of SFM Academic Activities

  1. Quarterly Meetings of Regional Chapters

  2. Annual Meeting of Regional Chapters

  3. Inaugural Meeting of a Regional Chapter

  4. New Technology Trade Partner Meets

  5. Co-branded Meetings with Academic Societies such as IRIA, IFUMB, FOGSI, IFS, ISAR etc

  6. SFM endorsed Local, National and International Meetings

  7. SFM Approved Courses& Workshops

  8. FetalMed: National Meet every 2 years, organized by the Central Office

  9. FetalCardioCon / FetalNeuroCon / FetalT1Con / Fetal GenetiCon: National Meet every year, organized by the Central Office

Quarterly Meetings of Regional Chapters

Three such meetings are to be held in a year. Dates for these are to be finalized for the entire ( financial ) year by the 15th of May each year and submitted to the central office. The Central Office will coordinate the dates to prevent regional and other overlaps. An interaction between geographically close chapters is encouragedand joint quarterly meetings are also encouraged. Meetings must include local and younger speakers and these categories of speakers should comprise at least 50% or more of the presenting faculty and meeting duration. Proposed themes, topics and faculty are to be planned and communicated to the Central Office at least three months in advance. These will be assessed and approved by the central committee and only then should the date, program and faculty be made available to the public and general body.It is reiterated that funds for local academic activities may be raised from local representatives of trade partners; however, all payments that accrue from this have to be made to the Central Office directly by the trade partner.

Annual Meeting of Regional Chapters

Regional Chapters may organize one Annual Meeting. This is not compulsory and interaction between geographically close chapters is encouraged. The Central Office will coordinate the dates to prevent regional and other overlaps.Meetings must include local and younger speakers and these categories of speakers should comprise at least 30% or more of the presenting faculty and meeting duration. Proposed themes, topics and faculty are to be planned and communicated to the Central Office at least six months in advance.These will be assessed and approved by the central committee and only then should the date, program and faculty be made available to the public and general body. It is reiterated that funds for local academic activities may be raised from local representatives of trade partners; however, all payments that accrue from this have to be made to the Central Office directly by the trade partner.

Inaugural Meeting of a Regional Chapter

Members of the nominated first committee can jointly organize an Inaugural Meeting of a regional chapter. This is not compulsory and a regional chapter may commence with a quarterly meeting. The Central Office will coordinate the dates to prevent regional and other overlaps.Meetings must include local and younger speakers and these categories of speakers should comprise at least 50% or more of the presenting faculty and meeting duration. Proposed themes, topics and faculty are to be planned and communicated to the Central Office at least six months in advance.These will be assessed and approved by the central committee and only then should the date, program and faculty be made available to the public and general body. It is reiterated that funds for local academic activities may be raised from local representatives of trade partners; however, all payments that accrue from this have to be made to the Central Office directly by the trade partner. Please also refer to the guidelines for selection of non-local visiting faculty.

New Technology Trade Partner Meets

SFM recognizes and appreciates the need to disseminate information on new technology related to the practice of fetal medicine as and when it becomes available in the local/global market. These meets should be designed to present the product and put it into scientific and commercial perspective. Presentation by a user is encouraged on the agenda. An expert panel discussion is compulsory at such meetings. Selection of faculty has to be pre-approved by the central office at least five weeks in advance of the activity. The activity must be entirely funded by the trade partner and free of cost to all SFM members. Entry to SFM members cannot be denied but pre-registration may be made compulsory. All payments for the venue, audiovisual and event management teams, mementos etcetera are to be made directly by the trade partner to the vendors. Faculty expenses are also to be borne entirely by the trade partner. A report of the event to the Central Office is compulsory for such meetings as well.

Co - branded Meetings with other Academic Societies

SFM reiterates that Fetal Medicine is multispecialty teamwork. Co-branded Meetings with local branches of Academic Societies such as IRIA, IFUMB, FOGSI, IFS, ISAR, Pediatric, Genetics and Pediatric Subspecialty Societies etc are encouraged. Equal Profit sharing with the partner society is compulsory in this category. SFM members must be entitled to minimum discount of 20% on registration charges. Preliminary & Audited accounts of any such event must be made available to the Central Office within three calendar months of the event. Failure to do so will result in penal action by the Central Office. The type of penalty may include suspension of the office bearers.

SFM endorsed Local, National and International Meetings

Endorsement of meetings/events organized by related societies and their publicity at electronic and live SFM forums is encouraged. This is done free of charge after approval by the Central Office. SFM members must, however, be entitled to a minimum discount of 20% on the registration charges. Regional Chapters should apply for approval by the Central Office at least three months in advance of the date of such an activity.

SFM Approved Courses & Workshops

Themed courses and workshops are encouraged by SFM. The First Trimester Quality Control Workshop is one such example. Regional Chapters are encouraged to organize these.

  1. Please refer to the section on Rules, Guidelines and Ethics for Academic Activities of SFM and choose a program type.

  2. Plan at least 4 - 6 months in advance.

  3. Choose a theme and plan tentative topics and faculty

  4. Put a team together and inform the Central Office.

  5. Choose a venue with a high ceiling ( 14 feet and more ) to ensure that delegates do not have an obstructed view

  6. Ensure that the venue has clean toilets and enough space for meals and the exhibition

  7. LED projection is encouraged. Alternatively, conventional projectors may be used with a rating of at least 6000 lumens and a new bulb

  8. Good audiovisual facilities should receive top priority

  9. Event management companies usually do a better job with the venue and price bargaining

  10. Estimate the budget and plan fund raising

  11. Confirm dates & topics with the central office and invite faculty

  12. Book faculty air tickets well in advance

  13. Obtain PCPNDT permissions separately for display of equipment and separately for live workshop if any

  14. Obtain State Medical Council CME points

  15. Be savvy about local “politics” and learn the art of carrying everyone along

  16. Be in constant touch with the central office on email / phone / whatsapp