October 2023

Dear SOAP Members, 

This has been a tumultuous time on our planet, especially with multiple humanitarian crises internationally. I know the world turmoil has been heartbreaking for all, certainly for those with loved ones who are directly impacted, and generally for us who entered medicine and anesthesia with guiding values to relieve human suffering. I hope that our membership is able to find safe spaces to reflect, discuss, support and advocate in meaningful and collaborative ways. I hope our collective humanity will prevail.

Our SOAP membership was actually quite busy in October. There was a strong showing at the ASA, with numerous OB-related presentations, including the inspiring Gertie Marx Keynote talk presented by Dr Barbara Scavone. The SOAP Research Network Symposium also attracted a full room at the ASA. October also marked the application deadlines for the formation of new Special Interest Groups and for Center of Excellence applications. We are excited about creating more pathways and linkages so that our society can have greater and more meaningful impact.

There is so much happening, and I encourage you to explore our rapidly-evolving network:

• Log into the New SOAP Community!

And for additional updates, please see below

May Pian-Smith, MD
President, Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology

BOARD STATS

• To date, there are 44 SOAP State Representatives, and we continue to work towards securing a representative from each state.  SOAP State Representatives will provide a key contact in each state to help us reach a broader audience, as SOAP strives to meet its mission to provide safe and equitable care for women and newborns everywhere.

 
COMMITTEE STATS
 
Annual Meeting and Live Events Committee

• Future Meetings:
• The 2024 Annual Meeting will be held May 2-5, 2024, in Denver, Colorado.
• The 2025 Annual Meeting will be held April 30 – May 4, 2025, in Portland, Oregon.

 
Education Committee

• The October simulation module, Case of Delayed Post-Partum Hemorrhage in the Setting of Retained Products of Conception, was posted to the website and promoted via social media.
• The September Fellows Webinar, Infertility and Assisted-Reproductive Technology, presented by Dr. Erin Haggerty, was held live on October 11^th.
• The COPUS webinar, Gastric Ultrasound as a tool for clinical decision making in obstetric anesthesia. Can it make a difference?: A case-based discussion of the literature, presented by Dr, Juliana Andrea Barrera Ramirez was held live on October 30^th. 

 
Diversity Committee

• The Diversity & Inclusivity committee has populated the subcommittees.

 
Governance Committee

• Dr. Barbara Scavone has been selected to present the Fred Hehre lecturer at the 2024 SOAP Annual Meeting. Congratulations to Dr. Scavone!
• Dr. Emily Sharpe has been selected to present the 2024 Ostheimer Lecturer at the 2024 SOAP Annual Meeting. Congratulations to Dr. Sharpe!
• Distinguished Service Award nominations closed on October 20. The Governance committee is currently reviewing nominations.

 
Intersociety Committee

• Thank you to all those who applied for SOAP Speaks! Speaker applications are currently under review.
• Applications are closed for the Centers of Excellence (COE). 24 institutions submitted applications this cycle. The COE Subcommittee is currently reviewing applications.

• Read the Fall 2023 Newsletter.
• Join one of the twelve Special Interest Groups. To see a full list of the Special Interest Groups, visit the SOAP website.

 
Research Committee

• The SOAP Research Network Symposium was held in conjunction with the ASA Annual Meeting on October 15^th.
• To date, 54 institutions have confirmed their participation in the SOAP General Anesthesia for Cesarean Delivery Registry. Dr. Lisa Leffert, primary investigator, and Research Network support team members explained the project, its goals, requirements, logistics, and opportunities in a recorded webinar. 

 
Finance Committee

• Combined net assets for SOAP and the SOAP Endowment were $5.1M as of July 31 , 2023.

 
SOAP Headquarters

• Log into the New SOAP Community! We’re happy to invite you to join the NEW official SOAP online community platform at TradeWing! The new platform has many of the features members requested.
  • Add [email protected] to your safe sender's list so you can receive announcements from SOAP Community.
  • View the full list of features and frequently asked questions. 

 Sincerely, 

May Pian-Smith, MD
President, Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology