Message from the ISSM President Annamaria Giraldi
Dear ISSM members,
This message from me as ISSM President arrives at a time of mixed emotions: there is war in Ukraine that makes us worry about the state of the world, but there is also hope of a new dawn as the pandemic seems to be at the far end of its journey. There is real excitement at the prospect of finally meeting each other in person at the ISSM-SMSNA Scientific Meeting on Sexual Medicine to take place in Miami, USA from October 27-30, 2022.
Last month, I finally had the opportunity to travel again and meet the ISSM Executive Committee in person for the first time since we last met in March 2020. We had our yearly strategy session to discuss the future of the society.
We discussed that one of the successful projects that started due to the pandemic in 2020 is the ISSM Webinar Series. This month, we will organize our 24th webinar! On average, we welcome 200 live attendees to each ISSM webinar. Did you know that if you cannot join the live webinar, you still have the opportunity to view the webinar on demand, at a time and place convenient for you? Check out the past webinars here.
I would like to thank again the ISSM Education Committee for all the work they have put into the webinars, lead by the vice-chair Patrícia M. Pascoal from Portugal, and of course also a big thanks to all the faculty members involved!
The ISSM Education Committee, led by chairman Landon Trost, also continues to work hard on finalizing the ISSM Curriculum on Sexual Medicine for ISSM members to complete on the ISSM University. We can already begin the unveiling, as in the strategic session of the ISSM EC it was discussed that we work on expanding the ISSM University to make it even more beneficial for members. It is really exciting, and I hope to be able to update you soon with more information.
The ISSM/SMSNA Scientific Committee, under the great chairmanship of Alan Shindel and Linda Vignozzi, is working hard on finalizing the program of the joint meeting in Miami. The program will soon be announced, so keep an eye out for it on the website.
ISSM and/or SMSNA Members who have submitted an abstract are eligible to apply for a travel stipend that will cover travel, living expenses, and meeting registration fees. The deadline to apply is July 1, 2022, so make sure to send in your application. Applications from those working in lower-income countries and/or who are experiencing financial hardship will be given priority.
The ISSM Communication Committee continues to work hard on providing answers to public questions on sexual medicine through the ISSM social media channels and the ISSM website. They will shortly announce the social media prize again, where the registrant to the ISSM-SMSNA meeting in October 2022 with the best Twitter coverage will be awarded with the Social Media Prize, worth USD 500!
At the end of the joint ISSM-SMSNA meeting in Miami, I have to hand over the ISSM presidency already. Time went by so fast and so much has been achieved with the great help of all ISSM committees and members. Fortunately, I know the ISSM is in good hands with Gerald Brock as the new ISSM President per November 2022.
Are you ready to take a seat at the leadership table? Last week, we sent out a call for nominations for positions in the ISSM Board of Directors. The deadline to submit your self-nomination or nominate an ISSM colleague for one of our open positions is July 4, 2022. Open positions include ISSM President-Elect, ISSM Treasurer, and 3 Members at Large. ISSM seeks to have members in leadership positions who represent the geographic and multidisciplinary nature of the society. Visit the ISSM website for the criteria, eligibility, and nomination instructions.
The Sexual Medicine Reviews Journal, one of the four official ISSM Journals, is soon also accepting applications for the position of Editor-in-Chief (start per October 2022). The SMR represents the diversity of subjects in basic science and clinical practice that define sexual health, sexual function, sexual dysfunction, and sexual medicine. SMR is targeted at the sexual medicine investigator, practitioner, and trainee, but is also explicitly intended to appeal to and serve the needs of a broader audience of generalists and specialists with interest in or need of a high-quality overview of a specific topic in sexual medicine. Sexual Medicine Reviews has been included in PubMed since 2020 and has an Impact Factor of 4.836. More information will be made available soon!
The Young Researchers Committee, under the great leadership of Andrea Salonia, has worked on developing a survey on the Perception of Sexual Norms. This is currently in its pilot phase and the committee is looking forward to presenting the preliminary results to you during the scientific meeting in October. I can’t wait to see the results.
Currently, there are also 3 consultations on sexual medicine running. One on New Regenerative Interventions in Sexual Medicine, one on Female Genitopelvic Pain, and one on Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder and Hypersexuality. The preliminary results will be presented to you during the scientific meeting in October. Even more reason to attend!
As you can see from this list of accomplishments, our committees are vibrant and productive groups within the ISSM. We depend on our members to volunteer their time and expertise to carry out the mission and work of the organization. Thank you to all whose contributions to our committees move both ISSM and the field of sexual medicine forward.
Please remember that if you have ideas or suggestions for projects, you can always contact the members of the ISSM Executive Committee or contact our Executive Office.
I look forward to welcoming you all in Miami soon!
Warm regards,
Annamaria Giraldi
President ISSM
Ps. on the photo, from left to right: Kwangsung Park, Annamaria Giraldi, Gerald Brock, Luiz Otavio Torres, Arthur Burnett.
