Join us in Houston for a redesigned, high‑impact two‑day hybrid program delivering the latest in echocardiography. The 16th Annual Houston State‑of‑the‑Art Echo Symposium & Boot Camp for the 2026 Board brings together cardiologists, sonographers, and fellows for an immersive experience that blends cutting‑edge guideline updates, advanced imaging techniques, multidisciplinary Heart Team discussions, and dedicated NBE board preparation.
Led by nationally recognized faculty from Houston’s premier institutions, the symposium emphasizes real‑world application through fast‑paced lectures, interactive case reviews, multimodality integration, and practical imaging pearls designed to elevate daily practice and strengthen board readiness.
Register at: http://bit.ly/4kssYX3
Case-Based Learning + Fast-Paced Didactic Lectures
Course topics will include valvular heart disease, systolic and diastolic function, coronary artery disease evaluation and complications, pericardial disease, ultrasound physics, cardiac masses, and congenital heart disease.
Echocardiography continues to evolve rapidly, driven by new ASE guideline updates, advancing imaging technologies, and an expanding evidence base that is not yet fully incorporated into routine clinical practice. Persistent gaps remain in accurately applying guideline‑directed methods for assessing valvular disease, right heart pathology, diastolic function, prosthetic valves, congenital abnormalities, and cardiomyopathies, leading to variation in interpretation and clinical decision‑making.
Additionally, the increasing use of multimodality imaging demands that clinicians understand how to integrate cardiac MRI, CT, and other modalities with echocardiography to improve diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes. Complex cardiovascular cases increasingly require multidisciplinary, team‑based interpretation, yet many practitioners lack exposure to Heart Team–style collaborative decision‑making.
Finally, there is a growing need for structured preparation for the National Board of Echocardiography (NBE) exam, as many trainees and practitioners seek focused review of core principles, formulas, and board‑style questions.
This course addresses these professional practice gaps through state‑of‑the‑art updates, case‑based learning, guideline‑focused instruction, multimodality integration, multidisciplinary discussions, and a dedicated NBE exam preparation boot camp to help participants apply contemporary imaging standards effectively in daily practice.
Friday, April 10, 2026
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8:00 am – 8:10 am |
Opening Session |
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Welcome and Course Overview Speakers: Enrique Garcia-Sayan, MD, and Ihab Hamzeh, MD |
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8:10 am – 9:45 am |
Chambers & Pump: Fundamentals Moderator: Ihab Hamzeh, MD |
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Left Heart Chamber Quantification 8:10 am – 8:35 am Speaker: Ihab Hamzeh, MD Diastolic Function Simplified: Applying the 2025 Guidelines 8:35 am – 9:00 am Speaker: Enrique Garcia-Sayan, MD Getting it Right: RV Function and Pulmonary Hypertension 9:00 am – 9:25 am Speaker: Hyeon-Ju Ali, MD Panel Discussion 9:25 am – 9:45 am All speakers |
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9:45 am – 10:00 am |
Break / Expo Hall |
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10:00 am – 12:00 pm |
Chambers & Pump: Complex States Moderator: Enrique Garcia-Sayan, MD |
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Cardiomyopathies: From Hypertrophic to Infiltrative 10:00 am – 10:25 am Speaker: Stephanie Coulter, MD Imaging Mechanical Circulatory Support & Heart Transplant Patients 10:25 am – 10:50 am Speaker: Raymond Stainback, MD POCUS and Hemodynamic Assessment in Shock 10:50 am – 11:15 am Speaker: Mourad Senussi, MD Cardiac Masses Including Primary and Secondary Tumors of the Heart 11:15 am – 11:40 am Speaker: Kara Thompson, MD Panel Discussion 11:40 am – 12:00 pm All speakers |
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12:00 pm – 12:45 pm |
Lunch / Expo Hall |
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12:45 pm – 2:45 pm |
Valvular Masterclass 1: Left-Sided Lesions Moderator: Ihab Hamzeh, MD |
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Mitral Stenosis: Rheumatic vs. Degenerative 12:45 pm – 1:10 pm Speaker: Raymond Stainback, MD Mitral Regurgitation: From Mechanism to Management 1:10 pm – 1:35 pm Speaker: Enrique Garcia-Sayan, MD Aortic Stenosis: Applying Guidelines to Complex Clinical Scenarios 1:35 pm – 2:00 pm Speaker: Raymond Stainback, MD Aortic Regurgitation: State-of-the-Art Imaging & Intervention Thresholds 2:00 pm – 2:25 pm Speaker: William Zoghbi, MD Panel Discussion 2:25 pm – 2:45 pm All speakers |
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2:45 pm – 3:00 pm |
Break / Expo Hall |
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3:00 pm – 5:00 pm |
Valvular Masterclass 2: Complex Valve States & Structural Interventions Moderator: Enrique Garcia-Sayan, MD |
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Prosthetic Valve Assessment: Integrating New Guidelines and Best Practices 3:00 pm – 3:25 pm Speaker: William Zoghbi, MD Don’t Forget Us: Tricuspid & Pulmonic Valve Disease 3:25 pm – 3:50 pm Speaker: Enrique Garcia-Sayan, MD Interventional Echocardiography: Guiding Structural Procedures 3:50 pm – 4:15 pm Speaker: Srikanth Koneru, MD Endocarditis: Echocardiography in Diagnosis and Guiding Management 4:15 pm – 4:40 pm Speaker: Carl Zehner, MD Panel Discussion 4:40 pm – 5:00 pm All speakers |
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5:00 pm – 6:40 pm |
Echo Across the Lifespan: Congenital & Ischemic Moderator: Ihab Hamzeh, MD |
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Common Congenital Defects in Adults: What to Look For 5:00 pm – 5:25 pm Speaker: Peter Ermis, MD Complex Congenital Heart Disease Made Simple 5:25 pm – 5:50 pm Speaker: Dhaval Parekh, MD Mechanical Complications of Myocardial Infarction 5:50 pm – 6:15 pm Speaker: Joseph Navarijo, MD Stress Echocardiography for Coronary Artery Disease 6:15 pm – 6:40 pm Speaker: Arunima Misra, MD |
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6:40 pm – 7:30 pm |
Networking Reception with Faculty and Industry |
Saturday, April 11, 2026
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8:00 am – 10:35 am |
Miscellaneous Echo Topics in Practice Moderator: Ihab Hamzeh, MD |
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Ultrasound Physics Pearls: What You Really Need to Know (working breakfast) 8:00 am – 9:00 am Speaker: Sidney Edelman, PhD Diseases of the Aorta: Echo & Multimodality Assessment 9:00 am – 9:25 am Speaker: Basant Arya, MD Pericardial Disease: Effusion, Tamponade & Constriction 9:25 am – 9:50 am Speaker: Ihab Hamzeh, MD Building a High-Performing Echo Lab: Quality and Accreditation 9:50 am – 10:15 am Speaker: Enrique Garcia-Sayan, MD Panel Discussion 10:15 am – 10:35 am All speakers |
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10:35 am – 10:50 am |
Break / Expo Hall |
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10:50 am – 12:30 pm |
Advanced Imaging Toolbox Moderator: Enrique Garcia-Sayan, MD |
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Strain Imaging in Clinical Practice: How to Perform and Why it Matters 10:50 am – 11:15 am Speakers: Triston Thompson & Ihab Hamzeh, MD Ultrasound Contrast: Utility, Safety & Best Practices 11:15 am – 11:40 am Speaker: Leticia Vasquez Cardiac MRI for the Echo Expert: When and Why 11:40 am – 12:05 pm Speaker: Juan Lopez Mattei, MD 3D Echocardiography: Acquisition, Cropping & Clinical Value 12:05 pm – 12:30 pm Speaker: Stephen H. Little, MD |
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12:30 pm – 1:15 pm |
Lunch / Expo Hall |
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Working Lunch and “Unknown Cases” 12:45 pm – 1:15 pm Speaker: Shamim Badruddin Mawji, MD |
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1:15 pm – 3:15 pm |
The Heart Team in Action: Imaging Meets Intervention Moderator: Enrique Garcia-Sayan, MD |
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The Heart-Team In Action: Cardiomyopathies in the Real World 1:15 pm – 2:15 pm Speaker / Case Presenter: Shaden Khalaf, MD Panelist (Echo): Stephanie Coulter, MD Panelist (Multi-Modality): Juan Lopez Mattei, MD Panelist (HF Specialist): Ajith P. Nair, MD The Heart-Team In Action: Complex Valve Disease & Interventional Echo 2:15 pm – 3:15 pm Speaker / Case Presenter: Deepa Raghunathan, MD Panelist (Interventional Echo): Stephen H. Little, MD Panelist (Multi-Modality): Srikanth Koneru, MD Panelist (Interventional Cardiologist): Guillherme Silva, MD |
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3:15 pm – 3:30 pm |
Break |
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3:30 pm – 5:50 pm |
Echo Board Boot Camp Moderator: Ihab Hamzeh, MD |
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Echo Board Survival Guide: NBE Exam Structure & Tips for Success 3:30 pm – 3:40 pm Speaker: Ihab Hamzeh, MD Echo Board Survival Guide: Must-Know Formulas 3:40 pm – 4:00 pm Speaker: Enrique Garcia-Sayan, MD Echo Board Review Questions Part 1 4:00 pm – 4:50 pm Speaker: Bindu Chebrolu, MD Echo Board Review Questions Part 2 4:50 pm – 5:40 pm Speaker: Leslie Ynalvez, MD Panel Discussion 5:40 pm – 5:50 pm All speakers |
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5:50 pm |
Adjourn |
EDUCATIONAL METHODS
Lecture, Panel Discussion, and Case Study
ACTIVITY EVALUATION
Evaluation by questionnaire will address program content, presentation, and possible bias.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For conference questions, contact
cpd@bcm.edu
AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
Baylor College of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Baylor College of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 18.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Credit
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 18.00 MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program.
Participants will earn MOC points equivalent to the amount of CME credits claimed for the activity. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.
American Board of Surgery (ABS) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Credit
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME and Self-Assessment requirements of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABS credit.
In order to meet the requirements of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education
(ACCME), it is the policy of Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) that all individuals who are in a
position to control the content of the CME activity (activity director, planning committee members,
and faculty) disclose relevant financial relationships with commercial interests.
All identified conflicts of interest are managed to help ensure that the educational material is scientifically
based, accurate,current and objectively presented. Specific disclosure will be made to the participants prior
to the educational activity.
April 10-11, 2026, check-in is 7:30 AM – 08:00 AM
Denton A. Cooley Auditorium at Texas Heart Institute
6770 Bertner Ave, Houston, TX 77030
In-person Conference
Refer to the registration form for the fee schedule. Your registration will not be processed until
payment is received. Your registration will be confirmed. If you have not received confirmation
at least five business days before the activity start date, contact the Division of Continuing
Professional Development (DCPD) immediately.
If you plan to register on-site, contact DCPD at least 24 hours in advance to confirm activity
status and space availability. The DCPD reserves the right to limit the number of participants in an
activity and will not be responsible for any expenses incurred by an individual whose registration is
not confirmed and for whom space is not available.
To register/pay online visit the activity website at
https://cpd.education.bcm.edu/content/16th-annual-houston-state-art-echo-symposium-boot-camp2026-board#group-tabs-node-course-default1 and follow the instructions.
CANCELLATION/REFUND POLICY
Requests for registration refunds must be in writing and received by the DCPD at least 10 business
days before the activity begins. The date the request is received by the DCPD will be considered the
cancellation date. Requests received after the refund deadline will not be processed. Cancellations are
subject to a $50 administrative fee deducted from the registration fee paid to cover guarantees and other
expenses.
Requests should be mailed to the DCPD or email to cpd@bcm.edu.
The DCPD reserves the right to cancel activities, not less than 10 business days before the scheduled date, if
extenuating circumstances make it necessary. Registrants will be notified at the contact number indicated
on the registration form followed by written notification. If an activity is canceled, DCPD’s liability is limited
to the registration fee paid.
Note: If payment is made by check, a social security number is required to process the refund.
REGISTRATION FEES* includes live streaming option.
*Email verification to cpd@bcm.edu within 24 hours
of registration
Hyeon-Ju Ali, MD, FACC, UT MD Anderson
Basant Arya, MD, FASE, The Texas Heart Institute at Baylor College of Medicine
Shamim Badruddin Mawji, MD, FACC, Coastal Cardiology PLLC and Corpus Christi Medical Center
Bindu Chebrolu, MD, Houston Methodist Hospital
Stephanie Coulter, MD, FACC, FASE, The Texas Heart Institute at Baylor College of Medicine
Sidney Edelman, PhD, The Texas Heart Institute at Baylor College of Medicine
Peter Ermis, MD Texas Children’s Hospital
Enrique Garcia-Sayan, MD, FASE, FACC, The Texas Heart Institute at Baylor College of Medicine
Ihab Hamzeh, MD, FASE,UT MD Anderson
Shaden Khalaf, MD, UT MD Anderson
Srikanth Koneru, MD, FASE, The Texas Heart Institute at Baylor College of Medicine
Stephen H. Little, MD, FACC, FASE, Houston Methodist Hospital
Juan Lopez Mattei, MD, FACC, FASE, The Texas Heart Institute at Baylor College of Medicine
Arunima Misra, MD, FASE, Baylor College of Medicine / DeBakey VA Medical Center
Ajith P. Nair, MD, FACC, FAHA, The Texas Heart Institute at Baylor College of Medicine
Joseph Navarijo, MD, FACC, The Texas Heart Institute at Baylor College of Medicine
Dhaval Parekh, MD, The Texas Heart Institute at Baylor College of Medicine
Deepa Raghunathan, MD, UT Health Houston / Memorial Hermann Hospital
Mourad Senussi, MD, The Texas Heart Institute at Baylor College of Medicine
Guilherme Silva, MD, FACC, The Texas Heart Institute at Baylor College of Medicine
Raymond Stainback, MD, FACC, FASE The Texas Heart Institute at Baylor College of Medicine
Kara Thompson, MD, FACC,UT MD Anderson
Triston Thompson, The Texas Heart Institute at Baylor College of Medicine
Leticia Vasquez, UT MD Anderson
Leslie Ynalvez, MD, UT MD Anderson
Carl Zehner, MD, FACC, UT MD Anderson
William Zoghbi, MD, FASE, MACC, Houston Methodist Hospital
REGISTER TODAY
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