SCMR Endorsement for Educational Programs

The SCMR Course Endorsement Program provides formal recognition to educational courses that meet the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) standards for high‑quality education in cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). The program is intended exclusively for educational courses and does not apply to annual meetings, conferences, or other types of events. Endorsement confirms that a course aligns with SCMR’s mission to promote excellence in CMR education and professional development worldwide. Endorsement is granted for a specific course instance and must be renewed for subsequent editions. SCMR is not endorsing fellowship programs.

• Applications for endorsement must be submitted by non‑profit organizations, such as universities, academic institutions, or professional societies. For‑profit organizations are not eligible to apply for SCMR endorsement.
• The course should not be in direct conflict with the audience, content, timing, or geographic location of the SCMR Annual Scientific Sessions or any in-person or online Educational Courses within the same calendar year.

View the SCMR Event Calendar here.

• Applications must be submitted at least three months prior to the event.
• The course must include participation of at least one SCMR member in good standing within a well-recognized faculty or planning committee and must address diverse subject matters.
• The course program must present clearly defined learning objectives, qualified faculty, and a curriculum substantially focused on cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

The SCMR Course Endorsement Program operates under two tracks. Both tracks require applicants to demonstrate compliance with SCMR educational standards.

Track A

It applies to general CMR educational courses seeking official recognition by SCMR. When applying, you will be asked to:

• Upload the Faculty list and the course program

Track B

It applies to courses seeking confirmation that they fulfill the requirements for CMR Level I training according to SCMR guidelines.

• The course must include a minimum of 2 full days of intensive, live instruction (either in person or remotely via a video-conferencing platform) in the indications, methods, and applications of CMR.
• The course director must be Level II or preferably Level III qualified. EACVI and ESCR level II and III will also be accepted based on reciprocity with these sister societies.
• The course must cover all topics listed in below.
• These topics may be presented as both didactic lecture and as case‑based learning.

Topics to be covered in Level I training:

• CMR safety: magnetic fields, contrast agents, and contraindications.
• MRI contrast agents; mechanisms and applications
• Flow imaging and quantitative analysis of velocity-encoded images
• CMR of cardiovascular structure and anatomy
• CMR of right and left ventricular function
• CMR of myocardial infarction, scarring, and viability assessment
• CMR of myocardial fibrosis and edema
• Pharmacologic stress testing with CMR
• CMR of vascular pathology, including aortic disease
• CMR of valvular heart disease
• CMR of pediatric and adult congenital heart disease
• CMR in cardiomyopathies and heart failure
• CMR in arrhythmia
• CMR of pericardial disease
• CMR for cardiac masses and tumors

SCMR may optionally issue Level I certificates directly to attendees for a fee of USD 50 per participant (SCMR Staff to record the data). This must be specified and confirmed at the time the course endorsement application is submitted to SCMR. Alternatively, attendees may independently apply for official Level I competency verification through the SCMR Track B pathway by submitting proof of attendance, the course syllabus, and a letter from the course director confirming that the course meets SCMR requirements.

When applying, you will be asked to:

• Upload the letter verifying that the course meets the Level I criteria (template)
• Upload the Faculty list and the course program

• Recognition, including one visual, in the monthly SCMR e-Newsletter the month prior to the course
• SCMR logo usage on promotional and event materials according to branding guidelines
• Recognition and listing of the course on the SCMR website course endorsement page.

Endorsement fees for the Standard Endorsement Package are determined based on the income classification of the country where the course takes place as outlined below:

• For High‑Income Countries: USD 1,500.
• For Upper‑Middle‑Income Countries: USD 1,000.
• For Lower‑Middle‑Income Countries: USD 500.
• For Low‑Income Countries, fees are waived.

Please verify your tier here

If the same course applies for endorsement more than once within the same calendar year, a 50% discount applies to the second application, and the endorsement fee is waived for the third and any subsequent applications within the same calendar year.

• Recognition, including one visual and 100-word description, in the monthly SCMR e-Newsletter the month prior to the course
• One feature on the SCMR’s social media platforms -Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook
• SCMR logo usage on promotional and event materials according to branding guidelines
• One banner ad on the SCMR website course endorsement page for a one-month period.

One single fee: USD 5,000

• The acronym ‘SCMR’ is protected and may only be used once a course is officially endorsed by SCMR. It may not be used in the title of the course.
• The SCMR course endorsement logo, which will be provided by SCMR, may only be used for a single activity eligible and approved for endorsement by the SCMR Education Committee, in accordance with the SCMR branding guidelines.
• The SCMR endorsement logo must be used in its original format, shape, and color. (i.e., no distortion of the logo is permitted).
• Recurrent or annual educational events must seek endorsement each time they are organized; no automatic nor ongoing endorsement is issued by SCMR.

Unapproved language and unapproved use of logo can lead to removing the course endorsement.

• To display SCMR materials at the course site (online and/or in person)
• To donate a complimentary registration (1/100 expected attendees for a maximum of two free registrations) for SCMR to distribute to a fellow/technologist of SCMR’s choosing.

Once an application is submitted, SCMR staff will first verify that the course endorsement fee has been paid and that the application is fully complete. The SCMR Staff will verify that the application complies with the SCMR course endorsement criteria. If the application meets the eligibility criteria, it will then be submitted to the SCMR Education Committee for review. Following the committee’s evaluation, the SCMR staff will communicate the final decision to the applicant.

The full review process takes approximately 10 to 12 weeks for completion.

After receiving confirmation from the SCMR Education Committee, SCMR staff communicate the final course endorsement decision to the applicant within 48 hours and send the Acceptance of Terms and Conditions form to be signed by the applicant.

Following completion of the course, organizers are required to submit, within thirty (30) days following the course, a brief report to SCMR summarizing the course outcomes. This report should include participant statistics, a summary of the program delivered, and a selection of photographs from the course.

SCMR may decline endorsement of a course if the scientific program does not meet the Society’s standards for educational quality, scientific rigor, and relevance to cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR).

Grounds for rejection may include, but are not limited to:

• A curriculum that lacks clearly defined learning objectives, insufficient scientific depth or accuracy, inadequate coverage of the proposed subject matter, content that is not evidence-based or aligned with current standards of practice, or a program that is predominantly promotional in nature.
• Endorsement may also be denied if the course faculty does not demonstrate appropriate expertise, qualifications, and recognized experience relevant to the topics presented, or if the overall faculty composition is insufficient to support the scientific quality and educational objectives of the program.
• SCMR reserves the right to reject applications that, in its judgment, do not adequately support high-quality CMR education or uphold the educational standards and reputation of the Society.

Should the SCMR Education Committee reject a course endorsement application, the applicant can request reconsideration of the decision when they believe that relevant information was overlooked, misinterpreted, or when deficiencies identified during the review process have been addressed.

An appeal may be submitted when:

• The applicant believes the endorsement criteria were incorrectly applied.
• Relevant information provided in the original application was not adequately considered.
• The applicant has addressed specific deficiencies identified in the decision letter and seeks reconsideration.

An appeal may not be submitted solely because the applicant disagrees with SCMR’s judgment or endorsement standards.

An appeal must be submitted in writing to Ms. Halima Morchid, SCMR Education Manager, at [email protected] within thirty (30) calendar days of the date of the endorsement decision.

The appeal must include:

• A statement of the grounds for appeal
• Any supporting documentation
• A response to the reasons for rejection identified in the decision letter
• Evidence of any corrective actions taken, if applicable.

Applications that do not include the required information may be returned without review.

The review shall be based on the written materials submitted. SCMR is not required to conduct hearings, interviews, or oral presentations.

The SCMR course endorsement applies only to the specific course instance for which approval has been granted. Future editions of the course require a new application for endorsement.

SCMR reserves the right to withdraw endorsement if the course fails to comply with SCMR policies or if the SCMR name or logo is used inappropriately. In that case, endorsement fees will not be reimbursed.