Membership and Mentorship Committee

Purpose

To approve, recommend and assess membership composition and to develop programs that will encourage and mentor medical residents, with the intent of broadening to other student categories, to become involved in career paths related to the study and/or care of patients with liver disease. This assumes that the "students" are not currently aware, involved or interested in such career paths.

Tasks

The Committee will initially develop an overall plan for the scope of their activities. These should include:

• Review of membership criteria and recommendation of candidates for membership in AASLD in collaboration with staff.
• Development of strategies to recruit, track and integrate new members in AASLD.
• Development of mentoring opportunities for those as yet not committed to the field, e.g. medical students, residents, and fellows.
• Development of strategies and programs to encourage residents and medical students to pursue careers related to care of patients with liver disease.
• Working within the budget and policies set forth by the Governing Board.

The Chair will:

• Prepare a written report for each Governing Board meeting recommending candidates for membership.
• Provide a written report proposing/evaluating mentoring programs at the August Governing Board meeting.
• Submit, for approval, an annual budget and work plan.
• Make policy recommendations to the Governing Board.

Size, Term, Composition

• At least eight (8) members will serve staggered three-year terms with new members appointed annually.
• The committee should reflect the diversity of membership.
• The committee chair will be that member with the most committee seniority. The committee should reflect the diversity of the membership.

Appointment

Committee members will be selected by the AASLD President, with the advice and consent of the Governing Board. Special ad hoc members may be assigned, with approval of the AASLD President.

Governing Board Liaison

A Board liaison may be appointed for the purpose of sharing information between committee members, the Governing Board and AASLD staff.

Reports To

The committee reports to the Governing Board. Written reports are submitted for each Governing Board meeting.

Meetings

Committee members are expected to meet in person or by conference call, after the deadline for receipt of applications. Other meetings may be called upon approval of the President.

Work Outside Of Meetings

Minimal

Costs

• Individual committee member expenses are reimbursed in accordance with Association policy.
• The Governing Board at its November 2011 meeting approved the designation of $500K, from the unrestricted net assets, for $100K per year for mentoring opportunities.

Relates To Goal

• Goal 1.3 Augment workforce recruitment, mentoring, and career development activities.
• Goal 2.1 Facilitate translational science continuity from basic discovery into practice, cost-effective care, and health policy.
• Goal 4.1 Optimize membership growth.
• Goal 4.3 Strengthen AASLD brand awareness to key audiences (for example, AASLD versus The Liver Meeting®) and use surveys and focus groups to monitor: members and future members.

Appendix

Some suggested activities include:

• Invitation of appropriate non-members to become members in collaboration with staff.
• Recommendation of marketing strategies that will advertise items of particular interest to the specific candidate (e.g. participation in particular SIG).
• Provision of guidance to staff in identifying, collecting, analyzing and reporting characteristics of membership composition (e.g. demographics, areas of clinical interest, areas of research interest) important for member integration into AASLD activities and committee work. Review annually prepared lists of members interested in specific committees, reviewer groups, SIGs, etc. derived from membership composition data and make recommendations to the Governing Board as needed.
• Establishment of a program to fund and mentor residents to attend the Annual Meeting.
• Partner with staff to support the launch and ongoing success of an AASLD Mentoring Program for members of the association. 

Committee Members