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Serving as SGIM Associate Member on Council – Call for Nominations and Reflections

By Madeline Sterling posted 07-16-2019 14:57

  

By Madeline Sterling, MD, MPH, MS

  • Are you a student, resident, or fellow passionate about general internal medicine?
  • Do you enjoy being a member of The Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM)?
  • Do you leave SGIM regional or national meetings feeling excited about clinical care, education, or research?
  • Do you want to be a voice for the next generation of general internists?

If the answer to these questions is yes, consider applying for the position of Associate Member Representative on Society of General Internal Medicine’s (SGIM) National Council! The associate member represents the interests of students, residents, and fellows on SGIM’s governing body. This position gives Associate Members a voice on Council, especially with programs, initiatives, and decisions that pertain to making SGIM a more attractive professional home for trainees.

As I reflect on my last three years as the Associate Member Representative on Council, I can say without doubt that this position was tremendously fulfilling. I had the opportunity to serve alongside the leaders of our field and make decisions about the direction of our society, including many of its programs and offerings. I participated in discussions on how we as an organization should: address challenges in clinical practice (primary care and hospital medicine), advocate for our values, support health policy positions, collaborate with other medical societies, and nurture our membership’s career development needs. Not only was my voice during all of our Council meetings heard, but my ideas, reflecting the perspective of trainees, were welcomed and valued. Shortly into my term, I saw that SGIM Council cares deeply about the needs of students, residents, and fellows, and is open to new ideas for how to grow and support them.

Beyond the work of the Council, the position allowed me to give back to an organization which has been my professional home since my second year of medical school. It also helped me cultivate my own leadership skills and make connections with SGIM members from around the country, many of whom I am now fortunate enough to call friends and mentors.

I encourage you to discuss this opportunity with your local or SGIM mentors, and your program director or Division Chief. You can be nominated or you can self-nominate. The time commitment required to be the Associate Member includes: attending monthly conference calls (90 minutes), and two in-person retreats. In addition, contributing to ad-hoc working groups and initiatives is likely. Here is the link to submit nominations: https://www.sgim.org/about-us/leadership/nominations

Feel free to reach out to me if you would like to discuss further via email (mrs9012@med.cornell.edu) or Twitter (@mad_sters)
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