Rocky Mountain High: Record Membership, but Numerous Opportunities for Growth

SGIM Council members meet for a two-day retreat every winter to discuss SGIM priorities, review ongoing activities by our committees, and continue planning for the spring annual meeting. This year, our SGIM winter retreat was held at the Gaylord Rockies Resort in Aurora, CO, the venue for #SGIM23 annual meeting. It was my first time staying at the resort, and, as I envisioned more than 2,500 SGIM members and guests attending #SGIM23, I could see why the site selection committee decided on this year’s vibant location. In addition to my enthusiasm about our progress planning #SGIM23, I enjoyed the meaningful discussion with fellow Council members over SGIM priorities for the coming year. In this column, I want to bring your attention to one of the major priorities for SGIM—establishing strategies for increasing our membership.

Prior to the winter retreat, our SGIM staff did a remarkable job preparing Council for discussion by accumulating and presenting data on the current state of our membership. As of December 1, 2022, SGIM had 3,373 members. Of the total members, 2,475 (73%) are classified as full members and 799 (21%) are associate members. When compared to historical data, our total membership is at a record high. However, a deeper examination of the data raise concerns about whether we have done enough to create awareness of the benefits of membership. Total membership is at its highest level since 2012, and membership in the associate category this year rose significantly over the 644 associate members in 2021. However, unlike this growth among associate members, full membership numbers remained relatively flat since 2012. In addition, while attendance for our #SGIM22 meeting surpassed expectations, many attendees are not currently members, as only 41% of our SGIM members attended the meeting. I believe it is time we examine ways to strengthen our value to SGIM members and to develop strategies to increase full membership.

While in Aurora, SGIM Council spent time exploring areas to increase membership. Our data suggest that members disproportionately live in one of seven states (New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Texas, Colorado, California) leaving significant opportunities to increase membership in GIM divisions throughout the northwest, central and southeastern United States. Furthermore, when examining membership by university affiliation, we found significant gaps in membership among divisions in the Independent Academic Medical Centers, among Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and among medical schools with disproportionally greater numbers of URM trainees.¹ Council discussed giving more attention to recruitment at academic institutions where we have low penetrance. Our goal should be to have every GIM chief in the United States actively engage in our society.

We also recognized the need to continue our focus on the pipeline of future GIM faculty. Although we have seen a yearly increase in associate membership, when compared to 2022, the majority of medical students, residents, and fellows have not yet renewed their membership for 2023 (94%, 87%, and 74% respectively). SGIM Council members discussed the need to further develop strategies to better leverage our regional structure to engage IM program directors and GIM fellowship directors. We believe we have an opportunity to improve understanding how SGIM may better support program directors and GIM division chiefs in their efforts and that, in doing so, we will be able to solicit their longitudinal engagement.

Despite the significant decline in membership SGIM experienced early in the COVID-19 pandemic, we see an increase back to pre-pandemic levels over the past three years. Our SGIM membership staff have done an incredible job addressing our members’ needs and in driving membership during the pandemic. Further, I have faith that the team of membership support staff will continue their exceptional performance in 2023. That said, SGIM is, as always, a membership-driven society. It is the responsibility of each of us, as SGIM members, to do all we can to recruit trainees and faculty into our society and to help inform SGIM leaders as to the best ways of meeting the needs of GIM faculty.