Dear Friends and Colleagues:
I have participated in todays ASAM Membership Committee conference call.
Membership recruitment and retention is essential for the viability of our organization and we need to extend every effort to speak to those doctors who have yet to renew their dues.
I will therefore assist John to identify those members to be called ASAP to renew their membership.
I also consider it as a priority to form a membership committee to develop a membership recruitment and retention plan.
It is of interest to note that residents (physicians in postgraduate training programs) only comprise 5% of the total ASAM membership.
We need to attract those physicians early in their career and convey to them the message that addiction medicine may be a career choice in the future.
With the formation of ABAM (American Board of Addiction Medicine) and the subsequent creation of addiction medicine fellowships I see a unique opportunity to attract those physicians towards our profession.
All of these issues should be dealt with by an active and strong membership committee co-chaired by the Chapter President.
What are your thoughts regarding this issue?
Yours
Bernd
