Give Your Time, Count the Gains

“We make a living by what we do, but we make a life by what we give.”—Sir Winston Churchill

Each year around this time, the ACR Committee on Nominations and Appointments sends out a call for volunteers to serve on ACR and Research and Education Foundation (REF) committees.

When I first became involved with the ACR, I was surprised at the broad scope of its work. Whether your interests lie in education, advocacy, research, practice, or training, or if you just want to gain some experience in finance or dealing with ethical issues, there is a volunteer structure within the ACR to serve your needs where you can meet and work with people who share your interests. There are also excellent volunteer opportunities with the REF, particularly if you are interested in fundraising or peer review. All told, between the ACR, ARHP, and REF, we currently have more than 300 volunteers working to better the rheumatology specialty. It is truly an impressive network of talented and highly motivated people committed to advancing our specialty.

As we prepare for this year’s nominations process, I would like to share with you some personal reflections about what volunteering for the ACR has meant for me. I also want to share some common themes I have heard from other ACR volunteers about the benefits of volunteering.

Just for fun, I went back and itemized all of my ACR volunteer activities throughout my rheumatology career (see “My Volunteer History,” below left). As you can see, my own volunteer work with the ACR goes back 15 years and spans a variety of activities, but has a strong focus on my personal areas of interest and expertise. Through these activities I had the distinct privilege of meeting and working with rheumatologists from many professional walks of life, from across the country and around the world. The camaraderie, networking, and friendships I gained through these experiences were invaluable. Moreover, I had an opportunity not only to learn new leadership and management skills, but also to test these skills in a relatively low-risk environment with extensive administrative support. Some of this learning happened simply by watching my more experienced colleagues in action, but much of my learning occurred as a result of working side by side with one or more of our world-class ACR staff. While building friendships, networking, and developing leadership skills were very valuable, for me, the most rewarding aspect of my ACR volunteer work was the knowledge that my efforts were helping to advance the specialty about which I care so much.

Benefits of Volunteering

In talking with other volunteers, I found that my experiences were very similar to theirs. The overwhelming majority of them said that, by far, the most appealing aspect of volunteering for the ACR is the relationships they have built with their rheumatology colleagues, colleagues they might otherwise never have had the chance to meet. The opportunity to interact with friends and colleagues from around the country to make a positive impact on the future of rheumatology is a truly special experience.

The ACR affords unique opportunities to learn, firsthand, about the professional challenges and rewards associated with the varied career paths of our rheumatology colleagues, paths that may be very different from our own. Through these interactions, clinicians can gain a deeper understanding of rheumatology careers in research, and vice-versa; academic rheumatologists can gain a better understanding of careers in private practice, and vice-versa; and so on. Together these interactions promote cohesion of our specialty and underscore the fact that we have a great deal in common, as rheumatologists, regardless of our chosen career path.

In addition to networking, serving as a volunteer for the ACR also allows you to work as part of a team, finding solutions to the challenges facing the rheumatology specialty. This is of critical importance because no one understands these challenges better than rheumatologists who experience them every day. Without the work of our committed and engaged volunteers, the rheumatology specialty could not thrive.

The benefit of acquiring leadership experience through volunteer work is another undeniable advantage of volunteering for the ACR. My own ability to lead a team, facilitate problem-solving discussions, and engage in strategic planning has definitely been enhanced by my work on ACR committees.

Volunteering Now

Now that I have, hopefully, piqued your interest in volunteering, let me give you some tips on how to get involved. The first step is to learn about those opportunities best suited to your particular interests and skills. You can find this information on the ACR Web site.If you are passionate about something, let us know by volunteering through the ACR’s online nomination process. Although the perfect opportunity for you may not be immediately available, we will keep you in mind when the right opportunity does come along. You are also encouraged to remind us of your continued interest and to let us know if your interests change over time. Although not required, it is helpful to include letters of recommendation from colleagues who can speak to your interests and skills when you formally apply. If you do volunteer but are not selected for a committee immediately, please do not become discouraged. It is more art than science to ensure we select the best candidates for each position, especially when there are a limited number of positions each year relative to the number of people who apply. The committee must also carefully consider the gender and ethnic diversity of the membership and work to ensure there is an appropriate balance of rheumatologists in practice, education, and research and academic and private practice and an appropriate geographic representation, as well as a multitude of other factors.

There are usually over 200 applications for approximately 30 vacant positions among standing committees and the boards of directors. However, other volunteer opportunities exist, because many of the standing committees have multiple subcommittees and task forces to help advance their work. Although these positions are not selected by the Nominating Committee, the best way to get your name passed down to committee chairs for consideration is to volunteer through the online nomination process. Candidates not selected are passed to committee chairs for consideration on one of the many task forces. You are also encouraged to reach out to the committee chairs or staff liaisons directly to see whether there may be other opportunities. Many volunteers began their work with the ACR in this way.

The ACR strives to bring in new volunteers who bring fresh ideas and perspectives. We especially need more volunteers who are in private practice, so I would encourage private practitioners with the interest and time to apply. And, if you’re at a stage in your professional life where you cannot commit much time, subcommittees and task forces are a great way to start volunteering for the ACR because they allow you to gain the ACR experience with a smaller time commitment.

If you are able to give the time and effort to serve as an ACR, ARHP, or REF volunteer, I ask you to consider giving back to rheumatology in this way. It is a truly worthwhile and fulfilling experience that can lead to new friendships and the chance to be part of the organization that advances the rheumatology specialty.

Dr. Gabriel is president of the ACR. Contact her via e-mail at [email protected].