Professional Communities

Structure

The Society’s members practice in more than 23 different professional specialty areas. ISHLT members are organized into 10 Professional Communities in which they network, provide mentorship, share expertise, and advance knowledge in their specialty as it relates to the mission of ISHLT.

Any professional specialty with at least 10 members will have a Professional Community within ISHLT.

Any Professional Community with at least 40 members will be entitled to elect a representative to each of the Interdisciplinary Networks they feel is relevant to their community.

Each ISHLT member is required to select a Primary Professional Community. As a member of this community, they will be entitled to participate in the election of one representative from their Professional Community to serve on the Steering Committee of each relevant Interdisciplinary Steering Committee.

Because so many of ISHLT’s members have practice interests in more than one specialty, any member or nonmember may choose to join and participate in any of the 10 Professional Communities in the ISHLTConnect online forum. The designation of a Primary Professional Community is purely for voting purposes and is used only as an administrative purposes tool for such.

Operations

• Each Professional Community with more than 40 members will select a representative to serve on each of the relevant Interdisciplinary Network Steering Committees (one representative per Network) and on the Early Career and Trainee Committee.
   
• Professional Communities with fewer than 40 members will elect a Professional Community Leader and will not have representation on any Interdisciplinary Network Steering Committees or on the Early Career and Trainee Committee.

Key Values

• Welcome new members to the Professional Community and to ISHLT
   
• Exchange knowledge and information via the Community’s online discussion forum in ISHLTConnect
   
• Provide the Interdisciplinary Networks with a specialty-specific perspective
   
• Connect with and mentor junior members of the Community
   
• Through engagement and networking, facilitate more diverse involvement in ISHLT volunteer opportunities.
   

Responsibilities

Elected Professional Community Leaders

• Serve as the Community’s leadership to proactively facilitate engagement and communications among the members
   
• Connect community members with volunteer opportunities
   
• Utilize the Society’s Roster of Potential Volunteers to identify members to fill volunteer positions
   
• Moderate the Community’s online interactions ISHLTConnect and drive year-round engagement
   
• Communicate with Community members regarding the relevant actions of the Interdisciplinary Networks
   
• Represent the interests of the Community to the Steering Committees of the relevant Interdisciplinary Networks and, as requested, to the Leadership Advisory Forum, the Committees, and the Board
   
• Upon request, provide community-specific insight and feedback to the Society leadership (Board, Committees, Leadership Advisory Forum) via the appropriate Interdisciplinary Network
   

Other Communities

Some ISHLT members practice in specialties which are represented within ISHLT by just a few individuals. Once the ISHLT membership includes at least 10 members of a given professional specialty, they can petition to create a Professional Community on ISHLTconnect so they can begin to:

• Network with colleagues and engage with each other regarding issues of interest
   
• Mentor those who are in the early stages of their career
   
• Welcome new members into the Society
   
• Provide content experts to participate in developing and delivering ISHLT’s programs and services and serving in other volunteer capacities

Once the ISHLT membership includes at least 40 members of a given professional specialty, they can request the Society to create a formal Professional Community for them and that community can begin to also:

• Elect representatives to the AHFTX, MCS, PVD, and ALFTX Interdisciplinary Networks
   
• Elect a representative to the Early Career and Trainee Committee
   
• Provide a voice in the Leadership Advisory Forum
   
• Identify interests and bringing them to the Interdisciplinary Networks and the Leadership Advisory Forum for consideration