The ARHP is the premier professional organization for rheumatology health professionals primarily because of the talent and energy of its volunteers.
The ARHP needs both new and experienced volunteers to continue its mission, meet new challenges, and grow as an organization. Each and every ARHP member brings unique talents, abilities, and expertise to the organization, and we need your participation.
“Volunteering for the ARHP puts you in the position to collaborate and network with some of the key professionals in all disciplines of rheumatology,” explains ARHP volunteer Carole Dodge, OTR, CHT, allied health supervisor/clinical specialist of physical medicine and rehabilitation in the occupational therapy division of the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor. “You not only have the privilege of serving the organization, but creating other opportunities for your own professional development.”
Volunteering with the ARHP can broaden your horizons and help you develop new skills that could be beneficial to your career. Volunteer opportunities are available to all ARHP members, including international and associate members, and there are many ways you can become involved in the ARHP. ARHP volunteers could select any of the following areas of interest:
Executive Committee: The Executive Committee is the governing body of the ARHP and determines appropriate plans, policies, and programs for the division, consistent with the policies and procedures of the ACR. The Executive Committee supervises, controls, and directs the business, budget, and affairs of the ARHP and its committees, products, education, and publications. The Executive Committee comprises the ARHP president, president-elect, secretary-treasurer, member-at-large, immediate past-president, ACR board liaison (appointed by the ACR president), and the chairs of the ARHP committees on practice, membership and nominations, education, and research. The Executive Committee meets in person three times a year and has approximately eight to nine conference calls each year.
Membership and Nominations Committee: The Membership and Nominations Committee is responsible for overseeing the nominations process to ensure the election and appointment of qualified leaders who are representative of the diversity of the membership. The committee is responsible for reviewing nominations and presenting a slate of qualified candidates for ARHP elected and appointed volunteer positions and for reviewing nominations and selecting recipients for the Graduate Student, Merit, and Lifetime Achievement Awards. In addition, this committee handles all membership marketing responsibilities. The committee meets in person once a year and has additional conference calls as needed.
Education Committee: The Education Committee is responsible for overseeing the educational offerings of the ARHP. Members suggest future topics for the Clinical Focus Course and Web-based cases, oversee the ARHP Program Subcommittee, develop new ideas for educational products and services, and work with the ACR education committees. The committee meets in person once a year and has additional conference calls as needed.