President’s Corner: An Open Invitation to Join Our Team

Are there learning tools that can enhance my leadership skills? This year will see the launch of Leading Rheumatology—A Volunteer Development Program for the ACR, the ARP and the Foundation. This program grew from a volunteer development initiative originally started by the Foundation, with valuable concepts extending to all three organizations. The goals, objectives and topic areas for Leading Rheumatology were developed by the ACR governance staff and a task force led by S. Louis Bridges Jr., MD, PhD. Previously recorded sessions on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Finance 101 will be included, as well as the upcoming volunteer nominations webinar, with future programs on volunteer engagement, agile leadership and avoiding leader burnout.

Leading Rheumatology is intended to enhance skills for volunteer leaders within the ACR, the ARP and the Foundation; however, the information from these sessions will have beneficial applications to leaders in community practice and academic rheumatology, too.

Reflections on Volunteering

Volunteering for the ACR has been an incredibly meaningful part of my career. Being involved in the ACR allowed me to meet people from many different backgrounds and perspectives, and gain skills that I would not have otherwise had a chance to develop. It made me a better clinician, investigator and colleague, and it helped me appreciate that although we face challenges in rheumatology, these can best be addressed by working together as a community.

If you are a current volunteer, thank you. You keep the ACR moving forward.

If you have not previously volunteered but are considering it, please do. Not only is your expertise needed, but I truly believe you will find it a personally rewarding experience.

Carol A. Langford, MD, MHS, is the director of the Center for Vasculitis Care and Research in the Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases at Cleveland Clinic, where she is professor of medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and holds the Harold C. Schott endowed chair in rheumatic and immunologic diseases.