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Members Member Resources AAAAI News AAAAI eNews AAAAI Job Placement Center Promoting your Practice Order Public Education Materials Disease Management/ Ask the Expert Teaching Slides Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Education and Research Trust (ART) Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2007 Accomplishments Annual Meeting Executive Staff Contacts Online Membership Directory AAAAI Organizational Structure » Members Contact Members Town Hall Message Board AAAAI: Professional Home for the Practicing Allergist Grants and Awards Hot Topics Joint Council of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (JCAAI) ST*AR Program AAAAI Assembly overview Allied Health Federation of the RSLAAI Societies International Military Allergy New Allergist/Immunologist Assembly Program Directors Organizational Chart Board of Directors Interest Sections Committees Fellows-in-Training Allied Health Professional Assembly Federation of RSLAAIS International Assembly Military Allergy Assembly New Allergist/Immunologist Assembly Program Directors Associates		Academy News: June 2003 Stay Involved After Graduation by Thanai Pongdee, MD, AAAAI FIT Committee Chair Many fellows-in-training around the country are celebrating the fact that they will graduate soon. Thoughts often dwell on new jobs, new cities and new homes. Graduation is an exciting time in our lives. As we focus on the next stage of our careers, here's a few ideas about how to stay involved in the AAAAI and how to continue to support our specialty of allergy and immunology. New Allergist/Immunologist Committee The New Allergist/Immunologist Committee (NAIC) provides wonderful opportunities to become involved in the AAAAI and to foster leadership roles. The NAIC was established in 2001 and currently consists of approximately 30 members. Membership is open to both MDs and PhDs who have completed training within the past five years. One major focus of the NAIC has been its mentorship program. In this program, NAIC members can be matched with more senior members of the AAAAI who serve as mentors. Mentors can be selected from a variety of career paths, including academic medicine, private practice, or industry. These mentors can provide advice and counsel for not only your career, but also for progressing in the AAAAI structure. Promoting leadership is another important focus of the NAIC. The committee has worked diligently to encourage the senior leadership of the AAAAI to provide opportunities for junior members to be more involved. This increased involvement was most evident at the Annual Meeting in which junior members of the AAAAI were paired with senior members to conduct programs, seminars and workshops. The NAIC has now established its own speakers bureau from which members are asked by senior leadership to participate in the Annual Meeting. Joining the NAIC after graduation can open many doors for involvement in the AAAAI as well as provide a network of colleagues who share similar experiences. For more information about the NAIC, please contact the committee chair, Giselle Mosnaim, MD, MS at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago, IL by e-mail at Giselle_mosnaim@rush.edu or Jennifer Schmitt at the AAAAI executive offices at (414) 272-6071. Joint Council of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Membership in the Joint Council of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (JCAAI) can provide valuable information regarding day-to-day practice as well as provide a voice in legislative issues. The JCAAI was established in 1975 as the socioeconomic arm of both the AAAAI and the ACAAI. The JCAAI has been the driving force behind establishing and improving CPT coding and associated reimbursement for allergists. The JCAAI also represents allergy/immunology in federal and state regulatory and governmental agencies as well as in Congress. The JCAAI monitors legislation and summarizes new regulations as they pertain to allergists and allergy practices. The JCAAI informs its members about these issues through frequent e-mail updates and on its Members Only Web page. Current activities of the JCAAI include the development of online CME courses focusing on the essentials of CPT coding, HIPAA rules, and compliance plans; Medicare fee schedule issues; OSHA compliance and prescription drug relief for seniors. In addition, the JCAAI staff is available on a daily basis to answer member questions related to coding, HIPAA, and any other issues which impact medical practice and reimbursement. The JCAAI encourages fellows-in-training to become JCAAI members. FITs in their first year of training pay no dues, and for the second year of training, dues are $20. Membership dues for the first year of practice are $50, after which time dues become $150 annually. Membership in the JCAAI can be a great investment not only for daily practice revenue but also for protecting the economic security of our specialty. Education and Research Trust (ERT) Supporting the ERT should be considered by all members of our specialty. The ERT was created in 1991 with a mission to increase funding support for training, education and research in allergy and immunology. Current projects include faculty development grants, research grants, funding for medical student and resident rotations in allergy and immunology, and funding for fellowship training. As new allergists/immunologists in practice, we can begin to invest in the future of our specialty by supporting the ERT. The size of the donation is not important; any donation speaks loudly to show support for our chosen profession. For more information e-mail ert@aaaai.org. <back>
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