Neil J. Weissman, MD, FASE

On May 9, several districts of the US Postal Service conducted a food drive where people left a can or box of food at their mailbox. That weekend, an army of volunteers came out to collect, transport, sort, and pack this food and then stock the shelves of food banks across the country. Thousands of tons of food were collected in that single day; millions of meals were provided over the subsequent months, and not a penny was paid.

I had the pleasure of contributing to this experience as a volunteer doing some of that sorting, packing, and stocking. I did it with my family and some of my son’s friends from school (Figure 1) at a food bank that was two miles from my house, which I never even knew existed. I learned about a sector of my community that lives on the edge, is thankful for just one meal a day, and worries about food for their children tomorrow. I also learned how much more we can do together, as a community, than any one of us can do alone. While I gave just a few hours of my time that day, I got back an experience and new understanding that will last me a lifetime.

While that act of volunteerism stands out because it was discrete and new, it made me reflect on how I choose to volunteer my time to contribute to my community. The first thing I discovered is that we all have many communities we belong to and can volunteer for—our neighborhood, school, religious group, public causes, and yes, our professional organizations.

I started my professional society volunteerism 20 years ago when I re-started our local echo society and then became a volunteer member of ASE on a committee of local echo society representatives. Well, that was all it took for me—I immediately saw (and felt) the benefit and fulfillment of working with colleagues across the country on similar interests, for a collective goal that would benefit our entire “echo” community. I was hooked! Now 20 years later, I look back on all the committees I have served and realize that it is from this work that I have professional friends from around the world and know so much more (about guidelines, scientific sessions, certification, lab accreditation, technology, and just about every aspect of our profession) and simply get enjoyment from being part of a much larger professional community.

Volunteers are at the heart of ASE’s work. Without their contributions of time, talent, and expertise, the Society simply could not produce the exceptional experiences, vibrant community, and essential tools that we so value. While we have a talented, dedicated staff, there are almost 1,000 volunteer members to each staff member. Together, we accomplish incredible things to further the field of cardiovascular ultrasound. Through our members’ volunteer work on committees and task forces over the past year, we have helped ASE plan high quality educational courses and webinars; serve as the voice of echo with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and our legislators; raise funds for the ASE Foundation and missions to underserved areas; enhance our educational portfolio with exciting new products; publish several important guidelines; help members with Maintenance of Certification; promote cardiovascular research through grants and awards; and collaborate with partners around the world to disseminate quality in cardiovascular ultrasound. And this is just a sampling of the kinds of volunteer opportunities that are available.

What do you gain from volunteering?

By joining us in enhancing the profession, you will have an opportunity to express your values through activities that are meaningful. You will increase your knowledge and learn new skills through networking with knowledgeable peers. You will gain an insider’s knowledge of the organization and grow the value of your membership. You can enhance your career and gain prestige by building relationships with your colleagues. Hollie Carron, RDCS, FASE, explains: “ASE service allows me to give back to my professional community while I continue to add to my own education and professional growth. It is imperative to me to participate in my profession in a way that will help mold new benchmarks in future education in my department at my hospital and to develop best practices in echocardiography.”

Want to contribute to our field?

As President, I invite you to volunteer to serve on a council, committee, task force, or writing group. Committee service is one of the most valuable ways that an individual member can impact the course of ASE and stay involved with the organization on a regular basis. As Adel Younoszai, MD, FASE, notes: “I have always had an interest in furthering the mission of the ASE. As an organization we need to have a strong voice in the future of echocardiography and other noninvasive imaging procedures.” Each autumn, ASE puts out a call for volunteers to serve. This online process is open from November through January (Watch for an announcement in an upcoming Echo, ASE’s weekly e-newsletter, for specific details.). Most standing committees have a third of their membership rotate off each year, and new working groups are instituted annually. The new committee members will begin their work immediately following the Annual Scientific Sessions in June 2015. I had the honor of reviewing the committee applications and making committee and task force appointments for 2014-2015. We are fortunate that we have so many members who seek volunteer service, and I appointed as many of the volunteers as possible to fully utilize their talents.

If you are not currently serving and are considering volunteering this year, these committees have open positions for 2015-2016: Advocacy; Awards; Bylaws & Ethics; CME; Education; FASE Advisory; Finance; Guidelines and Standards; Membership; Research; and Research Awards. By applying in November, you will be considered for an appointment by President-Elect Susan Wiegers, MD, FASE.

Volunteers also lead the Society and determine its mission, goals and strategies. Nominations for Officers and Directors are open through October 15, 2014. If you are interested in a leadership position in the Society, or know someone who would be a good leader, this is the time to act. Nominations may be made by any active ASE member and should be based on valuable service to ASE or contributions to the field of cardiovascular ultrasound ( http://asecho.org/2015-call-for-officer-and-directors-nominations/ for complete nomination instructions ).

Service as a volunteer with ASE has not only been a passion for me, but also one of my best personal and professional development experiences. Daniel Bourque, MS, RCS, feels that “the chance to help an organization like ASE is a distinguished honor. Volunteering allows for professional growth through collaboration with professionals and physicians, involvement in educational opportunities, and, most importantly, to take information obtained through involvement and bring it back to the lab. By volunteering you can be a part of an organization that helps both professionals and the patients we care for through research and education.”

I hope to work with you to make 2014-2015 an outstanding success and that you will get just as much out of your ASE volunteer experience as I have.