Membership Guidelines

Cancer Center Membership

 MEMBERSHIP GUIDELINES:

 

Membership is open to all faculty who seek to promote the mission of the GHSU Cancer Center and meet the membership requirements outlined below.

There are three membership categories: Members, Associate Members and Clinical Associate Members.

To be considered for membership, candidates must apply by completing the on-line application form. Included should be a C.V., NIH biosketch, other support and a list of clinical trials for which the investigator is a PI or has accrued patients.

The GHSU Cancer Center Executive Committee advises the Cancer Center Director who approves memberships and assigns membership categories and the primary research Program.

Membership appointments will be made by the Director for two-year terms.

Member: Individuals in this category are expected to have a primary focus in cancer research and meet the following criteria;

• Hold a Georgia Health Sciences University faculty academic appointment or professional appointment considered appropriate by the Director.
• Hold peer-reviewed, cancer-related, extramural funding as a principal or co-investigator committing effort to the proposal.
• Demonstrate thematic alignment and active participation with one of the GHSU Cancer Center research programs.

For faculty that do not meet all of the requirements laid out above, consideration for Full Membership by the Executive Committee could be proposed if they meet the following criteria;

• Be a major and essential contributor to the development and implementation of cancer-related peer-reviewed laboratory research, either as a Co-investigator or Key personnel (e.g. providing expertise in Pathology or providing access to clinical specimens, etc.)
• New recruits that direct a cancer related research program using faculty start-up funding
• Be the principal investigator on institutional clinical trials and/or actively enrolling or referring patients to clinical trials.
• Any clinical staff devoting >80% effort to the field of oncology
• Be the director of a shared resource or specialty areas in the GHSU Cancer Center which facilitates the success of the research programs.

To maintain membership Full members are expected to;

• Demonstrate consistent cancer-related publications in peer-reviewed professional journals during the previous 3 years.
• Participate regularly in the interactive and collaborative activities of one of the GHSU Cancer Center Programs.
• Use the GHSU Cancer Center shared resources as their research dictates.
• Place patients on clinical trials.


Associate Member: 

Associate Members are GHSU faculty who demonstrate significant professional involvement in cancer research or collaborate with Full members but do not meet the criteria for Full Members. 


Or

Be new investigators whose research has great scientific potential that would benefit from GHSU Cancer Center Membership, or be tenured faculty who are interested in translating their research from another field into cancer research. Individuals in this category would be expected to be involved in collaboration with GHSU Cancer Center members,

Or

Have professional involvement in cancer care, education and/or community outreach.

Associate members may retain this affiliation but must meet the criteria for full membership and be nominated accordingly for change to Full Member status.

Faculty who have previously held Full membership but who have not maintained the membership criteria for this appointment may be considered for Associate membership as determined by the Executive committee.

 

Clinical Associate Member:

Clinical Associate Members are non-GHSU physicians who are practicing in the state of Georgia or region and who are serving as co-investigators or partners in GHSUCC clinical trials with a clear commitment to the mission of the GHSU Cancer Center.

Or

Clinical Associate Members are non-GHSU physicians who are significantly assisting the GHSU Cancer Center in its outreach to Georgians and the regional population.

 

 RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEMBERSHIP:

Cancer Center Members, Associate Members and Clinical Associate Members are expected to:

• Support the mission, goals and objectives of the GHSU Cancer Center.
• Participate significantly in GHSU Cancer Center research program/s, retreats, seminars and special initiatives.
• Promote interdisciplinary, multi-investigator research efforts (PO1, SPORE, U01 etc) and actively facilitate the creation of new collaborative efforts within the Center.
• Renew membership in writing every two years and provide updated CV and biosketchs yearly or as requested.
• Provide annual / semi-annual reports on scientific activity and copies of grant awards (NIH, NCI, DOD, pharmaceutical or other sponsors). Information will be stored in the Cancer Center’s database for cancer-related activities.
• Request funds in grant applications to support the proposed use of Cancer Center shared resource services.
• Submit all human subject clinical protocol to be reviewed by the Protocol Monitoring and Review Committee (PRMC).
• Attend Cancer Center program meetings and seminars on a regular basis.
• Participate as a presenter or submit posters when appropriate.
• Include the approved recognition of GHSU Cancer Center membership on all cancer-related academic papers, grants, journal articles, poster sessions and/or abstracts and identify with the GHSU Cancer Center in promotional activities (business cards, letterhead, etc).
• Provide abstracts and papers to the respective program leader on request.
• Participate in cancer-related educational activities (medical, graduate school and community) and outreach (e.g., screenings, fund-raisers, prevention awareness) sponsored by the GHSU Cancer Center.
• Be compliant with approved clinical trial protocols and policies of the GHSU Cancer Center.
• Members who have responsibilities in the Cancer Service Line must actively participate in established multidisciplinary clinics, tumor boards, clinical trial meetings and other sponsored clinical and educational programmatic activities.
• Members who have responsibilities in the Cancer Service Line must enroll patients and contribute to the success of clinical trials and must contribute to accruals by the tumor bank.

         

 BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP:

• 
Subsidized rates for use of core facilities and shared resources identified for support by the GHSU Cancer Center.
• Considered for space assignments within the GHSU Cancer Center and access to common (non-core facilities) equipment.
• Opportunity to apply for internal GHSU Cancer Center funding initiatives and eligibility for Cancer Center Director’s developmental funds.
• Administrative assistance with grant writing, grant submission and/or review.
• Ability to conduct translocation research/clinical trials and lead clinical investigator opportunities.
• Provision of a multidisciplinary environment of clinical practice.
• Access to GHSU Cancer Center clinical trials and IRB infrastructure.
• Facilitate connection with drug sponsors and new agent trials
• Obtain CME credits for conferences.
• Inclusion in relevant promotional materials such as Continuing Medical Education (CME) programs, the GHSU Cancer Center Web site and referral outreach activities that are developed by the GHSU Cancer Center.
• Benefit from the GHSU Cancer Center resources network exchange

         


APPOINTMENT PROCESS:


An appointment will be for a period of two years. Members, Associate Members and Clinical Associate Members will be notified of any changes in criteria.

 


The GHSU Cancer Center Executive Committee will review all memberships periodically and may reassign membership categories based on then-current membership criteria. All recommended changes will be forwarded to the GHSU Cancer Center Director for approval.




Applications for membership should be made though the GHSU Cancer Center web site. 



 

The GHSU Cancer Center Executive Committee or individuals designated by the Director will review applications, assign categories and make recommendations to the GHSU Cancer Center Director.