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Title: Opportunities To Get Active In the IH Section

Author:

Section/SPIG: International Health

Issue Date:

Would you like to be more active in international health issues, but are not sure how to get involved? Would you like to interact more with other professionals, but are not sure how to connect with peers who share your interests?

The IH Section is seeking ways to help international health professionals to get more engaged. We will try to help you, regardless of whether you are retired, a busy mid-career person with a few hours a week to commit to something new, a young professional eager to expand your experience and further your career, or a student wanting to make connections that may help you find a job.

If you have an idea or issue that you would like to work on, let us know and we can try to connect you with others who may share your passion. Listed below are a number of opportunities to work with the IH Section, some new, some well established. Contact us if you want to explore any of these (or other) possibilities.

A good way to communicate your interests is by completing the response form that you should have received seven months ago with a blue booklet entitled A Primer on APHA’s International Health Section and How to Get Involved. You can also find the Primer and complete the response form online at <www.apha-ih.org>.

  • Program Committee - This is possibly the most influential and most exciting, but also time-consuming task in the Section. We are seeking both a Chair as well as others ready to commit time to planning a great program for the Annual Meeting.


  • Membership Chair is vacant. This would be to help promote the Section.


  • Nominations Committee - We need both a Chair to take the lead, along with others, to identify potential leaders who would run for various Section offices. Become a king (or queen) maker.


  • Advocacy Committee – Our Section has not come close to reaching our potential in advocacy. We need leaders and activists, both on issues as well as in various states and communities.


  • Public Education Committee – There is interest in the Section in developing resources and materials to educate the public about international health. If people come forward, we will create a committee.


  • Liaison with other Sections - All the 25 APHA Sections include people interested in the international dimensions of their Section's discipline. We want to build bridges between our Section and those individuals. We need people in IH, both to coordinate and give leadership to the overall task of developing closer relationships with other Sections, as well as IH individuals interested in the discipline of another Section and who might be a liaison between IH and that Section.


  • Web site content development - Our Web site, www.apha-ih.org , can use a lot of improvement. We need people to identify good material for the Web site. We have a Web master who knows the technical procedures for uploading material.


In addition to Section roles, there are various APHA-wide Committees and Boards where we would like to see more Section representation. They include:


  • The Action Board draws up Action Plans for resolutions approved by Governing Council;

  • The Science Board deals with the scientific basis for APHA's professional and public policy;

  • The Education Board advises APHA on its role in continuing education and Public Health education for members and medical professionals;

  • The Publications Board deals with developing and marketing scientific and policy publications;

  • The American Journal of Public Health Editorial Board provides broad oversight and recommendations to the Journal editors; and

  • The Joint Policy Committee reviews proposed policy resolutions and position papers and makes recommendations to the Governing Council.


Other key APHA-wide committees deal with Equal Health Opportunity, Membership, Women's Rights, Program Planning, Awards and The Nation's Health newspaper. Of special interest to many IH members is the International Human Rights Committee.

Contact me if any of these roles, either in the IH Section or APHA-wide, appeal to you.

--Ray Martin