SECTION 4.01 - Classes of Membership
There shall be the following classes of membership in this Association: Member, Associate Member, Charter Member, Emeritus Member, International Member, Honorary Member, Orthoptist Member, Administrator Member, Fellow-In-Training Member, International Fellow-In-Training Member, Provisional Member, and Technician Member.
SECTION 4.02 - Charter Member
An ophthalmologist who joined the Association at the time of the founding of the Association and who was actively engaged in instruction, research, or patient care in the field of Pediatric Ophthalmology or Strabismus was designated a Charter Member. A list of Charter Members was established and closed by the first Board of Directors.
A Charter Member shall have the right to vote and hold office as long as he or she meets the requirements of membership.
SECTION 4.03 - Member
A physician who is licensed to practice medicine and surgery in the United States or in Canada (residing and actively practicing in the US/Canada) and meets one of the following criteria:
Path A:
- Certified to practice ophthalmology by one of the following:
- The American Board of Ophthalmology
- American Osteopathic Board of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology
- The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
- Completed at least one year of practice consisting of at least 50% pediatric ophthalmology and/or strabismus.
- Satisfactorily completed an Association of University Professors in Ophthalmology compliant fellowship (training programs prior to 2006 will be "grandfathered" in).
Path B:
- An International medical graduate who has completed an international or US-based fellowship training program and is now practicing in the United States or Canada.
- Completed at least two years of practice consisting of 50% pediatric ophthalmology and/or strabismus.
In exceptional cases, the Board of Directors may authorize membership if the applicant meets most of the requirements.
A Member shall have the right to vote and hold office.
SECTION 4.04 - Associate Member
A physician (MD/DO) who is licensed to practice medicine and surgery in the United States or in Canada or a PhD who has either made significant contributions to the field of pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus or has completed at least five years in practice consisting of at least 50% pediatric ophthalmology and/or strabismus and is not eligible for another class of AAPOS membership and has been nominated by three active AAPOS members.
An Associate Member shall have the right to vote and shall be ineligible to hold office.
SECTION 4.05 - Emeritus Member
A Charter Member, Member, Associate Member, International Member, Honorary Member, or Orthoptist Member who is in good standing with AAPOS, who has been such a member for ten or more years, and who is completely retired from the financially compensated clinical practice of pediatric ophthalmology and/or strabismus (excluding nominal payments for volunteering for clinics or international work), is eligible to apply to become an Emeritus Member in his or her previous category of membership. An Emeritus Member who resumes the clinical practice of pediatric ophthalmology and/or strabismus, even on a part-time basis, must notify AAPOS within 60 days, and he or she will no longer be eligible for Emeritus status.
An Emeritus Member shall have the right to vote and shall be ineligible to hold office.
SECTION 4.06 - International Member
A physician licensed to practice medicine and surgery, and who meets one of the following criteria and is not currently practicing in the US or Canada:
International Path A:
- Completion of a fellowship training program or preceptorship in pediatric ophthalmology and/or strabismus lasting 6 months or longer.
- Completed at least two years in practice consisting of at least 50% pediatric ophthalmology and/or strabismus.
International Path B:
- No fellowship training program, but completed at least five years in practice consisting of at least 50% pediatric ophthalmology and/or strabismus.
An International Member shall have the right to vote and shall be eligible to hold office.
SECTION 4.07 - Honorary Member
An individual of outstanding caliber, who has made a major contribution in the fields of pediatric ophthalmology and/or strabismus, may be elected to Honorary Membership by the Board of Directors.
An Honorary Member shall have the right to vote and shall be ineligible to hold office.
SECTION 4.08 - Orthoptist Member
An orthoptist who has been certified by either the American Orthoptic Council or the Canadian Orthoptic Council, or an orthoptist whose country has full membership status in the International Orthoptic Association shall be eligible to apply to become an Orthoptist Member.
An Orthoptist Member shall have the right to vote and shall be ineligible to hold office.
SECTION 4.09 - Administrator Member
An individual who is a practice manager or administrator for a Member, Associate Member, International Member, or Charter Member’s practice may apply to become an Administrator Member. The Member, Associate Member, International Member, or Charter Member shall verify the applicant’s role in their practice by completing a reference, once the application is submitted. Should that role change, the Administrator Member and/or the Member, Associate Member, International Member, or Charter Member shall notify AAPOS.
Administrator applicants will be reviewed by the Membership Committee with confirmation by the Board of Directors.
An Administrator Member shall not have the right to vote and shall be ineligible to hold office.
SECTION 4.10 - Fellow-In-Training Member
A physician who is currently in training in one of the following programs:
- A physician who is engaged on a full-time basis in an Association of University Professors in Ophthalmology compliant fellowship.
- A physician who is engaged on a full-time basis in a fellowship for international physicians consisting of a two-year preceptorship with an AAPOS Member, International Member, or Charter Member, or a program of fellowship training in pediatric ophthalmology and/or strabismus of at least six months under the direction of an AAPOS Member, International Member, or Charter Member.
An individual is eligible for the category of Fellow-in-Training for the duration of the fellowship program plus two years for a total not to exceed three years. Admission as a Fellow-in-Training does not waive any requirement, including maintaining active and unrestricted licensure, necessary for any category of future membership.
A Fellow-in-Training shall not have the right to vote and shall be ineligible to hold office.
SECTION 4.11 - International Fellow-In-Training Member
A physician who is engaged on a full-time basis in a fellowship for international physicians consisting of a two-year preceptorship with an AAPOS Member, International Member, or Charter Member, or a program of fellowship training in pediatric ophthalmology and/or strabismus of at least six months under the direction of an AAPOS Member, International Member, or Charter Member. An individual is eligible for the category of International Fellow-In-Training for the duration of their training program plus two years for a total not to exceed three years. Admission as an International Fellow-In-Training does not waive any requirement, including maintaining active and unrestricted licensure, necessary for any category of future membership.
An International Fellow-in-Training shall not have the right to vote and shall be ineligible to hold office.
SECTION 4.12 - Provisional Member
Individuals must attend one of the following:
- For medical students: An American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC), or Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CAMCS (CAMCE)), or Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) - accredited medical school.
- For Ophthalmology residents: A residency program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) in ophthalmology, or a graduate of an American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC), or Committee On Accreditation Of Canadian Medical Schools (CAMCS (CAMCE)), or Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA).
An individual is eligible for the category of Provisional Member for the duration of their medical training.
A Provisional member shall not have the right to vote and shall be ineligible to hold office.
SECTION 4.13 - Technician Member
An individual who is a technician for a Member’s, Associate Member’s, International Member’s, or Charter Member’s practice may apply to become a Technician Member. The Technician should be working in Pediatric Ophthalmology / Adult Strabismus a minimum of 50% of their time. The Member, Associate Member, International Member, or Charter Member shall verify the applicant’s role in their practice by completing a reference to be submitted with the Technician’s application. Should that role change, the Technician Member and/or the Member, Associate Member, International Member, or Charter Member shall notify AAPOS.
Technician applicants will be reviewed monthly by the Membership Committee with confirmation by the Board of Directors.
A Technician Member shall not have the right to vote and shall be ineligible to hold office.
SECTION 4.14 - Approval for Membership
Applications for membership in all categories will be reviewed by the Membership Committee. The Membership Committee will recommend the appropriate candidates to the Board of Directors for the Board's final approval at the next Board of Director's meeting.
SECTION 4.15 - Loss of Membership and Other Sanctions; Reinstatement
- A member shall lose his or her membership for becoming delinquent in the payment of dues for more than six (6) months, or for the failure to maintain an active and unrestricted license or certificate, as applicable, to practice his or her profession. For purposes of this subsection, a license or certificate ceases to be active and unrestricted if it is in any manner and to any extent whatsoever revoked, conditioned, suspended, limited, qualified, subjected to the terms of probation or restricted by a court, department, board, or administrative agency.
- A member shall lose his or her membership, or have his or her membership suspended, or shall be subject to a public or a private reprimand if he or she engages in ethical violations or other egregious conduct that would be generally unacceptable to the membership of the Association. Without limiting the foregoing, a final determination of a violation of the Code of Ethics of the American Academy of Ophthalmology shall be presumed to constitute an ethical violation for purposes of this subsection.
- A member of groups specified in sections 4.04-4.12 (excluding section 4.07, Honorary Members) is subject to loss of his or her membership, or have his or her membership suspended if he or she fails to continuously meet the eligibility requirements specified in the section granting them membership.
- In rare cases, a member also may be subject to termination or suspension by a 3/4 vote of the Board of Directors for actions that either are deleterious to the purposes of the Association, or are offensive to the dignity of the Association.
- In all matters arising under Section 4.14, the member shall receive at least fifteen (15) days' prior written notice of the proposed termination or suspension and the reasons for it, and shall be entitled to oppose the proposed termination or suspension in whole or in part by written submission to the Board of Directors, which must be received by the Association's Executive Vice President at least five (5) days before the effective date of the proposed termination or suspension. Upon receipt of a timely written submission from the member, the effective date of the proposed termination or suspension or other sanction shall be stayed pending review by the Board of Directors of the submission, and its vote as to whether to affirm, vacate, or modify the proposed termination or suspension or other sanction.
- A favorable vote by 2/3 of the Board of Directors shall be required for reinstatement of a former member who has lost his or her membership.
- The provisions of this Section shall apply to all classes of membership. The Board of Directors may, for sufficient reasons in exceptional cases, set aside the provisions of this Section, subject to any conditions that in its judgment are appropriate.