Major medical societies are usually supported by large administrative staffs, but it's a different story for the smaller societies.
Often the administrative staff is comprised of volunteers, namely the doctors who are the society's leaders, and given the hectic schedule and tremendous workload placed on today's doctors, such
a situation is rarely optimal:
a situation is rarely optimal:
- The society's work is rarely the volunteer's primary focus. Important work for the society is often squeezed in at the last moment.
- There is no central location for files, and when officers change, files are easily lost.
- Members of the society are often unsure of whom they should call with questions.
- Membership databases are often out of date, and difficult to maintain since they frequently move from office to office.
- Annual member dues collections are often in arrears, as few officers have the time or the desire to chase peers for payment.