Committee Volunteer Opportunities
If you want to make the most of your SGO Membership, consider volunteering your time to participate in one of SGO's Committees.
The Annual Call for Committee Volunteers occurs each November. If you wan to volunteer, please check back this fall or email membership@sgo.org to find out about other volunteer opportunities.
Review Committee Descriptions
This Committee promotes the provision of comprehensive, patient-centered, breast health and cancer care of women including education, research, screening, prevention and treatment. The committee also strives to enhance and benefit patient outcomes by helping to increase the number of highly trained professionals providing excellent breast cancer treatment and management.
Subcommittees include the following:
1. Development of pilot program
- Application
- Evaluation Metrics
2. Breast Health, Self Evaluation, and Ongoing Education
- Breast Questions for MOC
- Development of Breast MOC Module
Committee Responsibilities:
- Establishes and implements the SGO Breast Cancer Fellowship pilot sites
- Monitors and evaluates program sites via the approved metrics template and takes necessary and appropriate action
- Researches and obtains funding opportunities to support fellowship
- Develops ideas for education and certification of breast cancer care
- Remains informed of all emerging issues in breast malignancies and utilizes best method of dissemination to SGO Membership
This Committee is recommended for Members:
- Who are established in their field
- Understand the pivotal role the gynecologic oncology community could have in granting women comprehensive breast health care, education, and multimodality evidence and outcome-based treatment of breast cancer
- Interested in developing and providing education and certification in breast cancer care
- Experienced in breast cancer care
- Interested in implementing breast cancer care into their current practice
- Who keep up to date on emerging issues in breast malignancies
Time Commitment:
- Participation in 4-6 full committee conference calls per year
- Participation in 5-6 conference calls per year for specific subcommittee/work group
- Spend 5-20 hours per year on various project development, research, etc…
- For incoming and continuing committee members, attendance at the face-to-face committee meeting at the Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer®
Responsible to evaluate and draft amendments to the Bylaws of the Society as charged by the Council
Committee Responsibilities:
- Presents amendments as needed to the Council
- Presents amendments approved by Council to the Membership each year at the annual business meeting for an approval vote
- Works with staff and SGO legal counsel to ensure compliance with the laws of the state and incorporate them into the existing bylaw framework
This Committee is recommended for Members who:
- Are familiar with the SGO Bylaws
Time Commitment:
- Attendance at one face-to-face meeting annually at the Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer®
- Participation in conference calls once a month
- Dedicate time to evaluating proposed amendments to the bylaws as charged by the Council
Responsible for educating the SGO membership on the topics of medical coding and billing, physician reimbursement, and associated Medicare regulations
Committee Responsibilities:
- Makes recommendations on Coding Workshop content and programs
- Participates in answering coding questions submitted through SGO website
- Participates in the annual review of the FAQs posted on SGO website
- Assists in the review and development of coding information and tools found on the SGO website
- Makes recommendations with regards to development and/or revision of CPT and/or ICD codes
- Monitors coding and reimbursement regulations pertinent to the SGO membership
This Committee is recommended for Members who:
- Have an interest in CPT coding or who have specific expertise related to CPT coding
Time Commitment:
- Serve as resource for one month to SGO staff for coding questions submitted through website
- Time commitment varies but is generally 1-2 hours for the assigned month. Able to dedicate approximately 1-2 hours annually for the review of the FAQs
- Participation in approximately one conference call per year
- Attendance at a face-to-face committee meeting to be held at the Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer®
- Attend a Coding Workshop and develop a functioning expertise in CPT and ICD-9 coding
The Communications Committee develops, monitors and evaluates SGO public relations, media relations, advocacy efforts and member communications programs and projects. The Committee’s purpose is to create awareness of the role of the gynecologic oncology subspecialty in the prevention and treatment of women’s cancers through communications vehicles aimed at both lay and professional audiences.
Committee Responsibilities:
- Evaluates and provides strategic input on various ways SGO can implement social media vehicles to enhance the Society’s online presence
- Develops and reviews materials for the committee’s Annual Meeting Media Relations campaign
- Remains informed of all emerging issues in Gynecologic Oncology and develops and edits
- SGO Clinical/ Standby statements when appropriate
- Suggests possible story topics to internal newsletter and external media outlets (trade/consumer publications)
- Willing to serve as a media spokesperson when approached by consumer/trade publications and able to respond to specific requests in a timely manner, depending on reporter deadlines
- Contributes to SGO Government Relations (GR) materials and advocacy efforts in conjunction with GR committee
- Reviews GOG abstracts and provides feedback regarding possible promotion to SGO members
This Committee Is Recommended for Members who:
- Have interest in promoting the Society through multiple communication vehicles and willing to serve as a media spokesperson for the Society via interviews, news stories, advocacy efforts
- Have interest in contributing to and reviewing clinical statements (and other communication documents) that are distributed on behalf of the Society
- Have interest and knowledge in developing and marketing of SGO educational programs and products >
Time Commitment:
- Attendance at one face-to-face meeting at the Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer®
- Participation in three to four conference calls or as necessary
- Participation on various volunteer work group assignments as necessary
Responsible for addressing clinical practice and practice management issues of gynecologic oncology. The Committee aims to provide information to appropriate audiences that may assist healthcare providers in delivering the highest quality of care to their patients.
Subcommittees include the following:>
1. Clinical Documents (various topic workgroups)
2. Standby Statements/Clinical Announcements (various topic workgroups)
3. Liaisons to other organizations
Committee Responsibilities:
- Reviews and assesses existing SGO clinical practice guidelines and updates them as necessary to ensure accuracy and best practice
- Develops clinical documents, of either clinical opinion or evidence based research, on important issues is Gynecologic Oncology
- Remains informed of all emerging issues in Gynecologic Oncology and develops SGO standby statements/announcements when appropriate
- Determines mechanisms for dissemination of clinical documents & standby statements/clinical announcements to SGO Membership, fellow organizations, and industry>
- Works closely with the Communications Committee to develop a plan to disseminate works in a timely manner to the most appropriate media avenues
- Communicates with the Government Relations Committee to share in discussion on important issues in Washington that effect the practice of our members and overall care of women with gynecologic malignancies
- Reports as a liaison to fellow oncologic organizations to share best practice guidelines and exchange upcoming news and events within the oncology community.
- Collaborates with fellow oncologic organizations/colleagues to deliver “joint” clinical documents on emerging issues in gynecologic cancer
- Participates in multiple roundtable discussions held by fellow oncologic organizations regarding important topics related to the practice of gynecologic care
This Committee is recommended for Members who are:
- Established in their field
- Interested in participating in the development of best practice guidelines regarding significant topics of gynecologic cancer
- Interested in keeping up to date with emerging issues in Gynecologic Oncology and working to create standby statements/clinical announcements regarding those issues
- Experienced in writing for publication
- Enjoy communicating and collaborating with fellow oncologic organizations to learn about/exchange best practice information and emerging news within the oncology community
- Interested representing SGO at various roundtable discussions regarding imperative issues related to gynecology oncology
Time Commitment:
- Participation in 4-6 full committee conference calls per year
- Participation in 5-6 conference calls per year for specific subcommittee/work group
- Spend 5-20 hours per year on developing various manuscripts, standby statements, attending special roundtable discussions, collaborating with fellow organizations, etc
- For incoming and continuing committee members, attendance at a face-to-face meeting at the Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer®
Responsible for identifying Member’s educational needs, developing educational activities in various learning formats and maintaining SGO’s Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME®) accreditation status
Subcommittees include:
1. Compliance
2. Enduring Products
3. Program Development
Committee Responsibilities:
- Reviews and assesses all new and existing education initiatives
- Develops ideas for new education offerings for live meetings based on learning gaps determined through expert opinion and evaluations:
- Annual Meeting
- Winter Meeting
- Fall Coding Course
- State of the Art Meeting
- 1-2 Day topic based courses
- Develops ideas for new education offerings for online courses based on learning gaps determined through expert opinion and evaluations
- Provides input on all compliance policies and statements
- Keeps informed of all emerging issues in Gynecologic Oncology and determine mechanisms for dissemination to SGO Membership
This Committee is recommended for Members who are:
- Enthusiastic about providing quality education
- Interested in developing education topics >
- Interested in adult continuing education>
- Experienced in developing and giving presentations
- Experienced in online technology use
- Kept up to date on emerging issues relevant to GYN Oncology
Time Commitment:
- Attend 1-2 face- to-face meetings per year
- Participation in 4-6 conference calls per year
- Attend the SGO Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer®
- Spend 5-10 hours per year on project development
The Finance Committee prepares the annual budget for consideration of the Council, reviews the annual audit and makes recommendations to the Council about the financial affairs and investments of the Society. The committee is composed of the Secretary Treasurer, the Secretary Treasurer elect and other Full Members appointed by the President with the approval of the Council.
Committee Goals:
- To understand the current and projected financial position of The Society
- To review and recommend the annual budget
- To review, and recommend financial policies
- To communicate to the Council the financial position of The Society
This Committee is recommended for Members who:
- Have an interest in, and aptitude for, financial information
- Have an MBA or other type of business education is a plus, but not requirement
- Are willing to make an extended time commitment to evaluate and understand the financial structure of the Society.
Time Commitment:
- For incoming and continuing committee members, attendance at a face-to-face meeting at the Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer®
- Participation in monthly conference calls as necessary
- Participation in ad hoc meetings, as necessary
Monitors legislative and regulatory activity at the national level and proposes new policies and programs where appropriate
Committee Responsibilities:
- Educates members of congress and other national policy figures in support of programs that impact gynecologic oncology
- Work on grassroots programs to encourage SGO members to contact members of congress and policy makers
- Review draft regulations and discuss SGO’s response
- Review pieces of legislation to determine SGO’s interests
- Determine SGO’s involvement in issue specific coalitions
- Reach out to the NIH and NCI and other federal agencies
This Committee is recommended for Members who:
- Members who are interested in public policy and its impact on the practice of gynecologic oncology and the research funding for these cancers
- Are familiar with elected officials (preferred but not required)
Time Commitment:
- Monthly conference calls
- For incoming and continuing committee members, attendance at a face-to-face meeting at the Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer®
- Complete calls and submit letters multiple times throughout the year to elected officials
- May be called upon to meet with elected officials in the district office or DC office
Oversees the recruitment and retention of SGO Membership
Committee Responsibilities:
- Reviews recruitment and retention plans to grow and sustain membership
- Examines applicant credentials, rules on applicant eligibility, and proposes the new member ballot to the council bi-monthly or as needed
- Reviews member entry criteria
- Reviews policies and application to ensure consistency and fairness
Time Commitment:
- Participation in conference calls once every two months or as needs to achieve the committee’s work plan
- Attendance for incoming and continuing committee member at the Annual Meeting>
- Application Review Subcommittee: Review member applications online as needed
- Member Engagement Community Leaders: ongoing
The Nominating committee is charged with providing a slate for the election of officers and Council members to the SGO Council for approval and voted on by the membership 60 days prior to the Annual Meeting.
Committee Responsibilities:
- Recommends policies and procedures to the Council for the nominations process
- Reviews applications for open Council positions and provides a recommended slate to the Council and Membership
This Committee Is Recommended for:
- Seasoned Full Members in good standing who have displayed a commitment to the Society
Time Commitment:
- Participation in conference calls as necessary
- Must dedicate time to review all applications for Council and Officer positions
The Quality and Outcomes committee promotes quality outcomes research in gynecologic malignancies, assumes a leadership role in defining indicators of quality gynecologic oncology care, and fosters the development of tools and expertise to advance the delivery of high quality gynecologic oncology care to women. Work includes positioning the SGO to become involved in competitive research grants and establishing quality metrics.
Subcommittees/work groups include:
1. Outcomes Research
- NCDB Ovarian Cancer Project
- NCDB Endometrial Cancer Project
- Quality & Outcomes Research Institute
2. Quality Measures Development
- Ovarian Cancer Measure Development
- Endometrial Cancer Measure Development
3. Registry Development
Committee Responsibilities:
- Identifies potential areas for improvement in efficiencies of care in gynecology oncology
- Develops quality measures for the subspecialty of gynecology oncology
- Implement developed measures into a reliable registry/database to be collected on and validated accurately
- Develops SGO’s own quality measures registry or utilizes appropriate existing registry to implement gynecology oncology measures
- Provides a way to report Part IV data on MOC for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG)
- Learns how to best utilize the National Quality Forum (NQF) to help make connections with leaders in the healthcare quality arena, set national standards for quality improvement, and drive SGO’s quality measures to NQF endorsement
- Participates in Comparative Effective Research; analyzes results and develop ways to improve women’s health outcomes
- Keeps informed of all emerging quality and outcomes issues in Gynecologic Oncology
- Collaborates with fellow organizations to learn more/exchange ideas about improving the quality of women’s health care
- Participates in various appropriate roundtable discussions concerning issues in the quality of care for women with gynecologic malignancies.
This Committee is recommended for Members:
- Who are established in their field
- Desire to improve the practice of gynecologic oncology care by increasing awareness of outcomes data and applying this knowledge into practice
- Experienced/interested in developing outcomes measures
- Experienced/Interested in Comparative Effective Research
- Interested in collaborating with fellow organizations in the oncology community to learn/share knowledge of emerging issues in quality of care
- Eager to learn more about the National Quality Forum and how to best utilize SGO’s membership.
Time Commitment:
- Participation in 4-6 full committee conference calls per year
- Participation in 5-6 conference calls per year for specific subcommittee/work group
- Spend 5-20 hours per year on various project development, research, etc
- For incoming and continuing committee members, attendance at a face-to face committee meeting at the Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer®