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CHAPTER II
Membership
(updated as of December 9, 2007)
Section 2.01. Membership in this Society is a privilege and not a right and is contingent upon compliance with the requirements specified in these Bylaws. No person shall be accepted or continued as a member of this Society unless he or she is of good moral character and adheres to the ethical standards of the medical profession. No person shall be accepted for membership unless he or she meets with the above requirements and is at the time practicing in accordance with the principles of this Society as stated in these Bylaws.
Section 2.02. The categories of membership of this Society shall conform to those of The American Society of Anesthesiologists, Inc., and are as follows: Honorary; Active; Affiliate; Retired; Resident; Medical Student.
Section 2.03. The requirements for eligibility in the various categories of membership are:
Section 2.03-1. Honorary. Physicians, scientists or other noteworthy individuals who have rendered years of faithful services to the Society, or who have attained exceptional eminence in anesthesiology and related subjects. Honorary members shall be elected to that category by recommendation of the Assistant Secretaries and subsequent approval by the Board of Directors.
Section 2.03-2. Active. Physicians who are engaged in, or especially interested in, the practice of anesthesiology; who are graduates of reputable schools of medicine or osteopathy, who have successfully completed a training program in anesthesiology accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or equivalent organization, or the American Osteopathic Association, and who are licensed to practice medicine or osteopathy in New York State. Physicians serving in the Armed Forces or Public Health Services of the United States or Federal Veterans Administration need not be licensed in New York State but must be licensed to practice medicine or osteopathy in one of the states of the United States, District of Columbia, in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a U.S. possession. Physicians serving in the Veterans Administration in New York State and who hold a license to practice medicine in New York State shall be Active members of NYSSA.
The above provisions shall not affect the status of any member who is already an Active member of this Society or of any individual who is already an Active member of The American Society of Anesthesiologists, Inc., and who wishes to transfer membership from another component society.
Section 2.03-3. Affiliate.
a) Federal. Physicians who are members of the Armed Forces or Public Health Services of the United States or Federal Veterans Administrations, if the latter are not eligible for Active membership, and are especially interested in the specialty of anesthesiology.
b) Scientific. Physicians or other scientists who are not engaged in the clinical practice of anesthesiology.
Section 2.03-4. Retired. Active members of this Society who have been in good standing in the American Society of Anesthesiologists for twenty (20) or more years and in the NYSSA for ten (10) years or more, and who have retired from the practice of anesthesiology may, upon application to the Secretary, become Retired members. Members who become disabled and are therefore prevented from pursuing the practice of anesthesiology may, upon notification to the Secretary, become Retired members. However, such Retired membership due to disability shall terminate upon resumption of the practice of anesthesiology.
Section 2.03-5. Resident. Physicians who are graduates of medical schools approved by the American Medical Association or by the Canadian Medical Association; or who are graduates of accredited schools of osteopathy; or who have passed the qualifying examination conducted by the Education Council of Foreign Medical Graduates; or who are in possession of a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or osteopathy in a state, territory or province of the United States or Canada; and who are engaged in training in anesthesiology on a full-time basis in a training program accredited by the Council on Medical Education and Hospitals of the American Medical Association. A physician who engages in unsupervised administration of anesthesia for which a charge is made to the patient is not regarded as being in full-time training.
Resident membership shall automatically terminate upon completion of three (3) years of residency training, except that a one (1) year extension of Resident membership for each additional year of residency training, may be granted by the Assistant Secretaries if such extension is also approved by the Program Director, and that such extension not total more than two (2) additional years.
Section 2.03-6. Medical Student. Medical Students may become members of the NYSSA. They shall be individuals in full-time training, as verified by the chair of the department of anesthesiology, in a medical school approved by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) or the American Osteopathic Association.
LOCATION OF PRINCIPAL PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY
Section 2.04. Unless otherwise described in these Bylaws, the term "location of principal professional activity" is defined as the place where a member performs the greater part of his or her duties or the place of his or her primary appointment, as distinguished from his or her place of residence or location of temporary or other professional pursuits.
In the event of uncertainty or dispute as to the location of principal professional activity, the matter shall be referred to the Secretaries of the Society for a ruling, and their decision shall be final.
Section 2.05. Application for membership shall be submitted to the Executive Office on a form provided by this Society.
Section 2.06. Resident membership. Application for membership shall be endorsed by a member of this Society who is in charge of the training program of the applicant and who certifies that the applicant is not engaged in unsupervised administration of anesthesia for which a charge is made to the patient.
Section 2.07. Application for membership shall be considered by the Assistant Secretaries who investigate each applicant. Applicants approved by the Assistant Secretaries shall assume membership upon completion of the requirements for membership provided by these Bylaws, including payment of appropriate assessments.
Section 2.07-1. Enrollment. A membership card shall be sent to each new member and his or her name shall be enrolled on the official membership roster.
Section 2.08. Members in good standing of this Society possess rights and privileges as follows:
Section 2.08-1. Active Members shall be entitled to full privileges of this Society.
Section 2.08-2. Honorary Members shall be entitled to all of the benefits and privileges of Active membership but shall be exempt from the payment of assessments and shall not hold office.
Section 2.08-3. Affiliate, Resident and Medical Student Members shall be entitled to the benefits and privileges of the Society and may be appointed to committees, with the exception of Medical Student Members who may not serve on committees. Affiliate, Resident and Medical Student members shall not serve as officers, delegates, directors or committee chairmen unless otherwise described in these Bylaws; nor shall they vote in any referendum.
Section 2.08-4. Retired Members shall be accorded all the rights and privileges of Active members but shall be exempt from the payment of assessments and shall not hold office.
MAINTENANCE OF OTHER MEMBERSHIPS
Section 2.09. All Active, Resident, Medical Student and Retired Members of this Society are required to maintain membership in The American Society of Anesthesiologists, Inc. Such members who fail to comply with this provision shall be expelled from this Society immediately upon notification by the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Inc.
Section 2.09-1. All Active and Resident Members of this Society are required to maintain membership in the district section having jurisdiction over the location of their principal professional activity.
CENSURE, SUSPENSION, AND EXPULSION
Section 2.10. A member of this Society may be censured, suspended, or expelled for good cause.
Section 2.10-1. Causes.
a) Expulsion from membership in the American Medical Association or any of its constituent associations.
b) Revocation or suspension of a member's license to practice medicine or osteopathy by a regularly constituted state authority.
c) Conviction in a court of law of a felony or an offense involving moral turpitude.
d) Conduct unbecoming of a physician.
e) Any cause or act which is detrimental to this Society.
f) Failure to abide by the provisions of these Bylaws.
g) Violation of the standards of professional conduct approved by the Society.
Section 2.10-2. Investigation. Investigations and hearings involving a member of this Society shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter XV of these Bylaws.
EFFECT OF SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION
Section 2.11. Suspension or expulsion of a member of this Society affects his or her status as follows:
Section 2.11-1. Suspension. Suspension of a member shall be for a definite period of time and day, at the sole discretion of the Board of Directors, be commuted at any time.
During the period of suspension, the member shall not be entitled to exercise the rights or privileges of membership. If the suspended member is an Officer, Director, Delegate, or member of the Judicial and Awards Committee of this Society, the Board of Directors may, at its discretion, declare his or her position vacant.
Section 2.11-2. Expulsion. All rights and privileges of a member in this Society and its property cease upon his or her termination of membership or expulsion. Any office held by such member in this Society thereupon becomes vacant.
Section 2.12. A member of this Society who has been dropped or expelled from membership may be reinstated, provided he or she makes application for membership in the same manner as provided in these Bylaws for an original application for membership, and he or she pays any assessments in arrears at the time he or she ceased to be a member, and his or her reinstatement is approved by the Board of Directors.
A member who has been suspended from membership shall automatically be reinstated at the termination or commutation of his or her suspension. However, if the suspended member was an Officer, Director, Delegate, or member of the Judicial and Awards Committee and his or her position had been declared vacant, he or she shall not resume the position upon reinstatement.
Section 2.13. Dues. Annual assessments shall be due and payable on January 15th for that calendar year. If a member has not paid his or her annual assessment by March 31st of that year, he or she shall be immediately notified that he or she will be dropped from membership in this Society unless payment is received by May 1st.
Section 2.13-1. Active Members. The amount of the annual assessment for Active members shall be determined by the Board of Directors after consideration of the annual budget for the next year.
Section 2.13-2. Affiliate Members. The amount of the annual assessment for Affiliate members shall be one-half (1/2) of the amount of the annual assessment for Active members.
Section 2.13-3. Resident Members. The amount of the annual assessment for Resident members shall be recommended by the Treasurer for approval by the Board of Directors.
Section 2.13-4. Honorary, Retired and Medical Student Members. These categories shall not be required to pay annual or special assessments.
Section 2.13-5. Others. Past Presidents of The New York State Society of Anesthesiologists, those who served as President of The American Society of Anesthesiologists and past Postgraduate Assembly General Chairmen shall not be required to pay annual or special assessments.
Section 2.13-6. New Members. Applicants whose membership applications are accepted prior to July 1st of a year shall pay the full amount of the annual assessment for their category of membership for that year. Applicants whose membership applications are accepted after July 1st shall pay one-half (1/2) of the annual assessment of their category of membership for that year.
Section 2.14. Reinstatement. A member whose membership has lapsed by reason of non-payment of assessment may be reinstated by paying the amount of assessment in arrears when he or she ceased to be a member.
The Board of Directors may waive the necessity for payments of assessments in arrears if it finds that unusual circumstances make that action advisable.
Section 2.15. Illness. When, because of serious illness or injury, a member is prevented from pursuing the practice of medicine for more than six (6) months, and upon application on behalf of the member, one-half (1/2) of the annual dues will be waived or refunded as may be appropriate. If such disability persists, one-half (1/2) of the annual dues shall be waived or refunded for each additional six (6) month period of disability.
Section 2.16. Refund. If a member ceases to be a member for any reason other than suspension or expulsion before July 1st, one-half (1/2) of his or her annual assessment will be refunded.
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