Sections
More than half of the AAP membership belong to one or more Sections.
Sections were developed within the AAP for members who share a pediatric
subspecialty, surgical specialty, special area of interest, or stage
of life. Sections cultivate ideas and develop programs within their
subspecialty or special interest that improve the care of infants, children,
adolescents, and young adults. Although their primary goal may be education
of colleagues, Sections are also involved in policy development, public
education, and advocacy for children. As a Section member, you will
have the opportunity to share ideas with and learn from colleagues who
share your specific interests and/or subspecialty background.
Councils
Councils represent one of the newer opportunities within the AAP. They
represent the evolution of Sections and Committees working in the same
field into a new, integrated, structure. Each Council is the primary
source of expertise in a given field within the AAP. An executive committee
of elected leaders governs each Council. Although Councils fulfill the
functions traditionally held separately by national Committees and Sections,
their scope, as a single entity, is expanded to encompass a broader
vision and a wider array of activities. Councils generate policy, create
educational programming and resources, develop and promote advocacy
initiatives, support translation of policy and education into practice,
and they integrate and evaluate these efforts to maximize impact. The
Council structure is designed to give members a strong voice in policy
development and in other Council activities.
For more information about the development of councils, see the council fact sheet and an article published in the June 2005 issue of AAP News.
Both Sections and Councils
have an executive committee and sub-committees, so leadership opportunities
are bountiful. Members are eligible to join multiple Sections and Councils
that are of interest to them based on their member type and the membership
criteria established by the Section and/or Council.
For information on specific
Sections and Councils, visit their home
pages.
For current AAP members, most of the AAP's 50 Sections and 5 Councils can be joined by applying online. The directions to join online are quick and easy!
1. Go to www.aap.org/moc and login with your AAP ID and password.
2. Click on "Member Community".
3. Click on "Join a Section or Council" under Section, Council & Committee Information.
4. Choose the Section(s) or Council(s) you are interested in, answer a few questions and click "Submit".
If the Section or Council
does not have the online application, you may check their criteria
page, and if applicable, download the application
form and send it in.
For information on membership,
contact the AAP Division of Member Services at 800/433-9016 or membership@aap.org.
