There are five types of membership in the American Glaucoma Society: Active, Associate, International, Provisional, and Fellow in Training. Please read the requirements below to ascertain which type of membership suits your qualifications.


Requirements

Active Membership

Membership as an Active Member in the American Glaucoma Society shall be open to those ophthalmologists in the United States and Canada who are actively engaged in the clinical practice, teaching, and/or research of glaucoma as their major involvement in ophthalmology.  Members shall be recognized as leaders in the subspecialty of glaucoma, and considered experts in teaching, research, patient care, and/or community service in ophthalmology and glaucoma.

Applicants for Active Membership are expected to have attained a high level of professional accomplishment documented by excellence in the areas mentioned. Candidates shall be graduates of an accredited medical school or an accredited school of osteopathy, and shall have satisfactorily completed an approved residency program in ophthalmology. In addition candidates shall document:

  • Certification by the American Board of Ophthalmology or by the Royal College of Surgeons (Canada) in Ophthalmology.
  • Fellowship in the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
  •  Completion of at least one year of fellowship training in glaucoma in an institution accredited by the ACGME (Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education) Residency Review Committee or conducted by a Member of this Society and successful completion certified by the Director of the Fellowship Program.
  • Completion of at least four years of active clinical practice primarily in the area of glaucoma after completion of the fellowship.  At least 50% of the candidate's practice shall be limited to the management of patients with glaucoma.
  • Academic contributions to the profession as evidenced by (1) major authorship of a glaucoma related original article, review article, book chapter, or module; (2) a glaucoma related oral or poster presentation at a major national scientific meeting (e.g., the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, or the American Glaucoma Society) that is accompanied by an abstract; and/or (3) active post – fellowship participation in resident or glaucoma fellow education. 
  • Candidates meeting most but not all of the above requirements may be considered for Active Membership.  Such candidates must be practicing physicians in the United States or Canada who have had and maintained exceptional and intensive clinical practice experience in glaucoma and who represent a major resource in glaucoma and patient care nationally and for their community.

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Associate Membership

Membership as an Associate Member is available to persons considered deserving of membership but who fail to meet the requirements for Active Membership.  Such candidates may include glaucoma fellowship-trained ophthalmologists who do not otherwise meet the criteria for Active Membership, non-practicing ophthalmologists involved in basic research or persons, other than practicing physicians, whose primary interest is in the basic scientific disciplines related to the study of glaucoma. 

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International Membership

Membership as an International Member is limited to practicing physicians residing outside of the United States or Canada, but who have completed their clinical fellowship training in glaucoma in the United States or Canada and are engaged primarily in the diagnosis, care, and treatment of persons suffering from glaucoma.

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Provisional Membership

 Membership as a Provisional Member is available to persons who have satisfactorily completed at least one year of fellowship training in glaucoma at an institution accredited by the ACGME Residency Review Committee, or conducted by a Member of this Society and certified by the Director of the Fellowship Program, and are not currently enrolled in an Ophthalmic Post Graduate Training Program.  Provisional Membership can be renewed for four consecutive years with payment of dues.  Dues are free for the first two years of membership and the standard membership fee for the second two years. Provisional Members are eligible to apply for Active Membership when they are four years out of fellowship. 

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Fellow in Training Membership

Membership as a Fellow in Training is available to ophthalmologists in the United States and Canada who have satisfactorily completed an approved residency program in ophthalmology and are actively engaged in a clinical glaucoma fellowship in an institution accredited by the ACGME Residency Review Committee or conducted by a Member of the Society. A Fellow in Training Member must be recommended by his or her Fellowship Director, who must be an Active Member of the American Glaucoma Society.  A Fellow in Training Member may only hold membership in this category until the end of the calendar year in which their fellowship ends and may hold this status for a maximum of two years of fellowship training. There is no fee for the duration of this membership category.

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Emeritus Membership

Members of all classes who have reached the age of sixty-five (65)-or who have been members for twenty-five (25) years whichever occurs first, may choose to become Emeritus Members. Active Members who develop a total disability precluding medical practice also may be considered for Emeritus Membership. Please contact the AGS offices if you feel you’re eligible for Emeritus membership. This category is a free, lifetime membership and does not include the Journal of Glaucoma.

 

Sponsors

A new application must be sponsored by two (2) Active AGS Members. AGS will automatically contact the individuals you name on your application to verify sponsorship. Make sure you’ve contacted your sponsors before submitting the application. Once sponsored you do not need to be sponsored again when transferring to different membership categories in AGS.  

Deadlines

Applications for membership are considered twice a year. Deadlines for 2012/2013 applications are September 10, 2012 and January 7, 2013. September applicants will be notified in late December of their acceptance status and January applicants will be notified in late April of their acceptance status. There is no application deadline for Fellow-in-Training Membership; these applications are presented throughout the year. Election to membership is made by the affirmative vote by ballot of a majority of the Active Members after the Executive Committee has reviewed the nomination and determined eligibility.

Limitations

Only Active Members can vote, hold office, and serve on committees. All members must agree to adhere to the principles of ethics of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

 

Dues

Membership dues for each year shall be paid no later than December 31st of the preceding year. If dues are not paid by June 30th membership benefits are put on hold until they are paid. Any member defaulting in the payment of dues in two successive years shall be reported to the Board of Directors and dropped from the membership of the Society.

 

Resignations

A member may resign at any time by delivering his/her resignation in writing to the President or the Secretary.  A resignation shall be effective upon receipt, or upon such later date as shall be specified in the resignation.