The health, well-being, and medical fields are constantly changing, so it's important for professionals and students to associate with others in their field.
There are several industry organizations that can help students advance or make connections and help professional enhance their careers, stay informed of current developments, and perhaps even have a hand in reshaping elements of their profession.
Many of these organizations are specific to a particular element of the health, well-being, and medical professions, while others cover professionals working in a specified geographical area, such as a country, state, region, county, or locality. Others might cover a broader field.
Often, multiple organizations will cover the same field or geographical area, so students and professionals might join multiple organizations or determine those that are apt to be the most beneficial to their careers.
Membership benefits will likely vary from organization to organization. These might include access to research publications and journals in the member's specialty, conferences, events, webinars, and continuing education or certification opportunities. Other benefits are likely to include networking with other professionals in the same field, updates on federal or state regulatory changes, or information on innovations and improvements in the industry. In many cases, the greatest benefit might be that memberships can be used to bolster resumes, LinkedIn profiles, or other credentials.
Professional organizations might be known by a variety of names, including alliances, associations, boards, brotherhoods, chambers, clubs, coalitions, confederations, congresses, consortiums, cooperatives, councils, federations, fellowships, fraternities, groups, guilds, institutes, institutions, leagues, orders, societies, sororities, syndicates, unions, or others.
Health, wellness, or medical organizations, by whatever name, may be listed in this portion of our guide. However, those specific to a particular field represented by another category in this web guide may also be listed there and in appropriate categories within our Local & Global categories.
Recommended Resources
American Academy of Dermatology
The AAD is a professional organization of dermatologists in Canada and the United States. Founded in 1938, the organization grants fellowships, associate memberships, and fellowships for those outside of the U.S. and Canada. It also publishes the "Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology," a monthly medical journal. Its site includes separate sections for AAD members, patients, and the public, although the public can view both pages, except for a private area for members.
https://www.aad.org/
The ABA is a membership organization that spans multiple medical disciplines specializing in burns, including physicians, surgeons, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, firefighters, social workers, researchers, and hospitals with burn centers. The ABA publishes the "Journal of Burn Care & Research," and is involved in the qualification process for burn centers, and in the development of Certified Burn Registered Nurse certification. Member services are featured on the site.
https://ameriburn.org/
American Hair Loss Association
The AHLA is a national, non-profit consumer organization created to educate the public, healthcare professionals, the mainstream media, and legislators about the devastating disease of hair loss, such as alopecia. The types of hair loss are set forth, and particular information on hair loss in men, women, and children is included, as well as drug-induced hair loss. Hair loss treatment, replacement, and surgical hair loss restoration are included, and a glossary of terms is posted.
https://www.americanhairloss.org/
American Institute of Stress, The
Headquartered in Weatherford, Texas, AIS leadership and fellowship are made up of globally recognized experts in many areas of stress management, including psychiatrists, psychologists, other mental health practitioners, cardiologists, oncologists, general practitioners, and experts in PTSD and combat operational stress. Established in 1978, the AIS offers credentials that set members apart as stress experts. Membership levels, features, and costs are compared side by side.
https://www.stress.org/
Founded as the National Association for the Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis in 1904, the American Lung Association adopted its current name in 1973 to represent its expanded role. The ALA is a public health organization funded by contributions from individual donors, corporations, foundations, and government agency grants, including its long-running Christmas Seals fundraising program. The organization helps to promote awareness of the dangers of smoking and other lung health issues.
https://www.lung.org/
The AMA is a professional association of physicians and medical students. Founded by delegates from medical societies and colleges in 1847, it is now the largest association and lobby group in the United States. Its healthcare advocacy and educational programs are featured, including its AMA EdHub and AMA GME Competency Education programs. AMA physician profiles may be viewed, and the AMA insurance program is discussed. Its online store offers printed and electronic books for sale.
https://www.ama-assn.org/
American Society of Dermatology
The ASD is a non-partisan professional association of dermatologists, although membership levels exist for medical students and the public. Its mission is to promote and enhance the private practice of dermatology and to represent its members in scientific, educational, socioeconomic, and legislative areas that affect dermatology practice. General information about the organization and a discussion of problems and solutions, government issues, and current activities are provided.
http://www.asd.org/
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
Organized in 1953 to address the growing prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases in the United States, the AAFA is a non-profit organization that seeks to find a cure or enhanced treatments for asthma, food allergies, nasal allergies, and other allergic diseases and to educate the public about these diseases. The AAFA administers the Asthma & Allergy Friendly Certification Program in partnership with Allergy Standards Limited, highlighted here, along with membership levels and contacts.
https://aafa.org/
BC Professional Fire Fighters' Burn Fund
Dedicated to assisting burn survivors across British Columbia and the Yukon throughout their recovery, the Burn Fund empowers survivors through programs and retreats, offers accommodations to burn survivors and their families, and works to enhance medicare care at BC trauma hospitals. Founded by a group of firefighters in 1978, its first summer camp for young burn survivors took place in 1994, and the Fund committed $1 million to establish a new burn unit in 1997. Contacts are posted.
https://burnfund.org/
Burn Survivors Throughout the World
BSTTW is a non-profit organization offering support and education to burn survivors worldwide. Located in Texas, the organization is active in several countries. Members may participate in its BSTTW Online Community forum, weekly scheduled chats, articles, stories, pictures, poems, polls, newsletters, and other resources. Membership information is discussed, and volunteer opportunities are posted on the site. An online store offers books, music, DVDs, eBooks, and other products for sale.
http://www.burnsurvivorsttw.org/
GWI is a non-profit organization created to empower wellness worldwide through educating private and public sectors about preventative health and wellness. Its research projects, programs, and initiatives are discussed, and the geographic areas in which it is active are highlighted, with key facts, economy reports, and rankings. Also included is a film series, which may be viewed through streaming media, event schedules, press information, demographics, and contacts.
https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/
International Committee of the Red Cross
ICRC is a humanitarian organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, and part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, along with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and nearly two hundred national societies. Its history, mandate, mission, governance, and finances are set forth along with its activities and projects and an overview of where it works. Its several publications are featured, along with its legal basis and issues.
https://www.icrc.org/
International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, The
The ISHRS is a global non-profit association of hair loss and restoration medical professionals. The organization offers educational resources, research, ethics, and public awareness for its membership and the public. Its site includes a database of hair restoration physicians. Its leadership, administration, committees, and affiliated or partner organizations are noted. The organization's awards, lectureships, and media information are included, and contacts are posted.
https://ishrs.org/
International Union for Health Promotion and Education
The global professional, non-governmental organization is dedicated to the promotion of health around the world, operating as an independent, global, professional network of people and institutions. Its membership categories and fees, regions, headquarters, and governance structure are defined, along with collaborating partners, external networks, activities, and consultancy services. The IUHPE publishes "Global Health Promotion," an official academic journal.
https://www.iuhpe.org/
Known as Doctors Without Borders in English, the charity is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, but serves worldwide, providing humanitarian medical care for diabetes, drug-resistant infections, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, tropical and endemic diseases, tuberculosis, and COVID-19, including vaccination programs. Founded in 1971, the organization is recognized as a non-governmental organization (NGO) by the United Nations. Its work, volunteer opportunities, and ways to contribute are noted.
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/
National Cancer Registrars Association
Originally named the National Tumor Registrars Association, the NCRA is a not-for-profit association representing cancer registry professionals and Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR) certificants primarily focusing on education and certification. The organization provides ongoing training through annual conferences, workshops, publications, and a continuing education credit program. Schedules and policy information are posted on the site, and membership information is provided.
https://www.ncra-usa.org/
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
An executive non-departmental public body in England associated with the Department of Health and Social Care, NICE publishes guidelines for the use of health technologies within the National Health Service and NHS Wales for clinical practice, for public sector workers on health promotion and ill-health avoidance, and for social care services and users, and serves both the English NHS and the Welsh NHS. Standards and indicators, clinical knowledge summaries, and other resources are included.
https://www.nice.org.uk/
The NIH is the primary agency of the U.S. government responsible for biomedical and public health research. Founded in the late 1880s, it is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Its site features health information, policies, and information about grants and funding, news releases, media resources, and a calendar of events. Research and training facilities, medical research initiatives, training opportunities, and links to the institutes at NIH are included.
https://www.nih.gov/
National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation
Created in 1982, NOAH is a non-profit organization that assists people with albinism. Operated by volunteers, and funded by member dues and contributions, NOAH sponsors workshops and conferences on albinism, and publishes "Albinism InSight," a quarterly magazine, as well as its website and bulletin boards, which are used to disseminate information about albinism through various mediums. Its programs, events, and membership and volunteer opportunities are discussed.
https://albinism.org/
Providing professional development and engagement opportunities that support individuals from a variety of disciplines in promoting whole-person wellness, the NWI has established the Wellness Promotion Competency Model, which is the standard for the Certified Wellness Practitioner certification, the Six Dimensions of Wellness Model, and the Multicultural Competency in Wellness Model, which guide strategies toward creating a multidimensional, multicultural, high-level wellness society.
https://nationalwellness.org/
North American Association of Central Cancer Registries
Established in 1987, NAACCR is an umbrella organization for cancer registries, governmental agencies, professional associations, and private groups in North America, focusing on improving the quality and use of cancer registry data. All central cancer registries in the United States and Canada are members. Central registry standards, data, statistics, certification and education programs, research, analytic tools, and a virtual pooled registry are featured.
https://www.naaccr.org/
Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board
The NPAIHB is a non-profit tribal advisory organization operated by participating tribes. Established in 1972, it works on issues pertaining to promoting health and preventing disease among Native people, legislative and policy analysis, training and technical assistance, and surveillance and research. It serves 43 recognized tribes in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Member tribes are listed, and its Northwest Tribal Epidemiology Center and organizational programs and projects are featured.
https://www.npaihb.org/
The Sarcoma Foundation of America is a US-based cancer research organization that seeks to encourage research to find a cure for sarcoma. Researchers can apply for a grant from the foundation through this website; you can also find out which projects have previously been funded. The website also has advice from patients suffering from this disease. Research topics, educational programs, activities, and volunteer opportunities are featured, along with a schedule of events.
https://www.curesarcoma.org/
An agency of the United Nations, WHO claims responsibility for international public health. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the organization has six regional offices and a hundred and fifty field offices worldwide. It publishes the "World Health Report," which provides assessments of worldwide health topics. Its organizational structure, health topics, countries, and campaigns are featured, and data collections, data collection tools, and world health statistics are included.
https://www.who.int/
