Amendments Proposed to SLMMS Bylaws – Member Comment Period Has Now Closed
AMENDMENTS PROPOSED TO SLMMS BYLAWS – Member Comment Period Has Now Closed
The Comment Period for Members to Respond to the Bylaw Changes has now closed.
Proposed Amendments to SLMMS Bylaws – Fall 2018
On July 12, 2018, the SLMMS Bylaws Committee met in response to requests from the SLMMS Membership Committee and the SLMMS Strategic Planning Committee to propose amendments to the Bylaws of the St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society (SLMMS). No revisions or amendments to the Bylaws of the St. Louis Society for Medical and Scientific Education (SLSMSE) are being proposed at this time.
The Bylaws Committee has reviewed, drafted and proposed a number of changes that were presented to the SLMMS Council on September 11, 2018. The Council approved a motion to present these changes to the membership of the St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society through this posting on the Society website.
In summary, the proposed changes to the SLMMS Bylaws include:
– Eliminating the current membership category of Honor Members (Chapter I. Members Section 2. Honor Members). No new members would be granted this status after December 31, 2018. All current Honor Members would be “grandfathered” and would experience no change in membership status.
– Eliminating the current membership category of Life Members (Chapter I. Members Section 3. Life Members). No new members would be granted this status after December 31, 2018. All current Life Members would be “grandfathered” and would experience no change in membership status.
– Changing the criteria for Retired Members (Chapter I. Members Section 5. Retired Members). Retired status will only be granted when a member has completely ceased practicing medicine for remuneration. All current Retired Members would experience no change in membership status.
– Expanding the definition of Corresponding Members (Chapter I. Members Section 7. Corresponding Members). Clarifies that corresponding membership status is granted when a physician is a member in good standing with another component society of the Missouri State Medical Association, and that participation in member events and benefits shall be at the discretion of the Council.
– Creates a new membership category called Affiliate Members (Chapter I. Section 8. Affiliate Members). Creates an alternate path to membership for members in good standing with the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians; and for members of another general state medical society who are not eligible for active membership in SLMMS due to geography. Description of this member category shall be similar to Corresponding Members.
Note to SLMMS Members: These proposed amendments were posted on September 24, 2018 in accordance with the existing SLMMS Bylaws (Chapter XIV. Section 1. Amendments) to provide members at least thirty (30) days’ notice prior to the time of the Council vote on the amendments. The St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society Council will discuss and vote on these proposed amendments at their November 13 Council meeting, to be held at 7:00 p.m. in the first floor Conference Room at the SLMMS office at 680 Craig Road, St. Louis, MO. An affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of the Council will be required to pass the amendments. If passed, the amended bylaws will become effective January 1, 2019.
Members wishing to comment on the proposed amendments may do so in writing no later than Wednesday, October 31, 2018.
Please note the comment period has now closed.
You may submit your comments via email to David Nowak, SLMMS Executive Vice President, at dnowak@slmms.org or by mail to:
Bylaws Committee Chairman
St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society
680 Craig Road, Suite 308
St. Louis, MO 63141
PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE ST. LOUIS METROPOLITAN MEDICAL SOCIETY BYLAWS
CHAPTER I. MEMBERS
Changes to membership categories as proposed by the SLMMS Membership Committee on June 5, 2018; revised for submission to the Bylaws Committee by the SLMMS Strategic Planning Committee on June 20, 2018. Reviewed and approved by the Bylaws Committee on July 12, 2018. Motion by the SLMMS Council on Sept. 11, 2018 made to present these changes to the full membership for comment before October 31, 2018. Changes are highlighted below in bold italics.
Members of the St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society (SLMMS) are classified into the following categories:
Section 1: Active Members.
Any doctor of medicine or osteopathy of good professional standing, legally qualified, residing or practicing in St. Louis or St. Louis County, and whose professional conduct is in accordance with the generally accepted principles of medical ethics shall be eligible for Active membership.
Section 2. Honor Members.
The Council may, at its discretion, place Active Members who have rendered distinguished service to medicine or to the community on an “honor list” and such members shall be known as “Honor Members.” They shall enjoy all the privileges of Active membership. The Committee proposes this category be eliminated and no new members added after December 31, 2018. All current Honor Members would be “grandfathered.”
Section 3. Life Members.
The Council may, after due investigation and at its discretion, place members in good standing on the list of Life Members who are disabled or withdrawn from active practice upon request to the Council. Life membership may also be granted to those members in good standing who are at least 70 years old or have been Active Members of component medical societies more than 35 years. Such members shall enjoy all the privileges of Active membership, except to vote and hold elective office. The Committee proposes this category be eliminated and no new members added after December 31, 2018. All current Life Members would be “grandfathered.”
Section 4. Resident/Fellow Members.
Applicants may be admitted as Resident/Fellow members after graduation in medicine or osteopathy and during the time they are serving full time internships, residencies, or fellowships. Upon completion of the years that qualify them for Resident/Fellow status, they may automatically become Active members, following a status change request. Resident/Fellow members have the same qualifications for admission and shall have the same privileges as Active members, and shall be assigned to the Resident/Fellow Section.
Section 5. Retired Members.
Members who retire from the practice or teaching of medicine may maintain the retired classification while residing in this or any other part of the world by paying the dues as described in Chapter X and may be reinstated to Active membership on application to the Council. Retired status will only be granted when a member has completely ceased practicing medicine for remuneration. Such members shall enjoy all the privileges of Active membership, except to vote and hold elective office. All current Retired Members would experience no change in membership status.
Section 6. Honorary Members.
Distinguished members of the health care profession, may, by vote of the Society or Council be made Honorary members. They shall not be assessed dues and may not vote or hold elective office.
Section 7. Corresponding Members
Any doctor of medicine or osteopathy residing and/or practicing outside of St. Louis and St. Louis County who are members in good standing of another component society of the Missouri State Medical Association in the county in which they reside, may, by vote of the Council, become Corresponding Members of the St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society so long as they retain membership in their own Society. They shall be entitled to receive the journal, to participate in scientific and educational proceedings of the Society, and participate in member events and benefits at the discretion of the Council. They shall pay a reduced annual dues but will not be eligible to vote or to hold elective office.
Section 8. Affiliate Members.
Any doctor of medicine or osteopathy who is either (a) a member in good standing with the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians, or (b) a member of another general state medical society and not eligible to be an active member of SLMMS by geography, may, by vote of the Council, become an Affiliate Member of the St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society so long as they retain membership in their own Society. They shall be entitled to receive the journal, to participate in scientific and educational proceedings of the Society and participate in member events and benefits at the discretion of the Council. They shall pay a reduced annual dues but will not be eligible to vote or to hold elective office.
Section 9. Student Members
Student members shall be limited to those pursuing a course of study leading to the degree of Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy at a school approved by the American Medical Association or American Osteopathic Association. They shall be assigned to the Medical Student Section. Student members shall not be assessed dues and may not vote or hold elective office, except if appointed as the Medical Student Section liaison to the Council.
Section 10. Members with No Vote.
As mentioned elsewhere in this chapter, Student, Corresponding, Affiliate and Honorary Members shall not be entitled to vote nor hold elective office, nor shall they be counted as members in determining the number of delegates to the Missouri State Medical Association to which the Society is entitled, with the exception of the Medical Student Section liaison, who with approval of the Council, is allowed to vote and participate in the business affairs of the Council.
