Qualifications for Membership in the US Chapter, International Society of Surgery
According to the ISS/SIC Constitution
All members shall be medical doctors or non-medical scientists who have received academic training in a field of surgery or life science and are or have been engaged as their main professional endeavor in a career involving a recognized field of surgery or life science, including care of the critically ill and/or recognition of expertise in surgical research.
According to the Bylaws of the US Chapter
All members shall be surgeons residing in the United States of America who have received training in a field of surgery and are, or have been, engaged as their main professional endeavor in a career involving a recognized field of surgery, including care of the critically ill.
In accord with the constitution of the Society, candidates for membership should normally be Fellows of the American College of Surgeons and/or the American Surgical Association. Additional qualifications shall be as follows:
- Active members shall be surgeons of good moral and ethical character who have distinguished themselves by well-recognized professional and/or scientific
achievements in a field of surgery. - Senior members shall be surgeons who have been Active members for at least 15 years and have retired from practice and have submit a request for Senior Member status in writing to the Secretary.
- Honorary membership shall be awarded by the decision of the General
Assembly of the Society to Active or Senior members of undoubted international reputation who have rendered distinguished service to the Society. Honorary members of the Society from the United States shall automatically become Honorary members of the Chapter.
Privileges and Benefits of Membership
In brief:
- International Network of esteemed surgeons, anesthesiologists and scientists dedicated to advancing surgical care around the world
- Optional membership in Integrated Specialist Societies (IAES, IATSIC, IASMEN, BSI, ISDS)
- Subscription to World Journal of Surgery (12 issues per year)
- Reduction of Registration Fee for International Surgical Week
- International Network
- National Chapter Activities
In more detail:
Members of the ISS/SIC are subscribed to World Journal of Surgery (WJS) – 12 issues per year. The international readership is provided with the latest, most authoritative information on major clinical problems in the field of surgery. Subscription is automatically included in the ISS/SIC membership fee.
Members have access to the online version of WJS where e-publication may occur in advance of the print journal and where dynamic manuscripts that include streaming video may be found.
Further membership privileges are the free on-line access to the following 10 Springer surgical journals:
- Annals of Surgical Oncology
- Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery
- International Journal of Colorectal Diseases
- Journal of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery
- Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery
- Langenbeck’s Archives of Surgery
- Neurosurgical Review
- Pediatric Surgery International
- Surgery Today
- Surgical Endoscopy
Members have a considerably reduced registration fee at International Surgical Week ISW and are given priority for inclusion as abstract reviewers, moderators or speakers at ISW.
The Network amongst ISS/SIC members gives great opportunities for a mutual exchange and support between surgeons from privileged and less privileged areas.
Members of ISS/SIC with specific interest in the corresponding field may also become member of one or more of the following Integrated Specialist Societies at a modest assessment.
IAES – International Association of Endocrine Surgeons
IATSIC – International Association for Trauma Surgery and Intensive Care
IASMEN – International Association for Surgical Metabolism and Nutrition
BSI – Breast Surgery International
ISDS – International Society for Digestive Surgery
ASAP – Alliance for Surgery and Anesthesia
Dues and Payments
The annual membership fee of ISS/SIC as approved by the General Assembly at the biennial World Congresses of Surgery includes:
- Membership of that year
- Subscription to the World Journal of Surgery of that year
- Reduced registration fee at the biennial International Surgical Week ISW meeting
Dues Payment Responsibility by Category
- Active Members must pay the annual dues established by the General Assembly. They may vote, serve as officers of the society and on committees.
- Senior Members are not required to pay the annual dues. They may vote but may not serve as officers.
- Honorary Members have all of the rights of Active Members. They are not required to pay annual dues.
The Annual ISS/SIC 2021 Membership Dues
It’s a renewal season! Given the current COVID pandemic, the ISS/SIC Council and the ISS Foundation board felt that ISS/SIC members should be compensated for a time with little activities only. Therefore, it was decided to offer our members a 20% discount on membership fees for 2021 in recognition of your ongoing support towards ISS/SIC endeavors. The ISS Foundation will cover the lacking income for ISS/SIC.
Members 40 years of age or younger or still in a definitive surgical training program have all the privileges of full membership but pay only half the dues, i.e. CHF 90.00 per year.
Members of Integrated Societies also pay Assessments for their Societies. These Assessments are also paid along with the Annual ISS/SIC Membership Fee.
Members of Integrated Societies also pay Assessments for their Societies. These Assessments are also paid along with the Annual ISS/SIC Membership Fee. Membership invoices are mailed annually at the end of each calendar year (January – December) and the payment process is to be renewed for each year (no automated debit). It is the responsibility of the member to ensure that the fee is paid yearly, latest at the beginning of each calendar year (January – December). Failure of dues payment after two reminders will result in temporary loss of membership services.
For Terms and Conditions, visit the ISS/SIC website.
Membership Categories
Members of the US Chapter of the ISS fall in to the following categories:
- Active Member
- Senior Member
- Honorary Member
Members of any of the ISS’s Integrated Societies also qualify for membership in the ISS and its US Chapter:
- IAES Member
- IATSIC Member
- IASMEN Member
- BSI Member
- ISDS Member
- ASAP Member
Membership Application Process
There are two methods for becoming a member of the ISS and its US Chapter:
1) Apply for membership in the ISS, or
2) Apply for membership in an Integrated Society
To apply for Membership in the ISS, complete the electronic application. Please note that the electronic application can only be submitted if all mandatory fields (marked with an *) are completed.
The membership application also includes Letters of Support from two Active Members of the ISS, US Chapter. Click here to search the directory of all US Members, or click here to reference the complete list of all ISS/SIC Members.
To apply for Membership in an Integrated Society, complete the membership application for the appropriate society available on each society’s website. Members of an Integrated Society enjoy full membership privileges of ISS/SIC with all its rights and obligations.
IAES – International Association of Endocrine Surgeons
IATSIC – International Association for Trauma Surgery and Intensive Care
IASMEN – International Association for Surgical Metabolism and Nutrition
BSI – Breast Surgery International
ISDS – International Society for Digestive Surgery
ASAP – Alliance for Surgery and Anesthesia