AAO-HNSF Donors “Pay It Forward” for the Next Generation
How You Can Pay It Forward Join the Millennium Society Make a $1,000 or greater donation to the AAO-HNSF’s annual fund and be recognized as one of our prestigious Millennium Society donors. www.entnet.org/donate Enroll Your Group in Partners for Progress Make a corporate donation from your academic or private group and partner with us in support of our shared mission. www.entnet.org/partners Hal Foster, MD, Endowment Campaign Pledge a cash or planned endowment gift that will secure the AAO-HNSF’s mission in the future by providing vital, sustained funding to help address future challenges faced by the specialty. www.entnet.org/endowment The Changing Face of Otolaryngology Endowment Campaign Give a gift to support programs that foster a culture of inclusion and that will attract the best and the brightest to our specialty. www.entnet.org/change orwww.entnet.org/donate Jay S. Youngerman, MD Chair, Board of Governors Development Task Force While preparing this article, I spent time reflecting about the many AAO-HNSF donors I have met over the years while involved with AAO-HNSF Development. As I looked at the list of our Millennium Society members, generous donors who support our mission, I considered who they were — many of them leaders in the specialty – and what they have accomplished. Each of the donors, though, has given for a unique reason. Some gave for very private reasons – in honor or in memory of a loved one. Some gave for more public reasons – out of gratitude for the gifts of a mentor. Many donors give out of an understanding that the AAO-HNSF has been an integral and valuable key to their lives as otolaryngologist—head and neck surgeons. But, in most cases, the stories of these donors lead to a shared sentiment of “paying it forward” for the future of the specialty. Through this article, I want to share a few of the reasons donors choose to pay it forward in meaningful ways that have significant influence on our ability to fulfill the AAO-HNSF mission. AAO-HNS members today are a diverse representation of cultures and backgrounds – each having unique contributions to make toward the specialty’s advancement. Through the AAO-HNSF, donors can support a culture that embraces diversity. They appreciate that the AAO-HNSF and members/donors can collectively offer an environment that welcomes increased opportunity for under-represented populations – both those wishing to pursue a career in this specialty and those who are treated by practitioners. Donors want to support the next generation of leaders who will help address the concerns facing tomorrow’s practitioners, just as their mentors and leaders supported their needs by leading this fine organization. And members see the unique opportunity to do this by supporting the AAO-HNS Resident Leadership Grants Program so that residents can participate in the world’s largest educational gathering of our specialty and in exceptional leadership development. Some received CORE grants years ago that enabled them to become engaged in NIH-funded research. This makes it simple to consider the start they had in research, and to choose to pay it forward to another young investigator. Donors may choose to give because they want to ensure that the same journal that helped them disseminate their knowledge and encourage the best patient care will continue to be one of the premier journals in the world. Some choose to give because they are grateful for the incredible professional experience they have been afforded by presenting in the annual meeting and recognize how that has led to their stature as a leader in the specialty. Others give because they realize the incredible need for securing representation, fair payment, and reimbursement for their practice in today’s environment, and they realize this requires resources for ultimate success. And then there’s the reason we became doctors in the first place – to help those most in need to receive healthcare. Our international and humanitarian efforts inspire donations because it is easy to see the tremendous impact on global health that can be achieved with a donation. Have you benefited from your experiences with the AAO-HNS/F? Why not consider paying it forward so others may benefit too? Thank you for your consideration.
How You Can Pay It Forward
Join the Millennium Society Enroll Your Group in Partners for Progress Hal Foster, MD, Endowment Campaign The Changing Face of Otolaryngology Endowment Campaign |
Jay S. Youngerman, MD
Chair, Board of Governors Development Task Force
While preparing this article, I spent time reflecting about the many AAO-HNSF donors I have met over the years while involved with AAO-HNSF Development. As I looked at the list of our Millennium Society members, generous donors who support our mission, I considered who they were — many of them leaders in the specialty – and what they have accomplished. Each of the donors, though, has given for a unique reason. Some gave for very private reasons – in honor or in memory of a loved one. Some gave for more public reasons – out of gratitude for the gifts of a mentor. Many donors give out of an understanding that the AAO-HNSF has been an integral and valuable key to their lives as otolaryngologist—head and neck surgeons. But, in most cases, the stories of these donors lead to a shared sentiment of “paying it forward” for the future of the specialty.
Through this article, I want to share a few of the reasons donors choose to pay it forward in meaningful ways that have significant influence on our ability to fulfill the AAO-HNSF mission.
- AAO-HNS members today are a diverse representation of cultures and backgrounds – each having unique contributions to make toward the specialty’s advancement. Through the AAO-HNSF, donors can support a culture that embraces diversity. They appreciate that the AAO-HNSF and members/donors can collectively offer an environment that welcomes increased opportunity for under-represented populations – both those wishing to pursue a career in this specialty and those who are treated by practitioners.
- Donors want to support the next generation of leaders who will help address the concerns facing tomorrow’s practitioners, just as their mentors and leaders supported their needs by leading this fine organization. And members see the unique opportunity to do this by supporting the AAO-HNS Resident Leadership Grants Program so that residents can participate in the world’s largest educational gathering of our specialty and in exceptional leadership development.
- Some received CORE grants years ago that enabled them to become engaged in NIH-funded research. This makes it simple to consider the start they had in research, and to choose to pay it forward to another young investigator.
- Donors may choose to give because they want to ensure that the same journal that helped them disseminate their knowledge and encourage the best patient care will continue to be one of the premier journals in the world.
- Some choose to give because they are grateful for the incredible professional experience they have been afforded by presenting in the annual meeting and recognize how that has led to their stature as a leader in the specialty.
- Others give because they realize the incredible need for securing representation, fair payment, and reimbursement for their practice in today’s environment, and they realize this requires resources for ultimate success.
- And then there’s the reason we became doctors in the first place – to help those most in need to receive healthcare. Our international and humanitarian efforts inspire donations because it is easy to see the tremendous impact on global health that can be achieved with a donation.
Have you benefited from your experiences with the AAO-HNS/F? Why not consider paying it forward so others may benefit too? Thank you for your consideration.