Have you ever wondered what or who runs the AIUM? Of course you know about the elected officers, and the AIUM staff that works in the home office, but do you know that there are approximately a dozen committees and/or task forces that help the organization run throughout the year?

The volunteers may be elected or appointed to the committees and tasks forces, and they are not paid or compensated for their time. Frequently, there are many committee members who accept appointments and nominations year after year. Who would possibly be willing to take on extra work and added expense, just to help the AIUM?

Who are the volunteers?
Ordinary people like me! That is who! I have been volunteering with the AIUM since 2009, and have found, as they often say when you volunteer, that I get more than I give. My personal life mission is one of giving back, both to my profession and to my community. I believe anyone who volunteers for the AIUM will give you a similar answer: There is an obligation to give back because someone once gave of his or her time to help me.

How did I become a volunteer?
I did not wake up one day and think to myself, “Today is the day I should volunteer for the AIUM.” Instead, a mentor suggested to a liaison organization that I should be their representative to the AIUM Bioeffects and Safety Committee. At the first meeting, I was hooked. The work gave me new energy and excitement about my profession. I could not get enough bioeffect and safety knowledge.

When my time as a liaison ended, I asked a fellow committee member to nominate me to the committee. As luck would have it, my work proved that I was serious, and the members elected me to the committee.

How can you become a volunteer?
Maybe you are thinking to yourself right now, I am energetic and have a lot to give, but I do not know how to get involved. What should I do? If you have a mentor in the AIUM, ask him or her to nominate you to a committee.

If you do not have a mentor I suggest that you start by serving as a resource member to the committee that best matches your skills and interests. A resource member might assist the members on projects. You can offer up your talents by contacting the chair and letting him or her know that you want to help. Once your work is visible, you can ask a member to nominate you to be a committee member.

You Get More Than You Give
I have gained so much from working on a committee. I have new knowledge about bioeffects and safety that has allowed me to take on a larger advocacy role. I have new knowledge to integrate into the courses that I teach, and I have developed lectures to educate all medical imaging professionals about ultrasound bioeffects and safety. The work on the committee has inspired my own research projects that have resulted in award-winning manuscripts.

My confidence in my knowledge has improved, and I am willing to try new and difficult projects that I would not have dreamed of trying in my pre-committee life. I have made friends and have gained new mentors. I know that regardless of how much effort I have given, the committee has given me exponentially more.

Member, Pay it Forward!
None of us ever gets where we are on our own. In addition to our hard work, our mentors and our colleagues help us on our professional journeys. Volunteering is a way to pay it forward.

If you are an active volunteer, now is the time to make sure your good work is continued! Mentor a new member, and help him or her get involved. Suggest that he or she become a resource member or nominate him or her to a committee. Bringing new people into the volunteer world ensures that your good work continues, and it provides for the AIUM’s future.

What has been your volunteer experience? Comment below or let us know on Twitter: @AIUM_Ultrasound.

Jennifer Bagley, MPH, RDMS, RVT, is an associate professor for the College of Allied Health at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Schusterman Campus in Tulsa. She currently serves on the AIUM Bioeffects Committee and is a former member of the Technical Standards Committee.