The ABCs of AAIM

Governance, Guidance, Accountability

Academic internal medicine is an important instigator for change in the field of medicine. As we strive to support those working in this arena, the professionals who advocate for innovation and improvement, we take our own governance and fiscal responsibility seriously. When there’s so much at stake, trust and accountability matter.

Governance

The work we do to support our membership and shape the field of academic internal medicine aligns with our strategic plan and is guided by our Board of Directors. Additional committees, councils and task forces work with the Board to help execute the activities that align with that plan.

Guidance and accountability

Our Board of Directors assumes fiduciary responsibility for the Alliance. It performs that responsibility in part through the work of various committees, which oversee fiscal resources and audits, compensation levels and other measures that ensure our fiscal health.

We are careful stewards of our financial resources, understanding that monies raised through dues, conferences, grants and other revenue streams belong, in a very real sense, to our members. We spend carefully and in alignment with our strategic plan, and we invest wisely and ethically. For example, our portfolio of investments includes those that reflect ethical, social and corporate governance issues (ESG). Good citizenship matters at every level.

In review

We’ve accomplished a lot since the work of building our consortium concluded in 2013.

As we face a future that will require even more of our members—and, thus, of the Alliance—we are undertaking a full assessment of our own governing structure. We want to be prepared to meet the challenges ahead.

“We are eager to discover what we’ll learn in this important review,” says Shobhina G. Chheda, MD, MPH, Chair of the 2024 AAIM Board of Directors and Associate Dean for Medical Education at University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

Polly E. Parsons, MD, MACP, FCCP, ATSF, AAIM President and CEO, adds: “Our role in supporting and advancing academic internal medicine will become even more important as the field adapts to meet new needs. We must be prepared; our governance assessment and any resulting changes will make the Alliance a more efficient and effective leader.”