Finding your place: Your pathway to committees and community

Finding your place: Your pathway to committees and community


The Colorado Medical Society seeks physicians and medical students of all walks of life, perspectives, backgrounds, practice settings, career stage and geographic location to volunteer to join a CMS committee. Most committees have open positions starting in the fall, and all CMS committee meetings have a virtual option. Terms for most committees are three years, and members can serve a maximum of two consecutive terms, with exceptions. You belong here; we urge you to find your place in CMS, and let us know where you are willing to apply your expertise.

Form to indicate interest in joining or attending a CMS committee

CMS Committees 

NEW: Taskforce on Artificial Intelligence (AI) – schedule TBD; 7-9 spots open; new taskforce created from Central Line policy proposal approved by the CMS Board of Directors in June 2024

Committee on Professional Education and Accreditation – meets as needed but typically requires a time commitment of approximately 35-40+ hours per year; 1-2 spots open

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee – committee formed in January 2022 that meets regularly for 1-2 hours per meeting; 1-2 spots open

Workers’ Compensation and Personal Injury Committee (WCPIC) – meets monthly for 1-2 hours per meeting

CMS Education Foundation Board of Directors (board for foundation giving medical student scholarships) – meets 2-3 times per year and corresponds via email. Contact kate_alfano@cms.org if interested in serving on the CMS Education Foundation board. We are particuarly seeking physicians from traditionally marginalized populations or those connected to the medical schools.

CMS Councils/Boards

Councils and boards are appointed differently than committees. If interested in learning more about a specific council or board, please email membership@cms.org.

Employed Physicians Section Governing Council – seven positions elected: Chair (also the representative on the CMS Board of Directors), vice-chair and five at-large members; must be an employed physician

Independent Physicians Section Governing Council ​- seven positions elected: Chair (also the representative on the CMS Board of Directors), vice-chair and five at-large members; must be an independent-practice physician

Council on Legislation – very active during legislative session (January-May): meets 1-2 times per month during session plus interim votes through email or Basecamp. Positions by appointment geographically or by specialty, and application is required. Contact chet_seward@cms.org if interested in serving on COL.

COMPAC Board of Directors (board for the CMS political action committee) – meets 4-6 times per year with interim votes through email or Basecamp. Positions are elected and positions are open in many regions. Contact chet_seward@cms.org if interested in serving on the COMPAC Board.

Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs – meets as needed when given a task by the CMS Board of Directors; positions are appointed by component societies. Contact chet_seward@cms.org if interested in serving on CEJA.

Procedure for committee appointments

  1. CMS member emails membership@cms.org your name, the committee name, and a brief statement of interest about why you would like to join the group.
    • Please feel free to indicate more than one committee or council in case there are more volunteers than open positions. In the case of few or no open positions on your desired committee or council, you will be placed on an interest list and notified of openings in the future. We also have many other ways to be involved. 
  2. CMS President-elect, staff and other leaders review all interested volunteers and recommend a slate of committee appointments to the CMS Board of Directors at the September meeting. Per the recommendation of CMS Task Force on Committee Evaluation and affirmed by the Board: Effort should be made to ensure diversity of committee members, including gender, age, sexual orientation, race, religion, practice type, practice specialty and geography. Appointments can also be made throughout the year and all committee meetings are open to all members to attend (audit) as a non-voting member.
  3. The Board of Directors approves or modifies the slate of appointments.
  4. Terms begin immediately following the September Board of Directors meeting.

Expectations of committee members

Committee members must have a clear view of the committee’s goals and have an awareness of the skills brought by each committee member to assist in the achievement of these goals.

CMS seeks volunteers who will be actively involved in committee work. Per policy passed by the CMS Board of Directors in September 2020, a committee member may be removed from that committee if they fail to meet minimum attendance standards (two consecutive meetings missed, or 20% of meetings missed in an association calendar year), or if their behavior is determined to be in violation of the CMS Code of Conduct. 

Not ready to join a committee?

Explore other options to be involved here.