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CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
OF
WASHINGTON, D.C. DERMATOLOGICAL SOCIETY


ARTICLE I

Name

Section 1. The name of the corporation is WASHINGTON, D.C. DERMATOLOGICAL SOCIETY (hereafter referred to the Society)


ARTICLE II

Purpose

Section 1. The purpose of this organization shall be to further the clinical and scientific dermatologic education of the membership, to discuss the facets of the practice of dermatology and to act as a liaison to the Atlantic Dermatological Society and the American Academy of Dermatology.

Section 2. In the event that the Society disbands, the funds remaining in the treasury shall be given to the Dermatology Foundation Incorporated, in Evanston, Illinois.


ARTICLE III

Location

Section 1. The official address of the Society shall be: 8996 Burke Lake Road, Suite 202 Burke, Virginia 22015


ARTICLE IV

Members

Section 1. Active Membership. Any physician who limits his/her practice to dermatology, has completed an accredited residency in dermatology and is Board Certified or Board Eligible by the American Board of Dermatology and its subspecialty boards. Each Active Member shall be eligible to vote at any meeting of members of the Society and hold office.

Section 2. New Member. Any physician eligible for election as an Active Member (Section 1) who completed his/her training within the two years prior to application for membership, shall be elected as a New Member. New Members automatically become Active Members at the start of the academic year following the second anniversary of the completion of their training. New members shall have all the rights and privileges of active members, but shall be responsible for half the dues of Active Membership.

Section 3. Honorary Membership. A majority of the Board of Directors shall have the right to nominate for honorary membership any physician whose training, expertise or qualifications would further the educational needs of the Society. The admission of said individual to membership would require a positive vote of two-thirds of the members attending. Honorary Members shall not be eligible to vote or hold office, and shall not pay dues.

Section 4. Emeritus Member. Any former member who has retired from active practice of dermatology and membership in this Society, or has withdrawn from practice and active membership because of permanent disability, or who has maintained membership in the Society for at least 10 years, and is over the age of 70, shall become an Emeritus Member. Emeritus Members shall not pay dues and are not eligible to vote or hold office but shall pay for social functions.

Section 5. Membership Fees. The fees will be proposed by the Secretary-Treasurer and will be set on vote of the membership and shall be the same for all Active Members. Dues must be paid promptly upon receipt of the Secretary-Treasurer statement each year. Members who are one year delinquent in the payment of dues may be dropped at the discretion of the Board of Directors. Such members lose the privilege of attending scientific meetings and lose the right to vote. Reinstatement to full membership may be granted by payment of current dues.

Section 6. Unethical Conduct. Any member who is convicted of a felony, loses his/her license to practice medicine, or who engages in egregious unethical conduct may be dropped, censured, and reprimanded by the Board of Directors after full review of his/her case by an ad hoc judicial review committee appointed by the president. Initiation of such review will begin within 30 days after the Board of Directors has been made aware of a complaint. The ad hoc committee will consist of no less than five members who will then make specific recommendations to the Board of Directors. After termination of membership, reapplication will be considered by the Board of Directors on a case-by-base basis.

Section 7. Admission of Members.

(a) Substance Qualifications for Active Membership. Acceptance into a category of active membership as provided for in these by-laws below, except an emeritus or honorary membership, shall be upon two recommendations of either active or life Members, and requires the approval of the majority of members present. Whenever a candidate is to be voted upon for membership, his/her name is to be announced on the meeting minutes calling the next meeting of the Society. Society members will have thirty (30) days to review the candidate’s qualifications and will vote at the next Society meeting.

(b) Procedural Requirements.

(1) The candidate for active membership shall send a copy of their Board Certification from the American Board of Dermatology, or Certification of completion of an approved residency, or a copy of their Certificate of Special Competence in Dermatopathology, a curriculum vitae and letters of recommendation from two (2) members of the Washington, D.C. Dermatological Society to the Society Administrator, who will then send the material to the Secretary-Treasurer.
(2) On ascertaining that the applicant’s credentials are in order, the Secretary-Treasurer shall notify the membership of the vote to be taken at the next regular meeting. Approval shall be by motion of an active member, seconded by another active member and a majority vote of the members attending the meeting. The Administrator, upon approval of the applicant, shall notify the applicant of the acceptance or rejection of his/her application and shall send a dues statement to approved applicants in the active or new category. For approved candidates, receipt of the dues qualifies the applicant as a member.


ARTICLE V

Directors

Section 1. Composition. The affairs of the Society shall be managed by a Board of Directors, to be reconstituted each year at the last business meeting of the Society. The Board of Directors shall be composed of the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary-Treasurer, and Immediate Past President.

Section 2. Powers. When necessary, the President shall be authorized, in concurrence with the current Vice-President and Secretary-Treasurer to consult an attorney or an accountant on all matters that affect the Society.

Section 3. Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice, at such time and place and shall from time to time be designated by resolution of the Board of Directors.


ARTICLE VI

Officers

Section 1. Officer Positions. The Officers of the Society shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer and Immediate Past President. These officers shall be elected at the last business meeting of the Society each year and they shall hold office for one year.

Section 2. Duties of Officers.

President

(a) The President will preside over the meetings.

(b) The President shall appoint all special committees not otherwise provided for.

(c) The President shall appoint two (2) active members to audit the Society’s finances every two (2) years. This audit shall be performed between June and September of even numbered years.

(d) The President signs checks on behalf of the Society that come from the Society accountant.

(e) The President, with the approval of the other officers, selects the incoming officers. The incoming officers must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the members present and the last business meeting of the year.

Vice-President

(a) The Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President in the latter’s absence. In case both President and Vice-President are absent, the Immediate Past President shall preside.

(b) In the event that a Social Chairman has not been appointed, the vice-President will serve as the Social Chairman.

Secretary-Treasurer

(a) The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep the minutes of each meeting and accomplish all the recording and correspondence necessary to the proper functioning of his/her office. Copies of the minutes will be mailed or e-mailed to each member with the announcement of the next meeting. In lieu of this mailing, the minutes must be read at the next business meeting.

(b) The Secretary-Treasurer shall collect dues from all members, make any necessary disbursements for expenses incurred by the Society and by his/her office; at the last business meeting of each fiscal year render a detailed and correct statement of all receipts and disbursements.

(c) The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep a permanent and accurate record of all minutes, dues paid, other important transactions, and the roll of the members attending each meeting.

Section 3. Removal of Officers. Any officer who is convicted of a felony, loses his/her license to practice medicine, or who engages in egregious unethical conduct may be dropped, censured, and reprimanded at the discretion of the other officers.


ARTICLE VII

Meetings

Section 1.

(a) The time of the meetings shall be set by the President in consultation with the leader of the host institution. The location shall be within the Greater Washington Area, except when changed by the Society. Meetings are generally held on the third or fourth Tuesday of the months of September, October, November, January, February, March, April, and May, unless otherwise scheduled.

(b) The President will exercise his/her discretion in choosing which cases will be discussed. A suggested guideline in his/her choice will be that it is preferable to have educational discourse on a discussion of all of the patients.

(c) Members shall be notified about meetings at least ten (10) days in advance.

(d) Special meetings may be called by the President, when necessary, and at least ten (10) days prior notice must be given to all members.


Section 2.
Rules of Order.

(a) Scientific meetings shall be opened to members and guests (as outlined below) and shall
encompass:

(1) Presentation of cases.

(2) Introduction of guests.

Guests may be invited (by members) to meetings if they meet any of the following qualifications – are medical or osteopathic physicians or students, or are nurses who are primarily engaged in dermatologic care. Guests shall be introduced at the beginning of the discussion. Physicians who are eligible for active or new membership shall be eligible to attend the meetings as guests for no longer than eight (8) months. This eight month restriction shall not apply to eligible physicians on active duty in the Armed Forces in the Washington, D.C. Area for less than three (3) years, to physicians working full-time at the National Institutes of Health for less than three (3) years, or to members in good standing with their local dermatologic societies and who practice more than thirty-five (35) miles from Washington, D.C.

Persons not included in the above categories may be eligible to be guests of the Society at the discretion of the host institution or any Society officer and attend only the discussion period of the scientific meeting.

(3) Lectures as provided by host institutions.

(4) Supplementary reports concerning previous scientific sessions.

(5) Discussion as approved by the President.

(b) Business meetings shall be open to and shall encompass New, Active, and Emeritus Members only. A standard reference, such as Robert’s Rules of Order, should be used in cases of dispute.

The order of the business meeting shall be at the discretion of the President and may include:

(1) Approval of minutes.

(2) Committee reports.

(3) Old business and correspondence.

(4) New business and correspondence.


Section 3.
Contributions to the Society.

(a) Contributions may be made to the Society by individuals and/or organizations if and only if the contributions are totally unrestricted and only for the support of the scientific component of Society functions. Contributions offered to the host institution of a Society function for support of that function are considered contributions to the Society. All such contributions must be reviewed and approved prospectively by the Board of Directors of the Society. Acknowledgment of such contributions shall be limited to a written acknowledgment in the program of the relevant Society function.


ARTICLE VIII

Committees

Section 1. A Representative to the Advisory Board of the American Academy of Dermatology shall be elected by the membership in the fall of every other year. Representatives may serve for 2 years, and may be re-elected to two (2) additional terms. Representatives must attend the Advisory Board meeting and if he/she is unable to fulfill the duties, the President shall designate a replacement.

Section 2. A Representative to the Atlantic Dermatologic Society shall be the previous Chair from Washington, DC of the Atlantic Dermatologic Society. The representative will serve until a new Chair has been chosen from Washington, DC. If a representative is unable to fulfill his/her duties, the President may designate a replacement.

Section 3. Representatives and alternates to the Clinical Advisory Council of Medicare Carriers shall be appointed by the President. Representatives and alternates may serve 3 years, and be re-appointed to one (1) additional term.


ARTICLE IX

Amendments and By-Laws

Amendments to this Constitution may be adopted by a favorable concurrence of two-thirds (2/3) of the vote cast at any stated meeting, after having been proposed in writing thirty (30) days prior to the meeting and a copy thereof having been sent to all Active Members with a notice of the meeting at which their adoption is to be voted upon.

Jan. 24, 1996
(From Constitution and By-Laws dated July, 1981 and Amendments dated April 27, 1982, and up to Feb, 1995. Additions and corrections made by the By-Laws Committee: Drs. Iasscson, Jaffe, Stolar, and Elgart)


PRINCIPLES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

PREAMBLE

The following Principles of Professional Conduct have been adopted by the American Academy of Dermatology. General Principles are not laws capable of rigid application, but standards of honorable behavior by which each member of the Academy may evaluate his of her relationship with patients and colleagues.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

  1. Physicians should be dedicated to providing medically competent service with compassion and respect for human dignity.
  2. Physicians should respect the rights of their patients and should, within the constraints of the law, safeguard the confidentiality of the physician/patient relationship.
  3. Physicians should provide their patients a reasonable explanation of the etiology, treatment and prognosis of their disease.
  4. Physicians should uphold the honor of the profession by dealing honestly with their colleagues; physicians should recognize the responsibility and necessity for communication and mutual respect among physicians in the academic community and physicians in private practice.
  5. Physicians should continue to study, apply and advance scientific knowledge and should make useful information available in their colleagues and to the public.
  6. Physicians should practice a method of healing founded upon a scientific basis.
  7. Physicians may choose whom they will serve. In an emergency, however, physicians should render service to the best of their ability. Having undertaken the care of a patient, a physician may not neglect the patient unless the physician has been discharged and may discontinue medical service only after giving adequate notice to the patient.
  8. In the practice of medicine, physicians should limit the source of their professional income to services actually rendered by them, or to their patients under their supervision when they are personally and identifiably responsible for the service. Physicians’ fees should be commensurate with services rendered, and physicians should neither pay nor receive commissions for the referral of patients.
  9. Physicians should not dispense or supply drugs, remedies or appliances unless it is in the best interest of their patients. Physicians should not supply or dispense to their patients products which have no beneficial effect.
  10. Physicians should seek consultation upon request; in doubtful or difficult cases, or whenever it appears that the quality of medical service may be enhanced thereby.
  11. Physicians’ responsibility extends to community and society, and appropriate publicity regarding physicians’ participation in community and civic affairs enhances the stature of the profession.
  12. Physicians should provide the general public information necessary or helpful to select a qualified physician. Physicians should not engage in advertising which is false, fraudulent, deceptive or misleading.