Outlook | Newsletter of the Society of Behavioral Medicine

Membership Council Unveils New Transitional Membership Type for 2015

Monica L. Baskin, PhD, Membership Council chair

Membership Council members know times are tough financially for the Society of Behavioral Medicine’s (SBM) early-career members. That’s why we’re introducing a new transitional membership type for the upcoming 2015 membership year.

Transitional membership provides a discount to recent graduates; the annual transitional membership cost is slightly more than the student rate but not quite as expensive as the full member rate. In the past, traditional membership has been reserved for those in their first year after graduation. Moving forward, transitional membership will be available for those who have graduated within the past two years. Individuals will accordingly be eligible for transitional membership for two years instead of one. There will also be different membership costs for each of those years, to help make the financial jump from student to full membership even more gradual.

If you’ve recently graduated, please consider “transitional year one membership” or “transitional year two membership” when you renew your membership for 2015. Membership renewals will begin this fall with renewal forms sent via postal mail.

2015 SBM new member application

Membership Application Gets a Facelift
The Membership Council has spent the past several months revising and updating the membership applications filled out by new and renewing members. Those revamped applications will be used for the quickly-approaching 2015 membership year.

The application has been strategically shortened to save members time while still collecting pertinent data on professions, behavioral medicine interests, and the like. The format of some questions—like one asking why new members choose to join SBM—has also been changed to collect better data that can be used to drive decisions about SBM’s activities, goals, and member benefits.

Keep an eye out for the new and improved, streamlined applications this fall!

Summer ‘Come Back to Us Campaign’ Sees Success
The Membership Council’s annual Come Back to Us Campaign continues to be a great way to get members to renew their membership. The campaign has Membership Council members and other SBM volunteers personally email non-renewed members to ask that they “come back” to SBM by renewing their membership.

The personal touch works. For one month this summer (between July 20 and August 20), 54 people renewed membership for a 5.4% success rate. The rate was even higher among fellows, who were personally emailed by SBM President Lisa M. Klesges, PhD, as part of the campaign. Of fellows contacted, 29% renewed.

Thanks to all who participated in the campaign or chose to renew membership!


Fall 2014	Return to Outlook main page »
Membership Council Unveils New Transitional Membership Type for 2015 Monica L. Baskin, PhD, Membership Council chair Membership Council members know times are tough financially for the Society of Behavioral Medicine’s (SBM) early-career members. That’s why we’re introducing a new transitional membership type for the upcoming 2015 membership year. Transitional membership provides a discount to recent graduates; the annual transitional membership cost is slightly more than the student rate but not quite as expensive as the full member rate. In the past, traditional membership has been reserved for those in their first year after graduation. Moving forward, transitional membership will be available for those who have graduated within the past two years. Individuals will accordingly be eligible for transitional membership for two years instead of one. There will also be different membership costs for each of those years, to help make the financial jump from student to full membership even more gradual. If you’ve recently graduated, please consider “transitional year one membership” or “transitional year two membership” when you renew your membership for 2015. Membership renewals will begin this fall with renewal forms sent via postal mail. 2015 SBM new member application Membership Application Gets a Facelift The Membership Council has spent the past several months revising and updating the membership applications filled out by new and renewing members. Those revamped applications will be used for the quickly-approaching 2015 membership year. The application has been strategically shortened to save members time while still collecting pertinent data on professions, behavioral medicine interests, and the like. The format of some questions—like one asking why new members choose to join SBM—has also been changed to collect better data that can be used to drive decisions about SBM’s activities, goals, and member benefits. Keep an eye out for the new and improved, streamlined applications this fall! Summer ‘Come Back to Us Campaign’ Sees Success The Membership Council’s annual Come Back to Us Campaign continues to be a great way to get members to renew their membership. The campaign has Membership Council members and other SBM volunteers personally email non-renewed members to ask that they “come back” to SBM by renewing their membership. The personal touch works. For one month this summer (between July 20 and August 20), 54 people renewed membership for a 5.4% success rate. The rate was even higher among fellows, who were personally emailed by SBM President Lisa M. Klesges, PhD, as part of the campaign. Of fellows contacted, 29% renewed. Thanks to all who participated in the campaign or chose to renew membership!