Chapter Update: Challenges and Opportunities in Increasing SWLA Membership

Greetings from the Southwest Lipid Association (SWLA)! Our geographic region extends from the gulf shores of Louisiana to the mountains of Colorado.

It also includes vast open spaces in Texas, New Mexico, and Wyoming, along with the deserts of Arizona and the plains of Oklahoma. Because it is such a diverse region, it can be a challenge to address the needs of all clinicians involved in the field of lipidology. The educational and day-to-day practice needs of a dedicated full-time lipidologist practicing in Houston or Denver are likely quite different from those of a PharmD working in collaboration with rural healthcare providers in New Mexico. Just as this can be a challenge to provide meaningful information and exchange, it also can be a strength. We have such vast geography and many types of patient interactions to draw experiences from. This also gives us the opportunity to educate one another.

People who join medical organizations always want to know, “What am I getting out of my membership?” When the mission or purpose aligns with their interests, they seem to be interested. How do we attract members from different fields related to lipidology in spite of the apathy and disinterest that is highly prevalent out there? Through understanding people by strengthening our emotional intelligence, improving our leadership skills, and fostering productive teams, the organization will prosper. There is a strong need for understanding people and what will motivate them in various areas of their lives, from what items they purchase to why they donate their money and time to certain organizations. Everyone has a civic duty to participate in educating one another — the community as well as the healthcare professional. This is why having an understanding of what will strengthen motivation and participation in SWLA will help more than just that organization. Clearly, there are many benefits that are spelled out succinctly at lipid.org.

Since SWLA is large in actual territorial dimension, we would like to see a significant growth in our membership. This requires each provider to reach out and let colleagues know of the great organization that is SWLA/NLA. It takes dedication and effort on the part of the National Lipid Association staff and SWLA officers to put together quality meetings and publications and move the organization forward. If we all do a small part, the task can be easily achieved. I would encourage all members of SWLA to reach out to at least one colleague, friend, partner, or other potential member and show him or her the benefits of becoming a member of the NLA/SWLA. If we do this, we can ensure that we will continue to lead the field in the eradication of cardiovascular disease.

Disclosure statement: Dr. Uusinarkaus has received speaker honoraria from Vivus, Kowa Pharmaceuticals, Merck, GSK, Forest, Astra-Zeneca, and LipoScience. He’s received research honoraria from GSK, Sanofi, SK Life Science, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Merck, Eli Lilly, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Orexigen, Gilead, and Pfizer. He’s been on the advisory board for Kowa Pharmaceuticals, Aegerion, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and Amgen. Dr. Vijayaraghavan has received consultant fees from Aegerion. He’s received speaker honoraria from Aegerion, AstraZeneca, Medtronic, and Otsuka.