CEO Update, February 2025

“Belonging is being somewhere where you want to be, and they want you”.  Brene’ Brown

Does it still stand that Everyone wants to belong, or be a part of something bigger than themselves?   Balancing the need for community with the to be true to yourself in the process? 

Has joining become passe’, or are our lives just that much more complicated that joining feels like an obligation that will tip the boat?

Or maybe it is just as simple as Brene’ Brown’s quote about being somewhere where you want to be and they want you?

AAOA wants you.  Our strength is in our community.  We thrive on our collective shared experience, and yet learning new navigational tools from each other.  Over the years, I have witnessed how the AAOA shifts and morphs to be what its members — its community — needs now.  

During the pandemic, we shifted to virtual programming.  Not just our educational programs either.  We had leaders selflessly put themselves out there to share the challenges they were facing, resulting in a stronger community through the understanding that you were not out there, alone.

Pivot again, and we have the post pandemic shift to focus on the business side of medicine.  Dedicated clinicians, the struggles now were with costs, reimbursement, staffing, and in some case, keeping the doors open.   Again, thanks to our strong community, we had leaders step to the plate to share some of their techniques to improve efficiencies, innovate, and more.   We expanded AAOA’s practice resources from our USP General Chapter <797> compliance tools to our Affinity program, saving AAOA member enrollees upwards of 60% on allergy and other ENT supplies and equipment.  Even our educational programs granted more content access with the shift from a 3-day live event to 90-days of content access with the option for 3-days of live or live streaming, complemented by our educational stacks to help fill in the gaps.

Our strongest community is our Fellows.  Cojoined by the same path to Fellow status, our Fellows thrive on sharing with and supporting each other.  Each is willing both ask questions to find solutions and to offer shared experiences that help build solutions.  Many of you are actively engaged in committees or as Fellow examiners as your way to contribute to the community.  They do say people typically are more enthusiastic where they feel a sense of belonging.  

In these times where joining is somewhat passe’, AAOA’s Fellow status grants that sense of belonging.  Have you contemplated the AAOA Fellow pathway?  The process is built around constructs intended to help you better incorporate allergy diagnosis and management into your day-to-day practice.  Many of you have already completed the educational criteria of a Basic Course, Advanced or Explorers Course, and 2 more CME programs with at least one being an Annual (Free to AAOA members).  Why not sit for the exam?  Join the fellowship and share your insights and solutions.  Kate Chenal ([email protected]) is more than happy to work with you to get you on the path.

In the meantime, continue to share your challenges, offer solutions, and engage.  We all benefit from the shared knowledge and collaboration of our community.