While the ISMPP University (ISMPP U) webinars are recognized by many association members, what the ISMPP U Committee is and how an ISMPP U comes to fruition may be less well-known. This Committee Spotlight will shine some light on these aspects and how you can be part of an ISMPP U.
The ISMPP U Committee is one of four committees that comprise ISMPP’s Education Platform, whose remit is to provide regular, topical, and easily accessible educational opportunities for Society members. Given the diversity of ISMPP’s membership, the Committee aims to develop programs that apply to many sectors, including academics, journal editors/publishers, members from worldwide geographic regions, health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) groups, and contract research organizations (CROs). As such, a holistic programming approach is taken. Fortunately, this is achievable because the Committee: 1) is representative of many of the above noted sectors; 2) consists of varying lengths of tenure in the industry, within the Society, and on the Committee; and 3) encompasses a global footprint.
How an ISMPP U Comes to Fruition
Determining an ISMPP U topic that will appeal to the majority of Society members is multifaceted and can be derived from many sources, primarily those noted in Figure 1 below. It is important to point out that a driving factor is ensuring programs strike a balance between being informative and timely.
Figure 1. Primary Sources of ISMPP U Topics
Once a topic is identified and agreed upon by the Committee, program development is initiated. One of the initial steps is to ensure the topic aligns with the overall Educational Platform. This is accomplished by checking the topic, objectives, and overview with the ISMPP Education Content Managers and, when appropriate, other committees of the Platform (Annual Meeting Program, European Program, or Global Workshop). Upon substantiation of the topic, a member of the Committee serves as the program lead, and identifies and invites the faculty, drives the development of the content, and usually serves as the moderator during the interactive webinar. When the program content is in the final draft stages, the Credentialing Committee conducts a review of the content to determine if it is eligible for ISMPP CMPPTM recertification credit.
In preparation for the webinar itself, a program teaser is distributed to provide members with information regarding the program, and a rehearsal is conducted with the faculty. However, when the program is completed, our work is not; follow-up with the faculty is often needed, and the program evaluations are assessed, and modifications are implemented, as appropriate, to enhance future webinars.
The Society recognizes that it is not always possible for members to attend each session; thus, the presentations are archived in the Member Center section of the ISMPP website for members to view at their convenience, either for the first or second time. ISMPP U sessions dating back to 2005 are archived here.
In addition to the monthly programs, one special webinar is typically held early in the year. Whereas ISMPP Us are normally a privilege of membership, this special webinar is open to the public and free-of-charge to attendees. This session not only increases awareness of the Society, but enables the membership to engage with others in the profession.
ISMPP U Facts
Become Involved
Want to become involved with or inform an ISMPP U session? There are several ways to accomplish this:
- Submit a session topic: The ISMPP U Committee invites proposals from groups and individuals for future ISMPP U sessions on topics of interest to the membership. A newly developed proposal form is housed on the ISMPP website – simply complete the form, and submit it to the Committee. Your ideas are welcome!
- Complete the evaluations following the monthly webinar: The feedback and insight shared are invaluable to the Committee, and have informed future sessions and provided considerations for adjusting the approach of ISMPP Us.
- Sponsor an ISMPP U: For a nominal investment, a company can sponsor a presentation and be recognized as an active supporter of continuing education for the medical publications profession.
“The ISMPP U Committee is very excited about the ‘proposal’ process introduced this year; it will enable us to collaborate with other ISMPP committees and stakeholders to put forward programs that are topical, educational, and easily accessible. We encourage ISMPP members to continue to let us know about their ongoing initiatives and subject matters of relevance to our profession, and to see ISMPP U as a vehicle for enhancing the knowledge and professionalism of the membership.” – Lisa Baker, Committee Co-chair
The ISMPP U Committee is co-chaired by Lisa Baker and Kathleen McConnell. The Committee consists of the following volunteer members: Neil Adams, Gary Burd, Ann Davis, Tom Drake, Sarah Juhn, Preetinder Kaur, Hajira Koeller, Godfrey Lisk, Dinesh Makhija, Divya Padmanabha, Avishek Pal, Michael Platt, Kenneth Pomerantz, Charles Rosenblum, Ross Ruriani, Brian Scheckner, and Donna Simcoe. Many of these individuals have served for several terms on the ISMPP U Committee and given many hours to help educate fellow members. Jennifer Ciafullo and Helen Wilfehrt, ISMPP Education Content Managers, serve as the ISMPP staff liaisons to the Committee.
Anyone interested in joining the ISMPP U Committee should submit their name during the volunteer drive that takes place in the beginning of each calendar year. Each new ISMPP U Committee cycle typically kicks off in May. Additional information about the ISMPP U webinars can be found on the ISMPP website.