Board Service FAQs
Q. I might be interested in running for an executive officer position (President-Elect, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer). Is it hard?
A. Running is easy; but there is work in holding any position. Fortunately, there is a lot of corporate knowledge to help new members, including from the incoming President who will generally have already served for 2 years as President-Elect, the Past President, and all the other members of the Board of Directors.
Q. Will it be OK if I try things out as a Director-at-Large (DaL) instead?
A. Of course! As a DaL, there is lots of flexibility on how you can contribute. The Board needs directors who can represent both Associate and Regular members, from as many provinces and territories as possible. It's a great way to engage in CUHMA and network with colleagues.
Q. Is there a lot of administrative commitment?
A. Board members are expected to attend video/phone meetings as frequently as possible (up to 8-10 per year) and actively serve on at least one committee. Member time is spent shaping the nature and direction of the organization.
Q. Why are CUHMA elections important?
A. CUHMA exists to represent, in a non-partisan way, our Canadian academic and practicing diving and hyperbaric medical and scientific community. Board leadership makes this possible.
Q. If I decide not to run for election, why should I vote?
A. Each member's vote is important, and a good proxy demonstrating the strength of an organization.
Q. How do nominations happen?
A. You can nominate yourself or other CUHMA members by using this simple nomination form. Once the Nomination Form has been filled out, please also complete the Consent to Serve form and e-mail both forms to cuhmaelections@gmail.com.
Q. What else do I need to know?
A. Some positions (President, and a number of Director positions) may only be held by a physician Regular member as per CUHMA by-laws, viewable here, and CUHMA also requires inclusion of Associate members and representation from various provinces and territories. You may view the complete information regarding the 2020-2022 Board of Directors election by clicking here, as well as the Duties of BoD members by clicking here.
CUHMA - Canadian Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Association
ACMHS - Association Canadienne de Médecine Hyperbare et Subaquatique
Who we are
CUHMA-ACMHS is the Canadian voice for the advancement of hyperbaric and diving medicine throughout our country and beyond.
Our activities include continuous medical education for physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists and anyone involved in the fields of hyperbaric and diving medicine. We are also promoting dissemination of clinical research, publishing Position Statements, liaising with related professional associations and government agencies. Our main goal is advocating on behalf of our patients.
Our vision
To be the reference for the development and delivery of Hyperbaric and diving medicine in Canada and beyond.
Our mission
To promote excellence in Hyperbaric and diving medicine through leadership in education, promotion of best practices and advocacy for our patients.
Our values
Excellence, Leadership, Collaboration, Communication, Integrity.
Our logo
Our logo was designed to represent both the hyperbaric and diving medicine communities. The round shape is a symbol of unity, expressing that our association is open to everyone involved and interested in hyperbaric and diving medicine. The round shape also recalls the porthole of a hyperbaric chamber. The blue colour reflects the water associated with diving medicine, while the colour green reflects the colour most often associated with the drug oxygen used in hyperbaric medicine. The spirals in the outer circle symbolize the concept of angiogenesis, one of the most important therapeutic effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The caduceus identifies us as a medical association. Finally, the red maple leaf is a symbol that has proudly represented Canada internationally since the early 1700s.
