title: Getting the most out of professional associations.
abstract: In this commentary, three public health professionals working in diverse career settings share their perspectives on how to get the most out of professional associations. This article demonstrates how you can benefit from active involvement in your membership in professional associations and attending professional conferences. Methods to participate actively in your association include volunteering for one-time opportunities or standing committees, mentoring, and reviewing publications and manuscripts. Being active in professional organizations, such as the Society for Public Health Education, offers personal career development skill-building and opportunities for leadership and mentoring across all career stages. Experiences on how participation in professional organizations helped shape the authors' careers are shared.
authors.affiliation: Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA cescoff@emory.edu.
authors.forename: Cam
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Escoffery
authors.affiliation: Ashford University, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kenzig
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Christel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hyden
mesh_terms: D002322:Career Mobility; D003226:Congresses as Topic; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D011634:Public Health; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration
keywords: health promotion students; national conferences; new professionals; professional associations; professional preparation