How to apply
Any transplant hospital, organ procurement organization, or histocompatibility lab wishing to participate in the OPTN must be a member. In order to be a member, you have to apply! There can be a lot to the application process, but fortunately you have a team of individuals dedicated to supporting you.
The information provided here should help you begin the application process, but please note that anywhere along the way you can contact us for assistance.
I want to:
- Change key personnel or start a new program in Member Community
- Renew my non-institutional membership
Access Member Community
1.
If you don’t already have access to UNetSM, request access from your site administrator. If you are unsure who your site administrator is, contact UNOS Help Desk at (800) 978-4334 or by email at [email protected].
If you already have access to UNet, your site administrator must add you to your organization’s security group for Member Community.
2.
Log in to Secure Enterprise.
Then click this icon 
to access Member Community.
Become a new member of the OPTN
Please contact Membership:
Inactivate or withdraw OPTN membership
Helpful videos
Quickly understand key terms and concepts related to membership documentation.
Connect with us in person at UNOS Primer. It’s just one of the ways UNOS Membership engages with the donation and transplant community.
Categories of membership
Categories of membership are described in the Bylaws, Article I.
Institutional
- Transplant hospitals
- Organ procurement organizations
- Histocompatibility labs
Non-institutional
- Medical/scientific members
- Public organization members
- Business members
- Individual members
Application resources
How do I document individual surgeon's or physician’s experience?
You may use the following log guidance document and sample logs when documenting an individual surgeon or physician’s experience to demonstrate compliance with OPTN Bylaw Requirements.
- Log Guidance Document (Excel spreadsheet) (updated 05/2022)
- Surgeon and Physician Log Template (Excel spreadsheet) (updated 05/2023)
What guidance or samples are available to help?
Key personnel change
Guidance to Starting Key Personnel Change (PDF) (updated 05/2022)
Letter of Commitment and Letter of Reference
You may use the following Letter of Commitment/Reference guidance documents and samples when preparing and gathering the required documentation to meet OPTN bylaw requirements.
- Letters Guide (PDF) (updated 05/2022)
- Letter of Reference Template (Word file) (updated 05/2022)
- Letter of Commitment Template (Word file) (updated 05/2022)
Lab agreement
- Lab Agreement Guidance Document (PDF) (updated 05/2022)
How can I stay prepared for future key personnel changes?
- Stay familiar with OPTN bylaw requirements
- Ensure that your program has an executable succession plan in place. Considering the question – “If your current primary left tomorrow, do you have someone who meets bylaw requirements that can fill their role?”
- Ensure you are aware of the bylaw notification requirements
- Keep logs, boards, and other credentialing up to date for additional clinicians
Reference documentation
The documents below can provide you with a reference as you begin exploring what is needed to complete a membership application. Transplant hospitals, OPOs, and histocompatibility lab applications should be completed within Member Community.
These applications address membership both in UNOS and in the national OPTN, which UNOS manages under federal contract. Refer to the OPTN Bylaws for further clarification regarding requirement specifics.
Transplant hospital or program
For new and existing transplant hospitals
These reference applications (updated 12/2023) show what is needed to:
- start transplant programs
- add or modify key transplant personnel
- Transplant hospitals
- Heart transplant programs
- Intestine transplant programs
- Kidney transplant programs
- Liver transplant programs
- Lung transplant programs
- Pancreas transplant programs
- VCA transplant programs
- For questions regarding Islet program requirements, please contact Membership at (833) 577-9469 or [email protected].
Organ procurement organization
The document below can provide you with a reference as you begin exploring what is needed to complete a membership application. Applications should be completed within Member Community.
For new and existing organ procurement organizations (OPOs). This reference application shows what is needed to add or modify key OPO personnel.
- Organ Procurement Organization Membership Application (updated 05/2023)
Histocompatibility laboratory
The document below can provide you with a reference as you begin exploring what is needed to complete a membership application. Applications should be completed within Member Community.
For new and existing histocompatibility laboratories. This reference application shows what is needed to add or modify key lab personnel.
- Histocompatibility Lab Membership Application (updated 12/2023)
Update OPTN representative
OPTN representative change forms should be completed within Member Community.
Use this document for reference only: OPTN Representative Form
Non-institutional member resources
Non-institutional members—medical/scientific, public organization, business and individual members—may use these PDF applications to apply for new or renewing membership. To become a new member, please first contact Membership.
Medical/scientific organization
A medical/scientific member is a non-profit organization whose members include medical or scientific professionals with an interest in organ donation or transplantation. This application is for medical/scientific organizations to join or renew.
- Medical/Scientific Membership Application (updated 05/2023)
Public organization
A public organization member is an organization with an interest in organ donation or transplantation and must have been in operation for at least one year. This application is for public organizations to join or renew.
- Public Organization Membership Application (updated 05/2023)
Business
A business member must be an organization in operation for at least one year that engages in commercial activities with two or more active OPTN transplant hospital, OPO, or histocompatibility laboratory members. This application is for businesses to join or renew.
- Business Membership Application (updated 05/2023)
Individual
An individual member must be a person who meets any of the criteria detailed in Article I, Section 1.8. This application is for individual members to join or renew.
- Individual Membership Application (updated 05/2023)
Update OPTN representative
For non-institutional members, please email the completed OPTN representative form to Membership.