We are seeking nominations to fill available regional representative and at-large positions on OPTN/UNOS committees. If you are interested in serving on a committee, you first need to complete our online bio form. The form allows you to indicate interest in multiple committees and positions.Before you submit the bio form, we recommend that you review the below information about committee terms and expectations for each role. You’ll also see which regions have openings and the particular type of expertise or experience we are looking for.
Deadlines for submitting bio forms
These Committees are seeking applicants for the term beginning July 1, 2019. If you are interested in any of these positions, submit a bio form by October 19, 2018. If you are interested in at-large positions, submit a bio form by November 30, 2018.
Committee member responsibilities:
In general, committee members are expected to:
- attend, prepare for, and actively participate in monthly (sometimes more frequent) web conferences and in-person committee meetings (usually held in Chicago twice a year). OPTN/UNOS covers the cost of travel, lodging, and reasonable expenses for committee meetings.
- participate in a subcommittee and/or workgroup.
In addition, regional representatives on committees are expected to: - attend regional meetings twice a year and present updates on committee activities and public comment proposals. UNOS does not cover travel expenses for regional representatives to attend regional meetings
- relay regional meeting feedback to the committee.
Committee members are all volunteers, representing a variety of professional disciplines, personal experience and expertise in organ transplantation. Our organization values diversity and strives for a committee system that represents the community we serve. Therefore, committee members may be donation or transplant professionals, transplant candidates or recipients, living donors, donor families, and/or members of the general public. The overall composition of the committee should reflect diversity in opinions as well as race, ethnicity, and gender. Our committee volunteers make crucial recommendations that shape our collective ability to achieve the mission of matching organs and saving lives.
Selection process
The OPTN/UNOS President-Elect appoints incoming committee members to fill open positions. Each committee with openings will review biography forms and make recommendations to the OPTN/UNOS President-Elect. Selections will be based on the needs of the committee and the organization for diversity in perspectives and subject specific expertise.* We will notify all nominees by March 1, 2018.
Open committee positions
The term for these positions begins July 1, 2019. Committee members serve three-year terms with the exception of MPSC members (who serve a two-year term).
*All interested individuals should apply and will be considered for these positions (not just those who meet the committee’s preferences).
Ethics Committee
The Ethics Committee meets monthly via web conference and twice a year in-person. The Committee makes recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding emerging ethical issues in the national transplant network. Their work ensures that OPTN/UNOS policies and activities are consistent with accepted ethical principles.
Open positions:
- Region 3 representative
- Region 6 representative
- Region 8 representative
- Region 9 representative
- At-Large (1)
The Committee is seeking a living donor and a recipient to serve on the Committee. Additional pediatrics expertise would be useful.
Living Donor Committee
The Living Donor Committee meets monthly via web conference and twice a year in-person. The Living Donor Committee develops policy and guidance related to the donation and transplantation of organs from living donors to recipients. The goal of the committee’s work is to continue to improve the informed choice of prospective living donors, and the safety, protection and follow-up of all living donors.
Open positions:
- Region 4 representative
- Region 9 representative
- Region 11 representative
The Committee seeks:
- a VCA surgeon who performs living donor VCA transplants
- a hepatologist
- a liver living donor surgeon at an active liver living donor program
- a transplant social worker
Membership & Professional Standards Committee
The MPSC meets in-person at least three times a year for three days each, usually in Chicago. The MPSC may also have 2-3 special in person meetings over the course of the year in addition to about 6 two-hour conference calls. The MPSC has two standing subcommittees and each committee member is appointed to one of these. Committee members are also assigned to two or more ad hoc subcommittees/ work groups. Each of these groups will meet by conference call 4-5 times per year. The calls are approximately two hours in length.
Each member is responsible for conducting peer evaluation activities including the evaluation of new program applications, applications for changes in key personnel, living donor adverse events, performance surveys, and potential policy violations. Items must be reviewed within the specified time limit, which could range from a day to 2 weeks depending on the issue. Members will receive 65-100 cases annually to review.
These case reviews may require up to four hours of work per week. The Committee is charged with ensuring that OPTN/UNOS member clinical transplant hospitals, organ procurement agencies, tissue typing laboratories, and non-institutional members meet and remain in compliance with OPTN/UNOS criteria for institutional membership.
Open positions:
- Region 1 associate councillor**
- Region 2 associate councillor**
- Region 7 associate councillor**
- Region 8 associate councillor**
- Region 10 associate councillor**
- Region 11 associate councillor**
- At-Large (12)
o Histocompatibility representative
o Heart/Lung surgeon (2)
o Pulmonologist
o Kidney surgeon
o Nephrologist (2)
o OPO clinical/procurement Director
o Adult or pediatric cardiologist (2)
o Hepatologist
**An election will be held for regional openings.
Operations & Safety
The Operations and Safety Committee meets monthly via web conference and twice a year in-person. The goal of the committee’s work is to identify gaps in OPTN/UNOS policy and processes from a network perspective for the purpose of increasing safety or efficiency.
Open positions:
- Region 1 representative
- Region 2 representative
- Region 3 representative
- Region 8 representative
- Region 10 representative
- At Large (2)
The committee seeks Transplant Coordinator/Nurse Quality staff involved in daily operations with staff and patients and thoracic experience.
Pancreas Transplantation
The Pancreas Committee meets monthly via web conference and twice a year in-person. The Committee is charged with considering medical, scientific, and ethical aspects related to pancreas and pancreas islet organ procurement, distribution, and allocation.
Open positions:
- Region 2 representative
- Region 7 representative
- Region 8 representative
- Region 11 representative
- At Large (1)
The committee is seeking a pancreas recipient.
Patient Affairs
The Patient Affairs Committee meets monthly via web conference and twice a year in-person. The Committee advises the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors and other committees about patient and donor family perspectives on OPTN/UNOS policies and initiatives that originate in other committees.
Open positions:
- Region 2 representative
- Region 3 representative
- Region 4 representative
- Region 5 representative
- Region 6 representative
- Region 9 representative
. The committee is seeking the following*:
- At least 1 heart recipient (or candidate)
- At least 1 additional living donor (doesn’t have to be kidney)
- At least 1 donor family member
- OPO rep (preferably one with a patient perspective or a position that interacts directly with donor families, or does public education/outreach)
- Transplant coordinator (preferably one with a patient perspective who interacts with candidates or recipients on a regular basis; preferably candidates (pre-transplant) any organ
Thoracic Organ Transplantation
The Thoracic Committee has two subcommittees (a heart subcommittee and a lung subcommittee) that meet monthly via web conference and the full committee meets twice a year in-person and on an ad hoc basis via conference call. The committee considers issues relating to heart and lung procurement, allocation, and transplantation, including medical, scientific, and ethical aspects.
Open positions:
- Region 2 representative
- Region 3 representative
- Region 5 representative
- Region 7 representative
- At-Large (3)
The Committee is seeking the following*:
- Lung tx coordinator
- Patient (heart or lung or both)
- 2 pulmonologists
- 1 cardiologist
Transplant Administrators Committee
The Transplant Administrators Committee meets monthly for two hour web conferences and twice a year in-person. The committee also comes together annually at the UNOS Transplant Management Forum. The Committee considers issues related to the administration of transplant programs and provides input to other Committees and the Board with regard to the potential impact of developing policies and other OPTN requirements on transplant program operations.
Open positions:
• Region 8 representative
• Region 11 representative
The Committee is well staffed with HR, LU, LI, KI, PA, Peds (2), VCA (2), financial, and OPO (2). The Committee can use the perspective of a seasoned administrator, an early-career administrator, and a quality professional. OPTN KPD members and COIIN participants desired.
Ad Hoc International Relations Committee
The Ad Hoc International Relations Committee meets monthly for two hour web conferences and twice a year in-person.
Open positions:
- At Large (3)
The Committee is seeking a transplant coordinator.
Histocompatibility Committee
This Histocompatibility Committee meets monthly for hour web conferences and twice a year in-person. Committee members also participate in subcommittees that meet on an ad-hoc basis. The Histocompatibility Committee considers issues relating to donor and recipient histocompatibility, organ allocation, histocompatibility testing, and histocompatibility laboratory and personnel qualifications. The goal of the committee’s work is to promote patient safety, good transplant outcomes, and best use of organs.
Open positions:
- Region 1 representative
- Region 2 representative
- Region 5 representative
- Region 6 representative
- Region 7 representative
- Region 8 representative
The Committee is seeking, lab managers, technicians, and OPO lab-affiliated directors. Data coordinators who work in labs would also be an asset. Representation from large and small sized centers is needed.
Pediatric Transplantation Committee
The Pediatric Committee meets twice a year for one day in person and monthly for an hour by conference call. The Pediatric Transplantation Committee considers medical, scientific, and ethical issues relating to organ procurement, allocation, and transplantation for pediatric patients. These issues include: pre- and postoperative care, expeditious transplantation of children, and the specific medical, social, and psychological needs of children. The committee considers the broad implications of such issues and deals with these specific issues or situations as needed. The goal of the committee’s work is to develop evidence-based policies aimed at fostering pediatric candidate access to transplantation and good outcomes for patients (including waiting candidates and living donors) involved in pediatric transplantation.
Open positions:
- Region 3 representative
- Region 5 representative
- Region 9 representative
- Region 10 representative
- Region 11 representative
- At Large (1)
The Committee is seeking a recipient parent.
OPO Committee
The OPO Committee meets twice a year in-person and on an ad hoc basis via conference call. The OPO Committee considers issues relating to organ procurement organizations and their role in increasing the number of organs recovered and placed efficiently and effectively. It considers medical, scientific, and ethical aspects of organ procurement as they pertain to the purview and responsibilities of the OPTN.
Open positions:
- Region 2 representative
- Region 5 representative
- Region 6 representative
- Region 8 representative
- At Large (1)
The Committee is seeking a transplant coordinator.
Minority Affairs Committee
The Minority Affairs Committee (MAC) meets every other month: two times in person and in between by conference call. The Minority Affairs Committee identifies and considers aspects of organ procurement, allocation, and transplantation with the potential to impact minority populations in particular. The committee provides input and recommendations regarding ongoing efforts of other OPTN/UNOS Committees and the Board of Directors to ensure that issues and special needs of minority populations are considered and addressed.
Open positions:
Region 1 representative
Region 5 representative
Region 6 representative
Region 7 representative
At Large (1)
The committee is seeking to replace its Patient Representative in Regional Rep or At Large position. In general, expertise in socio-economic research would be useful for future planned Committee projects.
Liver and Intestinal Organ Transplantation Committee
The Liver and Intestine Committee meets twice a year for one day in person and monthly for an hour by conference call. The Liver and Intestine Transplantation Committee considers medical, scientific, and ethical aspects related to liver and intestine organ procurement, distribution, and allocation. The committee considers both the broad implications and the specific members’ situations of these liver or intestinal issues or policies. The goal of the Committee’s work is to develop evidence-based policies aimed at reducing the burden of liver disease in transplant patients (candidates and recipients), increasing liver utilization, improving access to liver transplantation, and improving the health outcomes of liver transplant recipients.
Open positions:
- Region 3 representative
- Region 6 representative
- Region 9 representative
- Region 10 representative
- Region 11 representative
- At Large (4)
The Committee is seeking a transplant coordinator/manager and a pediatric liver specialist.
Transplant Coordinators Committee
The Transplant Coordinators Committee meets twice a year for one day in person and monthly for an hour by conference call. The OPTN/UNOS Transplant Coordinators Committee, largely comprising both procurement and transplant coordinators, considers issues related to the coordination of efforts related to organ procurement, organ allocation, and the entire transplant process. It also considers the potential impact of proposed policy and bylaws revisions upon the process of procurement and transplant coordination, including the education and care of candidates, recipients, living donors, and families. The goal of the work of this committee is to improve the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of procurement and transplant coordination though OPTN initiatives and policies.
Open positions:
- Region 1 representative
- Region 2 representative
- Region 5 representative
- At Large (2)
The Committee is seeking:
- Lung coordinator
- Liver coordinators
- Pediatric coordinators (any organ, preferably something other than kidney)
Kidney Transplantation Committee
The Kidney Committee meets twice a year for one day in person and monthly for an hour by conference call. The Kidney Transplantation Committee is charged with considering medical, scientific, and ethical aspects related to kidney organ procurement, distribution, and allocation. The Committee considers both the broad implications and the specific member situations relating to kidney issues and policies. The goal of the committee’s work is to develop evidence-based policies aimed at reducing the burden of renal disease in transplant patients (candidates and recipients), increasing kidney utilization, improving access to kidney transplantation as appropriate, and improving the health outcomes of kidney transplant recipients, fostering access to transplantation and good outcomes for patients (including waiting candidates and living donors) involved in kidney transplantation.
Open positions:
- Region 1 representative
- Region 2 representative
- Region 5 representative
- Region 6 representative
- Region 8 representative
- At Large (1)
Based on the slate of departing members, leadership would like a mix of surgeons and nephrologists to fill the regional representative vacancies. The At-Large position will go to the Chair of the Histocompatibility Committee.
Ad Hoc Disease Transmission Advisory Committee
The Ad Hoc Disease Transmission Advisory Committee meets twice a year in-person and on an ad hoc basis via conference call. The Committee considers issues related to the transmission of disease through organ transplantation. The Committee examines individual potential disease transmission cases reported to the OPTN in an effort to confirm transmissions where possible. It reviews aggregate data on all reported cases to assess the risk of donor disease transmission in organ transplantation in the U.S. with the goal of providing (1) education and guidance to the transplant community toward preventing future disease transmission and (2) input in developing policy to improve the safety of organ donation through the reduction of donor derived transmission events. It may identify disease-transmission related patient safety issues to be addressed, as appropriate, by the OPTN.
Open positions:
- At Large (5)
The Committee is seeking:
- OPO reps – prefer a Medical Director
- Surgeon (Any organ)
- Pulmonologist/Lung Tx MD
Vascularized Composite Allograft Transplantation Committee
The VCA committee meets twice a year for one day in person and monthly for a 1-2 hour conference call.
Open positions:
- At Large (7)
The Committee is seeking:
- a reconstructive surgeon who does procedures that may fall under the umbrella of Musculoskeletal Composite Graft Segments
- a representative from the urology field who has urogenital reconstructive surgery experience
- a plastic/reconstructive surgeon
- a VCA recipient
- a Department of Defense MD representative
- a liver/intestine transplant surgeon with exposure to abdominal wall transplantation
- a hand surgeon
