Book of Articles of AAOCI

Contents of Articles

Article No. 1 – Name and Office

  1. The name of this medical society shall be: “THE ARAB ACADEMY OF OTOLOGY AND COCHLEAR IMPLANT” (Abbreviation A.A.O.C.I.)
  2. Type: Non-profit organization
  3. Registration: Registered in Amman, Jordan
  4. Under Registration Number: –
  5. Base Office: Doha, Qatar
  6. Members: Members from all the Arab countries
  7. Languages: Arabic and English

Article No. 2 – Mission and Vision

  • Vision:

    The Arab Academy of Otology and Cochlear Implant will be the board of care for affairs in the disease, surgery, and implantable hearing devices in the Arab world.

  • Mission:
    • To bring together groups and/or experts in Otology and implantable hearing devices surgery from all the Arab countries.
    • Exchange and disseminate information about the anatomy, physiology, medical and surgical management of the ear, sensor neural systems of audition and equilibrium, trigeminal, facial, lower cranial nerves and related disorders of sinuses, nose and pharynx related to the skull, all of which requiring special knowledge bordering on ORL skull base.
    • Provide policies and advices based on evidence based on practice to the Arab countries to improve the services and establish centers in Arab countries at a high level of patients befit.
    • Provide academic potential in cooperation with universities and scientific centers for the rehabilitation.
    • Stimulate basic and clinical research relating to these system disorders.
    • Encourage education and high quality training program.
    • Encourage exchange visits between members and international exchange through obtaining grants for research study abroad.
    • Encourage exchanges of knowledge and stimulate associated membership from other specialties.
    • Help the institutions in improving or starting neonatal screening test program for deafness in the Arab world.
    • Help Arab governments in creating and directing medical programs to provide the best level of service for patients with ear diseases and deafness.
    • Promote new technologies in Otology and implantable hearing devices.
    • Raise awareness with different civilian communities all types of deafness and the solution for it.

    Address the media in Arab countries to support the AAOCI to achieve its academic goals.

Article No. 3 – Membership

The membership of the academy shall be composed of six classes: Founder, Full, Trainee, Associate, Honorary, and Corporate Members.

Application for membership must be made in writing to one of the AAOCI secretaries. The application shall then be presented to the steering committee of the board for approval.

3.1 – FOUNDER MEMBER

A. Academic Requirements:

  • ORL (Otorhinolaryngology) professor of university or head of ORL surgeon who made a special contribution to the founding of AAOCI.

B. Professional Requirements:

  • Five years of practice in an Arab country
  • Special expertise in otology and implantable hearing devices surgery
  • Contributor in setting up an Arabian academy in otology and implantable hearing devices and/or engaged in its organization
  • Highest ethical and moral standards
  • And/or full member elected twice as the member of the board

C. Electoral Requirements:

  • Proposed by four founding members in order to complete or review the original founder members.

D. Privileges:

  • May become advising member of the board
  • May participate in standing committees
  • May participate in training program
  • May endorse candidates in full, trainee, associate, and corporate membership

3.2 – FULL MEMBER

A. Academic Requirements:

  • Board certified ORL Specialist

B. Professional Requirements:

  • Engaged in practice of Otology and implantable hearing devices
  • Engaged in teaching, writing, or research in the field of otology and implantable hearing devices surgery (Should have at least five (5) published papers in otology and implantable hearing devices surgery)
  • And/or trainee member with the title of “Fellow of the AAOCI”
  • Highest ethical and moral standards

C. Electoral Process:

  • Proposed by two voting members of their country to the steering committee (except for fellows of the AAOCI who automatically become full member).

D. Privileges:

  • May become advising member of the board
  • May participate in standing committees
  • May participate in training program
  • May endorse candidates in full, trainee, associate, and corporate membership.

3.3 – TRAINEE MEMBER

A. Academic Requirements:

  • Medical degree or certified ORL
  • A letter of recommendation from the director of the candidate’s fellowship programme in accordance with the academic and educational local programme.

B. Professional Requirements:

  • Candidate for training in otology and implantable hearing devices surgery and has at least three (3) years of experience in the field of ORL specialty.
  • Candidate should document his personal involvement in medical or surgical orology and implantable hearing devices in a logbook, in accordance with the local training programme of ORL, head and neck surgery.

C. Electoral Process:

  • Proposed by two voting members from the Arabian country of the trainee member.

D. Privileges:

  • May attend AAOCI training programme in otology and implantable hearing devices surgery
  • May become “fellow of the AAOCI”, after successfully taking the two years AAOCI training programme and attending the courses of the AAOCI

3.4 – ASSOCIATE MEMBER

A. Academic Requirements:

Associate members may be one of the following:

  • Either and ORL citizen outside Arabian countries,
  • or a medical doctor without ORL specialty,

or a scientist without medical degree but connected with otology and/or implantable hearing devices.

B. Professional Requirements:

  • Special interest, experience, or involvement in research, assessment or therapy in the field of otology and implantable hearing devices.

C. Electoral Process:

  • Proposed by two voting members.

D. Privileges:

  • May participate in standing committees
  • May participate in training program
  • May endorse candidates for associate, and corporate membership.

3.5 – HONORARY MEMBER

A. Requirements:

  • Emeritus person who has made a significant contribution to the field of otology and implantable hearing devices surgery

B. Electoral Process:

  • Proposed by the steering committee.

C. Privileges:

  • May attend the board,
  • May participate in training program,
  • May endorse candidates.

3.6 – CORPORATE MEMBER

  • Legal entity that supports or sponsors the purposes of the Arabian academy of Otology and Cochlear Implant, to promote the work of members or group of members of the AAOCI.

3.7 – MEMBERSHIP FEES:

    • Members, except honorary members, will pay an annual membership fee.
    • Full member fee is equal to 200 USD per year.
    • Trainee member fee is equal to 50 USD per year.

Article No. 4 – Organization

4.1 – THE BOARD

  • Membership

The board consists from full member category, one from each Arabic country which is elected by the local members in the same country. If there are no local members to consider, the member from another Arabic country working in respected country or than others.

The board shall elect the following steering committee

  • The President
  • The chairman of the academic training program
  • Regional secretaries including a general secretary
  • The treasurer.

Additional secretaries may be created by the steering committee.

The period in the office shall be two years. After leaving their functions, they remain members of the board

  • The president cannot be re-elected after his term of office.
  • The President and the chairman of the academic training program should be from two different Arabian countries.
  • The president presides meetings of the steering committee, of the board and of the general assembly. The president represents the AAOCI.
  • The chairman of the academic training program is the chairman of the academic training program standing committee. He can be re-elected once.
  • The secretaries are only eligible for two consecutive periods and afterwards remain members of the board.
  • The secretaries should come from different Arabian regions.
  • The general secretary is responsible for keeping the minutes of the steering committee, board, and general assembly, conducting the correspondence of the AAOCI in their regions.
  • The treasurer may be re-elected.
  • The treasurer collects the money due to the AAOCI, receives gifts made to the AAOCI, and keeps proper and necessary books of the income and expenses.
  • Duties of the board: The board acts in the name of the AAOCI and carries out all duties concerns with the management, administration and measures which are within the confines of the purposes of the AAOCI.

The board decides upon its internal rules in accordance with the general assembly and the standing subcommittees. It settles the venue, date, and subject matter for the work, training and congresses within the confines of the purposes of the AAOCI.

  • Meetings

The board meets at least every two years upon being convened by the president or as often as it is required in the interest of the AAOCI.

  • Decisions

The decisions of the board are taken by simple majority of the votes present. The president shall have the casting vote.

  • Ordinary course of the AAOCI

The chairman of the academic training program supervises the organization of the Arabian academic meeting of otology and cochlear implant. Except in extraordinary conditions, the Arabian course is held every two years in a different Arabian country.

During the AAOCI course, a certificate of recognition of quality of training will be delivered to the trainee members with the title of “fellow of the Arabian academy of otology and cochlear implant.”

The requirements for the fellowship are:

  • Successful conclusion of the two years AAOCI training program documented in the logbook and approved by the steering committee of the board.
  • The attendance of the AAOCI courses.
  • Minutes

The steering committee of the board keeps at the registered office a record of the names and addresses of the members.

The secretaries keep minutes of the proceeding of the meeting of the steering committee and its board.

All books and records of the AAOCI may be inspected by any member, for any proper purpose at any reasonable time.

 

4.2 – STANDING COMMITTEES

  • Purposes

Specialized technical committees should be selected in order to foster scientific and cultural exchanges in Arabian academy of otology and cochlear implant and to create high quality control.

The standing committees list is the following which at any time can be enlarged by the steering committee

  • Academic training program,
  • Investigations, testing and assessments in cochlear implant,
  • Oto-surgery ,
  • Ear malformations,
  • Study in profound deafness, hearing aids, cochlear and nuclear implants,
  • Neuro-oto-surgery can be added
  • Skull based surgery can be added
  • New technologies in otology and cochlear implant,
  • Research and basic science in otology and cochlear implant,
  • Temporal bone collection.

 

  • Membership

Founder, full, associate and corporate members may participate in different standing committees.

  • Coordination

A chairman and a secretary of each standing committee are proposed by the steering committee and approved by the general assembly for a four year term.

  • Duties of the standing committees

The standing committees should serve as a specialized advisory boards to the president and the steering committee.

The standing committees should promote their different disciplines and shall develop their own policy and procedure guidelines as necessary.

Article No. 5 – General Assembly

  • ATTENDANCE – The general assembly consists of all the members of the academy.
  • DUTIES – The work done by the steering committee, the board, and the standing committees has to be presented for approval to the general assembly.
  • MEETINGS – A general assembly is to be held every two years during the ordinary course of the AAOCI, or when especially convened by the steering committee of the board, or when at least a quarter of members of the board request in writing such and assembly. In the latter case, the extraordinary assembly must be called within three months of the receipt of the demand.
  • DECISIONS – The decisions of the general assembly are taken on a majority poll of the votes present. In a case of an equality of vote, the vote of the president or his nominee is decisive.

Article No. 6 – Financial

6.1 – MEMBERSHIP FEES

  • In order to assure the proper functioning of the AAOCI, the equivalent of ___ has been established by the general assembly.

6.2 – TREASURY

  • The treasurer keeps the books, records, and accounts which is at all times opened to examination. He deposits the funds of the society in its name in such a depository as is named by the board. No money will be drawn from the treasury except for such purposes as will have been recommended by the steering committee of the board. 
  • The books, records, and accounts may be inspected by any member of the board for any proper purpose at any reasonable time.
  • The expenses of the AAOCI shall be covered by membership fees, registration fees, official or voluntary contributions, or by legacies.

Article No. 7 – Resignation

7.1 – RESIGNATION

  • Members of the society can resign at any time by sending a registered letter to the secretary, but resignation shall not relieve the member of the past obligation to pay any dues or other charges.

7.2 – LOSS OF MEMBERSHIP

  • Members of the AAOCI who do not pay their dues despite reminders shall cease to be a member of the AAOCI.

Article No. 8 – Sub-commitees

INTERNAL REVIEW AND ACCREDITATION

  • To improve the quality of medical education
  • To provide a means for objective assessment of AAOCI programs
  • To provide guidance to AAOCI in the development of new programs
  • To assist the AAOCI board in reviewing the conduct and educational quality of their programs

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE

  • The scientific committee’s mandate includes helping promote development of research in AAOCI
  • Development and support of infrastructure, training, communications, liaison with academic centers and other international agencies

COURSES AND WORKSHOPS

  • Organize and collaborate with different academic centers in doing courses in temporal bone and techniques of otology and implantable device surgery.

SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Article No. 9 – Educational Plans

  1. The steering committee of the board shall authorize members who organizes courses, meetings in Otology, implantable devices, or skull base surgery, for such to be under the auspices of the AAOCI.
  2. Any member intending to organize a course or a meeting under the auspices of the AAOCI requires the prior approval of the steering committee of the board.

Article No. 10 – Founding Members

  1. Prof. Abdulrahman Hagr
  2. H.E. Dr. Basel Al Sabah
  3. Dr. Ammar Al Lawati
  4. Dr. Abdulsalam Qahtani
  5. Prof. Hassan Wahba
  6. Dr. Firas Al Zoubi
  7. Dr. Ahmed Jamal
  8. Dr. Muaaz Al Tarabishi
  9. Dr. Amr Elhakeem
  10. Dr. Khalid Abdul Hadi