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Fees Are Up ?Any Extra Benefit ?

              I am sure every member by now knows that the 44^th MMA AGM at Langkawi have decided to increase the MMA annual membership fee in 2005. The question above was actually asked to me by a junior medical officer in my hospital when I told him about the decision.

                   At the AGM in Langkawi, the President and Treasurer have explained the reasons behind the need to increase the membership fee. The increasing cost of servicing the members and the reduction in the revenue of MMA from the rentals has made the association to take the painful step of increasing the membership fee. The fee has been increased to RM 150 annually for Houseofficers and Medical Officers for 1^st 10 years. I must say that our association is among the professional body with the lowest membership fee and it is only another RM 50 increase compared to the previous RM 100. Unfortunately, would this step increase or decrease the number of new members joining MMA.

                   Being the SCHOMOS Chairman of Johor for the last 2 years has thought me how difficult it is to get new members to join MMA. Even though I have succeeded in achieving one of the highest number of new members over the last 2 years but it is still not enough to attain 100% membership of doctors in MMA. It was really quite difficult to even get    RM 75 from Houseofficers and RM 100 from Medical Officers even though the salary of government doctors have increased compared to many years ago. And now with the increase of RM 50 to the membership fee is only going to make the situation worst.

                  I think it is time for the association to make it more attractive to the members. Let’s look at it step by step. What does a member gets when he/she becomes a member? About a month after the payment of membership fee they will receive a membership card. It use to be just a piece of paper which we have to laminate it ourselves but for the last few years it has been changed to a proper card. This card would be sent with a receipt of payment. I remember about 2 years ago when one of the new member asked me “Is that the only thing we will receive for being a member?” Subsequently a Berita MMA magazine would be sent to them about a month after that. These make people to feel that they are not  receiving any benefit in joining MMA. Of course we can go on saying that MMA has done this and that but to how many people can we convey these massages effectively and how many cycles of these explanations are we going to do. Do the new doctors know what MMA has done for them? In reality, members at the ground level are mainly expecting what material gain they will get by joining an association.

                 I suggest that MMA should come up with a Membership Kit as how clubs are marketing. We should have good marketing strategies. I suggest that the following items to be included into the Membership kit:

1)                 Receipt of payment

2)                 Membership card

3)                 Latest Berita MMA

4)                 Latest Malaysian Medical Journal

5)                 Latest BMJ (if applicable)

6)                 MMA car sticker

7)                 Direct Access application form

8)                 List of achievement of SCHOMOS (if applicable)

9)                 List of achievement of MMA in general

10)            List of benefits of joining MMA

11)            A copy of latest AGM report CD

12)            List of names and contact numbers of the MMA council members

13)            List of subcommittees/societies in MMA

14)            List of e-mail and person in charge at the MMA secretariat

 This suggestion may look silly for some but I think, in reality, methods like this would definitely make someone to feel that he belongs to an association. As I said earlier, by just receiving a membership card will only make the member feel that he is paying RM 150 just for a card. I am sure each and everyone of us who becomes a member of a club would open up the membership kit of the club and read everything in it in detail. Thus by sending a membership kit to a new member would make the member appreciate his membership more and will understand the achievement of the association so far. This would cost the association a little bit more but it is definitely worth to give it a try. 

MMA should also start charging non-members who are attending the CME talks. Members should be given the privilege to attend the CMEs and to earn CME points. I suggest non-members should be charged a nominal fee of RM 10 per CME session. Drug companies who would like to invite non-members should themselves bear the cost. This would in a way increase our membership as members can attend all the CME in a year by just paying RM 150 per year and this would become one of the benefits of joining MMA. Currently even non-members can attend any CME organized by MMA without having to pay anything and get a free “makan”. Entrance to the CME hall should only be given free for those who bring his/her membership card and sweep it on a card reader placed outside the hall.

 MMA should also try to get discounts for members in various fields. Conferences organized by societies or organizations should be negotiated with to give discounted registration fee for MMA members. If possible, discounts should also be given to members in certain medical bookshops or hotels. Small things like these may actually make members feel that they are gaining something by becoming a member.

 Since 2004, non-members who want to publish article in Malaysian Medical Journal (MMJ) are charged RM 200. This was something that has been long overdue. I would also like to suggest that MMJ should be made known internationally by letting it be available on the internet such as in Medline or Ovid services. This would make members feel that their publications can be viewed internationally and would in someway encourage new members.

 I am also very glad to see the word “Scientific Meeting” has been included in the upcoming AGM in Malacca. This matter was discussed at the last AGM and I am actually happy to hear that this will be carried out at the next AGM. It is something that is worth doing concurrently with our AGM. Persatuan Perubatan Islam Malaysia has been doing this for the last 2-3 years and has managed to get hospital doctors to attend it under the hospital budget. Many other societies and associations have also done it. So it is time for MMA to seriously consider it as part of the AGM. This Scientific Meeting, if approved by the Ministry of Health (MOH) would allow doctors from the MOH to attend under MOH sponsorship.

 The above matters are merely my personal suggestions from the grassroots’ level in improving the association’s marketing strategies. I am sure many would agree that the above suggestions are worth giving a try to attract more doctors to join MMA. Current generations of doctors are mainly looking at what direct benefits they are going to get by joining an association. Indirect benefits are least of their concern. However the above suggestions are open to criticism and I would be very happy if anyone wants to add anything else.