Individuals may apply for Active membership in the WTSA, based on the following guidelines:

Active Member $275.00 annually, plus $50.00 initiation fee.

Applicant must:

• Be a Diplomat of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery of the United States, a Fellow in Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery in the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada, or possess such educational credentials as judged equivalent by the Council.
• Reside within or have completed a cardiothoracic residency training program within the geographic limits of the Association, which are the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming, and the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia.
• Have been engaged in the practice of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery either outside of or within the geographic limits of the Association for at least three years following completion of postgraduate training. If a candidate has completed his/her thoracic surgical residency in an institution within the geographic limits of the Association, such completion may count towards one of the three years of practice as noted above.
• Have demonstrated interest in advancing the practice of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery through continuing professional contributions and scientific publications.
• Have obtained the sponsorship of three Active or Senior members of the Association per the application.
• An applicant for Active Membership shall (1) have a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in his or her respective state or province, and (2) have a current appointment on the surgical staff of a hospital with no reportable action pending which could adversely affect such applicant's staff privileges at any hospital.
• Any applicant for Active Membership must possess ethical and moral fitness, as well as professional proficiency, as determined, in part, on the basis of reports from members consulted as references, reports from other references, and other information.

Download the WTSA Membership Application here. The application is a Word form that you may complete electronically. Open the document; type the requested information in the fields provided; save; and print, sign, and date the finished application. Alternatively, you may print the application and use a typewriter to complete the form.

The deadline for receipt of completed applications has been extended until April 2nd. For an application to be considered by the Membership Committee, the application form must be fully completed, letters must be received from your three sponsors, and the application must include a photo and a complete curriculum vitae with bibliography. The bibliography must include: all authors in proper sequence; title of article; journal; volume number; page number(s); and year of publication. On the bibliography indicate with an asterisk the three articles you consider to be the most significant and which you personally wrote. Additionally, copies of these three articles must accompany the application.

If you have any difficulty downloading the form, please contact the WTSA Administrative offices at:

Western Thoracic Surgical Association
900 Cummings Center, Suite 221-U
Beverly, MA 01915-6183
Phone: (978) 927-8330
Fax: (978) 524-0461