Become a Member

Join or Renew

If you are involved with the care of patients with pediatric rheumatic disease or work in a field related to pediatric rheumatology/pediatric rheumatology research, and are interested in getting engaged with CARRA’s research, you may be eligible to join CARRA!

Important Note

Upcoming changes for all current members: We are in the process of transitioning to a new Communications platform for our membership, called Chatter. This initiative aims to replace the email distribution lists/Listserv and facilitate direct communication for workgroups and committees. It will also serve as a platform for file storage, announcements, polls, and archiving important workgroup discussions, etc. Think of it as a workgroup/committee-specific group, integrated into your membership portal. Members who belong to multiple committees and workgroups will be able to easily switch between them, consolidating all relevant information in one place. Additionally, it will streamline the process for members to join or modify their committee and workgroup preferences, eliminating the need for manual intervention by CARRA staff. For a brief overview on Chatter, CLICK HERE

CARRA Memberships

CARRA offers a variety of memberships and benefits to professionals engaged with pediatric rheumatology research and/or care at CARRA sites, other academic healthcare institutions, and medical care facilities. A CARRA site is a health care center with one or more current CARRA members.

All CARRA members are expected to participate in one or more research committees, participate in relevant surveys and elections, and abide by CARRA policies.

See below for CARRA membership types, eligibility and relevant membership fees. For a complete list of membership types, fees, benefits, application requirements and responsibilities, click here.

1. Physician and Pediatric Rheumatology Investigator Member (Annual Dues: $150)

Includes the following individuals at CARRA sites, other academic healthcare institutions, and medical care facilities:

  • All pediatric rheumatologists and physicians from other specialties
  • Research scientists or health care professionals who have an advanced degree AND:
    • Served as the Principal Investigator of a study undertaken within CARRA,
    • OR
    • For more than five (5) years committed at least 50% of professional effort in a field relevant to pediatric rheumatology and published at least three peer reviewed articles in a field relevant to pediatric rheumatology.
  • All postdocs
2. Research and Health Care Professional Member (Annual Dues: N/A)

Includes the following individuals at CARRA sites or other academic healthcare institutions:

  • CARRA Registry Research coordinators and other pediatric rheumatology research coordinators working at CARRA sites.
  • Health care professionals (nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, etc.) and other research professionals (such as site regulatory coordinators) working at CARRA sites or other medical care facilities who do not meet criteria for “Physician and Pediatric Rheumatology Investigator Members”
3. Trainee Member (Annual Dues: N/A)

Includes the following individuals at CARRA sites or other academic healthcare institutions:

  • Fellows participating in approved Pediatric Rheumatology fellowship programs in the US or Canada
  • International physicians participating in training programs with the goal of becoming pediatric rheumatologists
  • Pediatric Residents interested in pediatric rheumatology
  • Medical Students interested in pediatric rheumatology
  • Graduate Students interested in pediatric rheumatology

CARRA Associate Memberships (New in 2022)

CARRA now offers Associate Memberships as outlined below. Associate members may attend the CARRA Annual Scientific Meeting but are not permitted to attend the CARRA business meeting.

1. Nonprofit/Government Associate Member (Annual Dues: $100)

Includes leaders and/or staff (including patients/caregivers) from nonprofit or government organizations who are actively engaged in work related to pediatric rheumatology or a related field. Leaders may be paid or volunteer leaders (such as members of an organization’s Board of Directors or advisory boards).

2. Patient/Caregiver Associate Member (Annual Dues: N/A)

Patient/caregiver associate members are individuals 18 years of age or older who are interested in becoming research partners with CARRA. This category of membership is intended for patient/caregivers who do not meet any other category for CARRA membership. Patient/caregiver leaders from other nonprofit and/or advocacy organizations should see “Nonprofit/Government Associate Member”.

3. Business and Industry Associate Member (Annual Dues: $300)

Includes individuals from for-profit companies engaged in the sale of health-related products or services, including pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies. Employees who lead or are actively engaged in a portfolio relevant to pediatric rheumatology or a closely related field are eligible. Relevant portfolios may include: (1) experimental medicine aimed at efficacy, mechanism of action, pharmacology, and/or safety of therapeutic agents; (2) digital health (e.g., apps, watches, monitoring devices); (3) diagnostics; and (4) device and medical data mining applications.

Must 1) have MD, PhD, or equivalent degree(s), or high-level relevant expertise or ability, 2) provide the name of a CARRA member who supports your application for associate membership, and 3) disclose your affiliation and any potential or real conflicts while participating in CARRA activities.

Apply for Membership

Online Application Requirements

All applicants will be asked to fill out a brief application form to provide their basic contact and demographic information, along with details regarding their experience with CARRA related research. As part of the online application process, all applicants will also be asked to:

  • Provide a brief personal statement and describe:
    • Your role/experience in pediatric rheumatology research
    • Your role (if any) in caring for children with pediatric rheumatic diseases
    • How you hope to engage with CARRA as a member
  • Attest to the review, understanding and agreement to adhere to the CARRA Code of Ethics, CARRA Publication and Presentation Guidelines and CARRA Data and Sample Sharing Policy. Please review these documents via the links below prior to submitting your application.
  • Select one or more research committees in which they will participate and Identify any relevant stakeholder committees. Click here to learn more about CARRA’s research and stakeholder committees.

Membership eligibility will be determined after review of your online application.

Click the button below to apply for CARRA membership.

Apply for Membership

Membership Renewal

Each year we ask members to renew their memberships by paying any relevant dues, reviewing and updating their membership profiles. This includes verifying current address(es), committees and workgroups. If your membership expired and you want to rejoin, or if you are unsure of your membership status, email [email protected].

NOTE FOR CURRENT MEMBERS: The Membership Committee reviewed CARRA’s eligibility and benefits for our membership categories in the fall of 2022 and consolidated our ten previous categories down to three.

See below to see how your membership type may be changing when you are asked to renew your membership!

For questions about CARRA membership, please contact Kelly Mieszkalski, Director of Communications and Engagement ([email protected]).