Guideline for the Establishment and Operating Principles of TGD Scientific Working Groups

Article 1: Purpose of the Guideline

To define the principles for establishing Scientific Working Group (BÇG) / groups within the Türk Gastroenteroloji Derneği (TGD), as well as their operating principles, authorities, and responsibilities, and to outline the procedures and essentials in this regard.

Article 2: Definition

TGD BÇG is a scientific committee composed of association members, established by the TGD Board of Directors (YK) on topics deemed necessary, in line with its founding purpose, and working under the TGD YK, responsible for planning and conducting scientific studies and research. All members of TGD may become members of two BÇGs established on topics of their interest.

Article 3: Members of the Scientific Working Group

a. Full member:A TGD member who applies to work in the relevant working group

b. Invited member:A researcher, who may or may not be a TGD member, invited to attend group meetings to enable a multidisciplinary approach or contribute to the working group in certain group studies

Article 4: Boards of Scientific Working Groups

a. General Assembly of the Scientific Working Group:It consists of TGD members who prefer that working group. It is responsible for creating and implementing the periodic activity programs of the BÇG. It usually convenes annually during the UGH. b. Board of Directors of the Scientific Working Group: The BÇG YK consists of 5 members. The previous chairman of the BÇG automatically takes a place in the next YK without election and constitutes one of the members. The other members consist of the 4 individuals who receive the most votes in the election held by the BÇG General Assembly. The term of office for the BÇG YK is 2 years. Following the determination of the full members of the YK, the 4 members with the most votes form the alternate members. Any vacancy in the board due to resignation or termination of membership is filled by alternate members.

YK members, through internal division of duties, elect a “Chairman” and a “Secretary”. Work in the BÇG is carried out through the YK, especially with the help of electronic media, and decisions are taken by majority vote.

In relevant meetings, if the group chairman cannot attend, the secretary or another YK member authorized by them represents the BÇG. The election of BÇG YK members is repeated every two years.

The YK chairmanship cannot be held for more than three consecutive terms.

Memberships of BÇG members who fail to attend more than half of the meetings held within two years without justification are terminated.

c. Election of the Scientific Working Group Board of Directors:The election of the 4 full and 4 alternate members of the YK, excluding the previous chairman, is conducted by “secret ballot”. The 4 members who receive the most votes in the election form the BÇG YK together with the previous chairman. Following these members, the next 4 members with the most votes form the alternate members of the YK. All individuals who have been members of the BÇG for at least 6 months can participate in the election. Members who are candidates for the YK can announce their candidacies on the association’s website after applying to the TGD YK. Elections are held every two years, during the National Congress, on a previously announced day. Election results are announced to all members online.

Article 5: Authorities and Responsibilities of the Scientific Working Group

The BÇG meets at least twice a year, one of which is at the TGD Annual Congress. Decisions taken at these meetings are reported to the TGD YK within 10 days at the latest. The BÇG prepares a work report at the end of each year. The report sent to the TGD YK is announced to all members by the TGD YK.

TGD supports all activities proposed and approved by the BÇGs in line with the association’s founding objectives, contributes to the organization of these activities, and provides financial support when necessary.

Article 6 – Job Descriptions of Scientific Working Groups

a. Planning, securing resources, conducting, and publishing studies related to the subject of work

b. Collecting all existing national data related to the subject of work

c. Ensuring conditions for collecting reliable national data related to the subject of work

d. Providing contributions, if requested, to educational activities such as congresses, schools, symposiums, and courses organized by the TGD YK

e. Creating diagnostic and treatment guidelines that meet the needs of our country for general practitioners, internal medicine specialists, and students undergoing gastroenterology subspecialty training related to the subject of work

f. Preparing informative patient introduction books, guides, brochures, and visual educational materials for patients and their relatives related to the subject of work

g. Proposing methods and candidates for training young researchers

h. Providing consultancy services for questions and problems related to the subject of work, if requested

All studies, activities, and scientific meetings conducted by the BÇGs are carried out with the knowledge, approval, and coordination of the TGD YK.

Article 7: Execution

The TGD YK monitors and supervises the compliance of group activities with the procedures and principles of the guideline. The TGD YK may establish new working groups. The TGD YK dissolves a working group if serious ethical scientific concerns arise or if it concludes that the working group’s existence is no longer necessary.

The BÇG establishes its relations with other associations or organizations with the approval and mediation of the TGD YK. The TGD YK may authorize BÇG YK members, on behalf of TGD, to establish, develop, and organize these relations when deemed necessary.

Any document prepared by the BÇG gains the status of an official TGD publication and can be printed after obtaining TGD YK approval and being formatted within the framework of TGD publication principles.

Article 8: Validity Period of the Guideline

This guideline is valid from the date of approval by the TGD Board of Directors, and the subsequent first BÇG YK elections will be held in November 2010 at the 29th National Turkish Gastroenterology Congress in Antalya.

Provisional Article 9:

For newly formed BÇGs, the founding chairman is appointed by the TGD YK, and is requested to invite relevant individuals to the group. This article shall cease to be in force after the first elective meeting of the BÇG.