Regulations
The Regulatory Statute of the Society for Clinical Microbiologists of Turkey
NAME OF THE SOCIETY AND ITS CENTRAL OFFICE
Article 1. The name of the Society is “Society for Clinical Microbiologists of Turkey”. The central office of the Society is located in ANKARA. The Society was established in 25.05.2009. There will not be any branch office of the Society.
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE SOCIETY, THE DEFINITION OF FIELD OF SPECIALITY, FORMS OF WORK, AND THE AREAS OF ITS ACTIVITY:
Article 2. The Objectives and the Definitions
2.1 Society for Clinical Microbiologists of Turkey: It is the national society of the Clinical Microbiology Specialists; is a non-profit society and is intended for professional and scientific purposes. The objective of the Society is to establish, protect and improve the scientific standards in the field of Clinical Microbiology training, research and health services; to establish national policies; to lead the protection and promotion of the respectability of the Clinical Microbiology specialty; and to take actions in order to protect and improve the rights of its members. It tries to improve the professional, scientific and social relationships between its members and for this purpose it takes into account the ethical codes on all of its actions.
2.2. Clinical Microbiology is a field of clinical laboratory science and a specialty field exclusively for the determination of the microbiological agents of diseases and also for control, prevention and monitorization of the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of these diseases. In order to fulfill these purposes, it selects and implements the appropriate microbiological, immunological and molecular tests for the examination of the biological samples of the patients, interprets the results and provides medical consultation regarding the test results. The term Clinical Microbiology is used synonymously worldwide with Medical Microbiology and it covers the areas of science such as bacteriology, virology, mycology, parasitology, immunology, and molecular microbiology.
2.3. Clinical Microbiology specialty defines a field of medical specialty which has been referred to as Microbiology; Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology; and Medical Microbiology since the initiation of training in this branch of medicine in our country and also the future relevant legal regulations to be issued afterwards in this branch of medicine.
2.4. Clinical Microbiology specialty education covers the Basic and Clinical Microbiology education as well as education on information management systems, automation, business, statistics, and quality management in order to administrate a clinical laboratory.
Article 3. Areas of Activities and the Forms of Work
3.1. Training
a) To represent the Clinical Microbiology specialty on scientific, legal, and ethical issues within national and international grounds.
b) To lead the protection and promotion of the respectability of the Clinical Microbiology specialty and to take necessary measures in order to protect and improve the rights of its members.
c) To take actions in order to assure the continuity and establishment of the highest professional and scientific standards in all areas of Clinical Microbiology within the country.
d) To constitute the “Turkish Board of Medical Microbiology” in order to establish, protect, and promote the appropriate standards for contemporary education and scientific criteria in Clinical Microbiology specialty education, to evaluate the proficiency of “Clinical Microbiology” specialists , to do activities in order to provide the coordination and the standardization among the education units , to hold standard exams at the country level following specialty training, to create the conditions for this task , and to give the Medical Microbiology Board Certificate through this Board.
e) To organize continuing medical education events within the scope of the professional development and continuous medical training in order to increase the knowledge and the skills of the specialists and provide better education to the research assistants in the field of Clinical Microbiology throughout the country and to support and encourage participation in these events.
f) To take actions for the continuous and adequate training of the support staff (technical staff/technicians, nurses, etc.) in the field of Clinical Microbiology.
g) To organize scientific meetings (congress, symposium, panel, seminar, course, workshop, etc.) and to publish scientific materials (book, journal, electronic publication, etc.) regarding the field of Clinical Microbiology.
h) To provide information, expertise and consultancy services to institutions and organizations in the field of Clinical Microbiology.
3.2. Research
a) To encourage, manage and support the organization of high-quality institutional and multi-centered scientific studies in the field of Clinical Microbiology throughout the country.
b) To supply financial support, ensure scholarship and give awards and to coordinate joint work collaboration in order to give support to the researches related to the field of the specialty.
c) To conduct and support research in order to generate local, regional and national data regarding Clinical Microbiology and to publish and document the results of these studies.
d) To organize and establish the grounds for the access of its members to scientific data and to exchange data.
3.3 Patient Service
a) To develop policies on the infrastructure, qualification and the cost of laboratory services at all levels in the field of Clinical Microbiology in the country and to perform national manpower planning studies.
b) To encourage and support the Clinical Microbiology services to be given at the highest level throughout the country; to perform research and implement studies for this purpose and to develop standards.
c) To issue and supply the distribution of practical manuals and guidelines for routine practice in Clinical Microbiology laboratories and to undertake necessary activities in order to implement them.
d) To encourage and develop the implementation of ethical codes for Clinical Microbiology services.
e) To protect the benefits of individuals who receive laboratory service and to conduct studies on the cost of laboratory services.
3.4. Public Health
a) To inform both the members and the public on topics related to public health concerning the field of Clinical Microbiology through written and visual media, etc.
b) To make policies, raise opinions and organize epidemiological studies for the prevention, definition and control of infectious diseases including the outbreaks that threaten the public health.
3.5. Professional, Socio-cultural and Other Studies
a) To support the solution of problems regarding legal and financial rights and employee benefits of Clinical Microbiology specialists and to take necessary measures for this task.
b) To organize social and cultural activities in order to ensure cooperation and to strengthen the relationship between the members and colleagues who reside within the country and abroad (to organize trips, establish funds, open club houses and have agreements with cooperatives or other kind of organizations for its members, etc).
c) To sell, buy, rent and lease out the necessary real estate and moveable properties for the activities of the Society and to claim the same rights on the moveable properties.
d) To participate in the activities that will serve for the purpose of the Society and to cooperate with the national and international organizations and institutions that have similar goals.
e) To conduct other studies on its main purpose that is explained under Article 2.
3.6. The Society establishes all the necessary scientific committees, groups and committees etc.; cooperates with national and international organizations and institutions; and conducts joint activities and initiatives for the sake of all the above-mentioned purposes.
TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE SOCIETY AND WITHDRAWAL AND REMOVAL FROM MEMBERSHIP
Article 4. The Rights of Becoming a Member and Membership Procedures
4.1. There are two kinds of members of the Society such as full members and honorary members. All members must abide by the order of the Society, act in accordance with the purpose of the Society, especially avoiding behaviors that would make it difficult or prevent the fulfillment of the purpose.
4.1.1. Full Members
a) The Clinical Microbiology Specialists (defined under the Article 2.3)
b) The research assistants who have completed the second year of specialty training in this main branch of medicine.
c) The academic members who are permanent staff of education units in this main branch of medical specialty that correspond to the definition in Article 2.3 and who have the specialty certificate in medicine. (The full membership of these members will continue as long as their duty as a permanent education staff continues).
d) People who have completed training in areas of subspecialities defined as a branch of Medical Microbiology according to the laws and regulations.
The people who have these qualifications can apply to the Executive Board for membership by filling up the application form that contains information on identity and profession and by attaching the necessary documents indicated in this form. The Executive Board has to make a positive or a negative decision on the request regarding the membership at the latest within 30 days and must inform the candidate by a written notification. The full membership is ascertained through this notification and the payment of the membership fees (the entry fee and the annual fee).
Only the full members can be elected for the administrative and representative duty bodies of the Society and have the voting right for the elections regarding these bodies.
4.1.2. Honorary Members
a) Those who are the permanent staff of the Clinical Microbiology main branch (defined in Article 2.3) as well as who fit the trainer definition that are mentioned in the laws and regulations regarding this specialty in medicine, but do not, however, have the specialty certificate in medicine.
b) The research assistants who are within the first two years of specialty training in this main branch.
c) The legal and real persons who are interested in Clinical Microbiology and show their interest through all kinds of activities and work according to the objectives and in the field of activities that are written in Articles 2 and 3 of the Regulations of the Society can be the members of the Society.
These persons can apply for honorary membership to the Executive Board through the membership application form that contains the information on identity and profession. The Executive Board has to make a positive or a negative decision on the request regarding the honorary membership at the latest within 30 days and must inform them by a written notification. The honorary membership is ascertained through this notification and the payment of the membership fees (the entry fee and the annual fee).
The honorary members can have an assignment at the scientific committees and study groups of the Society; however, they do not have the rights to elect and be elected for the Society bodies.
Article 5. The Society membership will be invalid under these circumstances:
a) The ones who give a petition for their resignation from membership to the Executive Board (resigning from the membership does not terminate the accumulated debts of the member).
b) The ones who are convicted for notoriety or one of the crimes that the Society Law prohibits membership.
c) The ones who behave in a way that are incompatible with the ethical principles and the works of the Society, act against the objectives of the Society or behave in a way that will prevent the works of the Society.
d) The ones who violate the provisions of the Regulations of the Society and the decisions of the General Assembly.
e) The ones who display behaviors that do not meet the medical and scientific ethics.
f) The ones who subsequently lose the required terms for membership.
Members will be expelled from membership by the decision of the Executive Board in case of one of the determined circumstances mentioned above. The members who do not pay the membership fee for two consecutive years without reporting any valid excuse will be warned by the Executive Board by a written notification. If they do not pay within six months in spite of the warning, they will be expelled from membership.
The ones who are expelled or resigned from the Society will be removed from the member registry book and they cannot claim any rights on the assets of the Society. The member who is expelled from the membership has the right to object to the General Assembly about the expulsion.
THE BODIES OF THE SOCIETY
Article 6. The Bodies of the Society are composed of:
a) The General Assembly
b) The Executive Board
c) The Supervisory Board
d) The Board of Ethics
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The Definition of the General Assembly, the Manner and Schedule of the Assembly
Article 7. The General Assembly is composed of full members. The regular meeting of the General Assembly is held every two years in the month of October. It is held either at the place where the Society stays or at the place where the National Scientific Congress of the Society is held.
The General Assembly meets with a quorum of more than half of the members who have the voting right. It meets with a quorum of 2/3 majority if there will be an amendment to the Regulations or a dissolution of the Society. If sufficient number of members is not supplied at the first meeting, the majority rule is not required at the second meeting.
The Board of Directors of the Society determines the list of members who have the right to attend the General Assembly and shall warn the debtor members to pay their fee debts at the latest during the General Assembly meeting day. The members who have the fee debt cannot join the General Assembly and do not have the right to elect and be elected.
The members who will attend the General Assembly are notified through advertisement in a newspaper or by writing or by electronic mail in at least 15 (fifteen) days prior to the meeting about the date, time, place and agenda of the meeting and about the second meeting if the quorum is not achieved at this first meeting. They are called for the meeting by either the Chairperson or by the General Secretary through the decision of the Executive Board. The second General Assembly meeting is held within a minimum of 7 days and a maximum of 60 days after the meeting when the quorum was not realized. The second meeting is open to the members without the necessity for a quorum. However, the number of attending members cannot be less than the two times of the total number of full members of the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board. Each member who has the right to participate in the General Assembly has one voting right. The member votes in person.
The procedure for the meeting call and the issues related to the postponement of the meeting are regulated in accordance with the provisions of the Regulations of the Society.
If the meeting is postponed due to reasons other than insufficiency in the quorum, the members are to be informed by written notification in at least 15 (fifteen) days prior to the meeting about the date, place and agenda of the meeting including the reasons for the postponement. The postponed meeting has to be held within six months from the date of the postponement and cannot be postponed anymore.
The General Assembly can be called for an extraordinary meeting if the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board deem necessary or upon the written request of at least one fifth (1/5) of the members of the Society for the same reason. The same procedures of the regular meeting of the General Assembly are carried out for the announcement of this meeting.
The Procedures for the General Assembly Meeting
Article 8. T he entry to the General Assembly is done through signing the list of members. The Board of Directors determines whether the quorum is achieved or not by a record of minutes. The meeting is opened by the Chairperson of the Executive Board or another member of the Executive Board assigned by the Chairperson. The delegation of the Board is formed through an open vote election of the Chairperson to conduct the meeting, a Deputy Chairperson, and a Secretary. This elected presiding board conducts the General Assembly. Only the agenda items are discussed at the General Assembly meeting. However, the issues that are requested in writing to be discussed by one tenth of the members present at the meeting must be included in the agenda. The issues discussed and the decisions taken in the meeting are recorded as a written document, signed by the board, and submitted to the Chairperson of the Executive Board. The Chairperson of the Executive Board is responsible for the protection of this document as well as for its submission to the newly elected Executive Board within 7 days. The resolutions of the General Assembly and its amendments are presented to the Public Administration Directorate within 30 days by the Chairperson of the Executive Board or by a member of the Executive Board who is authorized by the Chairperson of the Executive Board. The Chairperson of the Executive Board is responsible for the non presentation of the resolutions.
8.1. The decisions of the Assembly are taken by an absolute majority of the members attending the meeting. However, the decisions on the changing of the Regulations and dissolution of the Society must be taken by a two-third majority of the members attending the meeting.
8.2. Deprivation of the right to vote: None of the members of the Society can vote regarding a legal transaction or dispute between the Society and himself/herself and his/her first-degree relatives.
The Duties and Authorities of the General Assembly
Article 9 . The General Assembly is the most authoritative decision making body of the Society. The followings are its duties and authorities:
a) To take necessary decisions regarding the laws, the objectives, and the work issues of the Society.
b) To elect separately the full and standby members for the Executive Board, the Supervisory Board and the Board of Ethics through secret ballot voting with open counting.
c) To discuss and decide on the reports of the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board and clear the Executive Board.
d) To discuss and approve the proposed budget for the next work period.
e) To discuss and decide on the proposal of the Executive Board about changing the Regulations of the Society.
f) To investigate and decide on the objections against the decisions of the Executive Board regarding the denial of membership or expulsion from membership.
g) To give authorization to the Executive Board in order to buy and sell real estate for the Society.
h) To take decisions on the proposals of the Executive Board about doing international activities and cooperation by the Society to achieve its goals; about participation or withdrawal by the Society as a member in federations which are established or will be established for the same purpose in the country.
i) To decide on the dissolution of the Society and distribution of its assets.
j) To carry out the other duties of the General Assembly as stated in the laws or the Regulations of the Society.
Executive Board
Article 10. The Executive Board is the executive body of the Society. Seven (7) full members and seven (7) standby members are elected for two years through secret ballot during the first General Assembly.
The new Executive Board elects a Chairperson, a General Secretary and an Accountant among its members. The other members of the Executive Board are assigned according to the determined topics and tasks. The resolutions of the General Assembly and its amendments that are prescribed by law are presented to the Public Administration Directorate within 30 days after the election done by the General Assembly through the Chairperson of the Executive Board or a member of the Executive Board who is authorized by the Chairperson of the Executive Board.
The Executive Board meets when half of the members plus one are present. The decisions are taken by an absolute majority of the total number of the members attending the meeting. The decisions are written in the decision book and signed by the participants of the meeting.
Standby members take the place of the vacated positions of the full members of the Executive Board.
The Executive Board Presidency is served for a maximum of two terms.
The Duties and Authorities of the Executive Board
Article 11. The following are the duties and authorities of the Board of Directors:
a) To represent the Society through its Chairperson or to give an authority to other board members on this issue in case of necessity,
b) To take all types of decisions for the achievement of the objectives of the Society stated in the Regulations regarding training, research, public health, and patient service; to accomplish the tasks; give authorization to its members on these issues in case of necessity; to establish committees, commissions and study groups; and to supervise their work,
c) To determine the issues related to the structure, mechanism, duty and authority of the necessary body, unit, committee, board and commissions for the objectives of the Society; to have rules of action and regulations prepared; and to put into force,
d) To implement the decisions of the General Assembly,
e) To determine the opening of representative offices or to decide to constitute platforms,
f) To determine the establishment of economic organizations and companies or to be a partner with established ones,
g) To present the prepared Declaration of the Society belonging to the previous year to the Public Administration Directorate within the appropriate time period of legislation,
h) To gather the General Assembly and determine the date, time, place and agenda of the meeting,
i) To prepare the work period report including the income and expense accounts of the Society for submission to the General Assembly,
j) To prepare and implement the annual work program,
k) To do and keep the income and expense accounts of the Society and prepare the estimated budget for the next period and present it to the General Assembly,
l) To make an additional budget with the authority taken from the General Assembly if the changes are needed in the budget items for necessary reasons,
m) To make studies on changing the Regulations of the Society and submit the proposals for the approval of the General Assembly,
n) To organize the scientific activities (conference, symposium, workshop, etc.) within the country and abroad and assign the members of the Society to do the organization for this purpose,
o) To determine the admission of members to the Society or expulsion from membership,
p) To buy real estates, sell real estates and movable properties that belong to the Society, construct a building or facility, rent a building, and hire paid staff if necessary through the authority given by the General Assembly,
r) To establish and operate research and training facilities for the objectives of the Society,
s) To perform the other tasks given by the Regulations of the Society and by the legislation; and to exercise its authorities,
t) To prepare prescriptions and regulations, to have them prepared and to approve them,
u) To determine the membership entry fee and annual membership fees,
v) To establish the Advisory Board
y) To establish the Coordination Committee
Article 12. The Executive Board meets at least every two months through the call of the Chairperson or the General Secretary. The Executive Board meeting decisions are taken by an absolute majority. The members who do not attend three consecutive meetings of the Executive Board without informing his/her excuse before the meeting are deemed to have resigned. In their place, the standby members according to the order of the highest votes received are called for duty.
The Supervisory Board
Article 13. The Structure, Duty and Authorities of the Supervisory Board
To be a member of the Supervisory Board requires being a full member and giving specialty education and service in the field of the Clinical Microbiology during the last 10 years. It consists of three full members and three standby members to be elected for two years through secret ballot by the General Assembly.
The Supervisory Board elects a Chairperson among its members. The Supervisory Board audits the budget and accounts of the Executive Board on behalf of the General Assembly. The Supervisory Board controls the work and accounts of the Society for a minimum of once a year and submits the results in a report to the Executive Board and the General Assembly. The Supervisory Board can call the General Assembly to an extraordinary meeting through a consensus in case it is necessary.
Board of Ethics
Article 14. It consists of five full members and five standby members who are elected for two years through secret ballot by the General Assembly. Not more than one member from an institution can be a member of the Board of Ethics. The person who polls the most of the votes is assigned as a full member in case there is more than one candidate from the same institution. These members elect a Chairperson and a Secretary among themselves. Requirements to be elected to the Board of Ethics:
a) To have the necessary requirements for the full membership.
b) To have 15 years experience in the Clinical Microbiology specialty field.
The Board of Ethics takes every precaution to protect the honor of the profession; evaluate the complaints within the ordinance, ethical guidelines, arrangements, legislations and the Regulations of the Society; makes recommendations to the Executive Board for the expulsion of a member in case it is necessary. The Chairperson of the Executive Board can attend to these meetings and give information but cannot vote.
Study Groups
Article 15. The study groups on the various fields of Clinical Microbiology are formed through the decision of the Executive Board in order to achieve the objectives stated in the Regulations. The Study Groups work under the Executive Board as scientific advisory groups in order to gather the members who are interested in certain fields of Clinical Microbiology; develop communication among these members; collect, interpret, and distribute the scientific information related to their field; and establish national policies, education and research. The establishment, mechanism and the work methods of the Study Groups are determined by a prescription.
Task Groups
Article 16. Task groups are formed by the Executive Board in order to achieve the objectives stated in the Regulations and to carry out the tasks of the Society. They are established for a certain topic and for a limited period. They dissolve when they accomplish their mission within the given period. They are such groups as the unit, committee or commission consisting of a minimum of three members. Each Executive Board also establishes an Advisory Board and a Coordination Committee during their executive period. The work period of these committees is until the next General Assembly.
a) Advisory Board: It is established and assigned by the Executive Board as a delegation consisting of up to 6 people to benefit from their knowledge and experience necessary related to the Society’s mission and facilities; to develop policies for the Society; to get into contact with the related organizations (Ministry of Health, Turkish Board of Higher Education, Social Security Institution, Turkish Public Hospitals Institution and others) about the issues related to the specialty field on behalf of the Society.
b) Advisory Board Members and Working Principles:
i. Three members who have chaired the Executive Board for the last three executive periods
ii. Two members among the previous executive boards
iii. Chairperson of the Turkish Board of Medical Microbiology
iv. The facilities of this board is chaired by the Chairperson of the Executive Board or a representative of the Executive Board.
v. Advisory Board meets at least two times a year on the invitation of the Chairperson of the Executive Board.
vi. The advisory decisions achieved at the end of the meeting is presented to the Executive Board as a report within one week.
c) Coordination Committee: The Executive Board establishes a Coordination Committee to identify the strategies and policies related to the mission and vision of the Society, to disseminate the activities to member base, to increase participation to the decision-making processes of the Executive Board.
d) Coordination Committee Members and Working Principles:
i. The Executive Board
ii. The Chairperson of the Board of Ethics or a representative
iii. The Advisory Board members
iv. The Chairpersons of the Study Groups , elected according to the Study Group Instructions
v. The facilities of this board is chaired by the Chairperson of the Executive Board or a representative of the Executive Board.
vi. Coordination Committee meets at least once a year on the invitation of the Chairperson of the Executive Board.
FINANCIAL PROVISIONS
Article 17. Sources of Income
a) The membership fees are determined by the temporary Executive Board until the first General Assembly and then by the General Assembly following the first General Assembly,
b) All remaining incomes after subtracting the expenses for social activities such as meeting, prom, entertainment and trips,
c) Income from scientific publications and activities (congresses, symposia, workshops, seminar etc.),
d) Grants and aids,
e) Income from the assets of the Society,
f) Other incomes.
THE BOOKS AND RECORDS OF THE SOCIETY
Article 18. The principles and procedures for the book and records to be kept by the Society are regulated by the provisions of the Regulations of the Society and the books are authenticated by the Public Administration Directorate or a notary.
The income of the Society is collected through receipt and expenses are done by voucher. If the income is collected through the banks, the account certificate issued by the bank replaces the receipt.
These documents are kept for five years.
The persons who collect the income of the Society are determined through the decision of the Executive Board. The certificate of authorization will be issued to them.
The Chairperson of the Executive Board and the assigned member are both responsible for keeping the books.
THE INTERNAL AUDIT OF THE SOCIETY
Article 19. The internal audit of the Society is done when necessary by the Supervisory Board according to the provisions of Article No. 5253 of the Law of Societies.
CHANGING THE STATUTE OF THE SOCIETY
Article 20. The statute of the Society can be changed during the General Assembly. Changing of the Regulations is included in the nearest General Assembly agenda if deemed necessary by the Executive Board, or by a proposal of the Supervisory Board through consensus or by a written application of at least one fifth of the full members of the Society for the same reason to the Executive Board. If the Executive Board does not approve the written application, it should inform the demanding members by a written notification within 30 days. However, if the members repeat the same appeal, the Executive Board is to bring this appeal to the agenda of the General Assembly. Changing of the statute is accepted through the vote of two-thirds of the attending members to the General Assembly meeting.
REGULATIONS
Article 21. The necessary by-laws and directives for cases that are not within the provisions of the main regulation, the provisions of the by-laws, and the directives are implemented after approval by the Executive Board together with the provisions of the main regulation. The decisions and the circulars of the Executive Board are effective in cases where the matters are not covered by the by-laws and directives.
DISSOLUTION OF THE SOCIETY
Article 22.
The Society can be dissolved in the following manner:
a) By the decision of the General Assembly
b) By court order
c) The Society can be dissolved when the number of members falls below seven.
The dissolution decision taken by the decision of the General Assembly must be taken by a two-third majority of the members attending the General Assembly.
The General Assembly who takes the decision on the dissolution decides on the places where the money, properties, estates and real estates owned by the Society will be left in case of the dissolution of the Society.
Article 23. The Law of Societies, The Turkish Civil Code and the Regulations of Societies made with reference to the above laws, and the provisions of other relevant legislations about societies are implemented for matters that are not stated in this regulation.