Integrating Scientific Perspectives through Organizational Partnerships

Carlos A. Silvera; Leslie R. M. Hausmann, PhD - Organizational Partnerships Committee

The Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) brings together scientists and practitioners from diverse fields to address modern health challenges through interdisciplinary collaboration. In 2025, nearly all SBM members reported having at least one organizational affiliation in addition to SBM. Illustrating the breadth of SBM members’ interorganizational reach, a whopping twelve academic societies had 70 or more SBM members among their ranks (Table). Having SBM members participating in these and other organizations helps to increase the richness and impact of behavioral medicine research by supporting its integration into healthcare guidelines, policies, and practices.

SBM’s Organizational Partnerships Committee is charged with strategic oversight of the society’s organizational partnerships, oftentimes being asked to initiate new partnerships to expand SBM’s reach. Growing such partnerships involves identifying societies aligned with SBM’s mission, meeting with leaders to explore synergies, and setting annual goals to grow the partnership. Goals might include activities such as co-sponsored webinars, collaborative symposia, generation of shared content (e.g., papers, policy statements, guidelines, courses), or having SBM representatives participate in roundtable discussions or strategic planning.

One example of these efforts can be seen in SBM’s partnership with the American Heart Association (AHA), which was spearheaded by SBM’s Cardiovascular Disease Special Interest Group (SIG). Building on a growing activity of SIG members in AHA activities, SBM formally appointed an SBM liaison to represent SBM at AHA events. The partnership has helped increase the involvement of SBM members and incorporation of behavior medicine within AHA. For example, SBM sponsors an annual session at the EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions, has seen increasing representation of invited speakers at AHA's annual Scientific Sessions, and has resulted in participation in writing groups for AHA publications. Several SBM members have also earned AHA fellow status. The SBM-AHA partnership illustrates the value of interorganizational partnerships both in terms of advancing interdisciplinary awareness of behavioral medicine research and in offering early-career SBM members leadership and professional development opportunities beyond those offered by SBM alone.

To support SBM’s goal of integrating behavioral medicine into clinical practice, the OPC also oversees a partnership with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Council of Faculty and Academic Societies (CFAS). AAMC CFAS identifies critical issues facing medical educators and academic societies and advocates for changes to address them. SBM’s liaisons to AAMC CFAS are exploring avenues for integrating behavioral medicine throughout medical training. If successful, this initiative would further strengthen the field of behavioral medicine by bringing about a new age of providers who can incorporate behavioral medicine into everyday practice.

In the year ahead, the OPC will explore new collaborations with medical organizations that serve diverse populations, including the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) and GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality (GLMA). Leading the exploration of these partnerships are two student members of the OPC, gaining first-hand experience with partnership building under the mentorship of more seasoned OPC members. These collaborations will identify possible avenues for collaboration with our diverse members and SIGs and deepen the knowledge about the unique populations to which they belong to or serve.

The OPC looks forward to continuing to strengthen partnerships across a variety of professional organizations. If you are active in other academic societies and would like to explore ways to advance behavioral medicine through interorganizational partnerships, please email OPC Chair, Dr. Leslie Hausmann (leslieh@pitt.edu). Together we will move the field of behavioral medicine forward and make a long-lasting impact on the health and lives of those we serve.