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Frequently Asked Questions
The Organization

Q: What are the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) and the National Academy on an Aging Society (NAAS), and how are they related to The Gerontological Society of America?
A: Both are branches of GSA that support its mission. AGHE is GSA's educational unit and NAAS is GSA's policy institute.

Q: If I am a GSA member, does that make me an AGHE/NAAS member, or vice versa?
A: No. GSA offers membership to individuals, while AGHE offers membership to institutions/organizations. NAAS does not offer memberships.

Q: What is a GSA fellow and how do I become one?
A: Fellowship is a recognition by peers in GSA for outstanding contributions to the field of gerontology and represents the highest class of membership. You need to have been a member for at least five years and a nomination from a current fellow is also required. See our fellows page for complete details.

Q: Does GSA provide physician referrals for patients?
A: GSA does not provide referrals to health care providers. However, we do have several resources for older Americans seeking medical and community support:

Q: Does GSA maintain security standards for its website?
A: Yes. The website employs an SSL protocol to keep all user data private.


Membership

Q: How much does a regular membership cost?
A: Full GSA membership is $160 per year. The full list of membership privileges and benefits is available here.

Q: What are the four sections? Which one should I join?
A: GSA’s four sections are Biological Sciences (BS), Behavioral and Social Sciences (BSS), Health Sciences (HS), and Social Research, Policy, and Practice (SRPP). These links will take you pages describing and detailing the purpose of each Section.

Q: I am a student/postdoc, what membership options are available to me?
A: A reduced annual membership rate of $75 (for a maximum of seven years) is available to full-time students, those completing internship or residency requirements, and post-doctoral researchers and fellows. (Undergraduates are offered an even further discounted annual rate of $25.) These individuals automatically become part of the Society’s Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization (ESPO). Later, as they move to permanent career posts, ESPO members are offered (for a maximum of two years) a transitional rate of $99 before being required to pay the full membership fee.

Q: I am retired. Do you have a membership rate for retired members?
A: GSA currently extends “Emeritus” status to retired members who have been with the Society for 20 years or longer. For further inquiries about this category, please contact the membership department using the Contact Us form.

Q: What is my user ID and password to log in to the GSA website and update my profile or renew my membership?
A: You may retrieve your user ID and password here.

Q: When does my membership expire?
A: Immediately after logging in to the website, your membership expiration date will appear in the same box where you entered your username and password.

Q: I cannot renew my membership online because it tells me that my e-mail address is already in use when I enter it on the membership form.
A: You may have attempted to initiate a new membership rather than renew an existing one. Please use the membership renewal form.

Q: How do I change my membership section, discipline, institution, or function type?
A: You can change any personal information by updating your member profile here.

Q: I received an e-mail with a NINE digit membership number (example: 001458439). I thought GSA membership numbers were supposed to have EIGHT digits.
A: In rare circumstances, individuals have been mistakenly give nine digit member numbers. Please remove the leading zero to correct the problem.

Q: Can I take my name off of your mailing list?
A: Yes. Please use the Contact Us form and request that your name be taken off the mailing list.

Q: What is the Expert Referral Service (as found on the membership profile form)?
A: The Society maintains a listing of its members' areas of expertise. It is a tool that will bring further attention to your work and achievements. It is used when the media, policy makers, researchers, etc. want to speak with authorities on a particular aging topic. By selecting your own areas of expertise from the available categories, your name will become part of the database. The comments field will allow you to be more specific about your research. More information, including the full list of categories, is available here. Please note that participation in this service is voluntary. GSA will not give out your contact information without your permission.

Q: Can I give a gift of membership to GSA?
A: Yes, GSA memberships may be purchased for other individuals. They make especially thoughtful graduation gifts. Please see the gift of membership page for complete details.

Q: Dooes GSA accept credit cards and if so, which ones?
A: GSA accepts Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.

Q: Does GSA rent its membership mailing list?
A: Yes. Complete details are available here. Please not that this list will not include e-mail addresses.

Q: I was nominated to become a GSA fellow, but I haven’t received any information since my nomination confirmation. When will I get an update?
A: Once GSA has acknowledged receipt of your fellowship nomination, you will not receive any information regarding your fellowship status until August.


Publications

Q: What are the differences between the journals? Which would be most relevant to me?
A: Each journal has a comprehensive “About the Journal” page:

Q: What publications are included as part of the GSA membership?
A: A standard membership includes a subscription to two of the three following publications: The Journal of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, The Journal of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, and The Gerontologist. For an additional fee, members can subscribe to all three publications. GSA membership also includes a subscription to the monthly Gerontology News newsletter.

Q: How can I subscribe to GSA's publications that aren't automatically included with membership?
A: Subscriptions to the Public Policy & Aging Report are available at GSA's Online Store. Subscriptions to Gerontology & Geriatrics Education are available for purchase here.

Q: Can I subscribe to any of these publications if I am not a member?
A: A subscription to Gerontology News is available for $50 from the Online Store. Standalone subscriptions to the Journals of Gerontology and The Gerontologist are available only to institutions. Subscriptions to the Public Policy & Aging Report are available at GSA's Online Store. Subscriptions to Gerontology & Geriatrics Education are available for purchase here.

Q: How do I view/download articles from the journals that I selected as part of my membership?
A: After logging in to the GSA website, you may access your subscribed journals directly from our publications page. Once you find the article you’re looking for, you will have the option to view the full text or download Abobe PDF versions.

Q: How do I view/download articles as part of the subscriptions my institution ordered?
A: Your computer needs to access the journals from one of the IP addresses specified by the institution. See your librarian/account manager to find out where you can get access.

Q: How far back are GSA journals archived?
A: The complete back catalog for The Journals of Gerontology Series A, The Journals of Gerontology Series B, and The Gerontologist are available online.

Q: How do I purchase a back issue of one of your journals? How much does it cost?
A: Please call GSA's office at (202) 842-1275 or use the Contact Us form to see if copies of the issue in question are still available. The cost varies by publication type.

Q: If I’m not a member, can I purchase individual articles?
A: Yes. All four Journals of Gerontology and The Gerontologist offer pay-per-view options. When viewing the article you’d like to purchase, purchase and download options will be on the left side of the screen.

Q: Can I receive the journals online only? I do not need the printed copies.
A: Yes. Please use the Contact Us form and request that you no longer receive printed copies of your subscribed journals.

Q: How do I request permission to reproduce GSA copyrighted material?
A: To provide fast and efficient permission clearances, Oxford University Press has a partnership with Copyright Clearance House to offer a variety of options online for reusing content. When viewing the journals online, each article contains a link to initiate a permissions request.


Annual Scientific Meeting (also see Awards)

Q: When will the Exhibit and Sponsorship Prospectus be available?
A: The Prospectus is initially distributed at the previous year's Annual Scientific Meeting.

Q: How much is registration?
A: Registration fees are broken down by membership status and registration deadline. Please click on the "Annual Meeting" menu item above to view current rates.

Q: When does GSA accept abstracts?
A: The submission process generally has a deadline of March 15.

Q: Do I have to be a member to submit an abstract?
A: No.

Q: Is there a cost to submit an abstract?
A: Yes. Please click on the "Annual Meeting" menu item above to view current rates.

Q: I am a presenter at the Annual Scientific Meeting. Do I have to register?
A: Yes, all meeting attendees are required to register for the meeting. You cannot present your abstract if you have not registered.

Q: Does GSA provide laptops for its presenters?
A: No, presenters are required to provide their own laptops.

Q: How does my organization/group reserve space during the Annual Scientific Meeting?
A: If you would like to reserve hotel space for a meeting, reception, or other special event, please contact GSA’s meetings department through our Contact Us form.

Q: How can I obtain a copy of a paper presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting?
A: GSA does not archive presentations from the conference. To obtain any such materials, we recommend that you contact the primary author.


Awards

Q: I would like to apply for one of the paper or poster awards. How should I apply for these?
A: In order to be considered for one of the paper or poster awards, you must submit an abstract and use the same form to select any awards for which you’d like to be considered. Once your abstract has been accepted, you will be contacted and prompted to submit the materials necessary for consideration.

Q: The award description says materials should be submitted by September, but that abstracts are due in March. What does this mean?
A: In order to be considered for these awards you must submit an abstract in March. If your abstract is accepted, you will be contacted and prompted to submit the materials necessary for consideration. These materials are due in September of the same year.

Q: I have prepared a symposium or poster abstract, but the award description only mentions paper abstracts. Can I submit my poster or symposia for consideration?
A: If the award’s description does not specifically mention symposia or posters, then it will not be considered.

Q: I submitted an abstract as the primary presenter, but there is a co-presenter who will be at the conference. Would this exclude me from consideration for any awards?
A: If the paper or poster submitted to the committee is solely your work, and this is confirmed by your advisor’s letter, you will still be considered for the award.


GSA Innovation Fund

Q: What is the Give65 Campaign?
A: The Give65 Campaign was a landmark fundraising initiative launched to commemorate the organization’s 65th anniversary during 2010. The campaign's goal was to raise awareness for the new GSA Innovation Fund and all contributions supported this fund.  The campaign concluded at year end.

Q: What is the GSA Innovation Fund?
A: The GSA Innovation Fund is an annual, non-restrictive fund that enables us to be flexible, responsive and future-focused. It will be used to invest in the development of new programs, products, and services for members.

Q: In what specific areas will the fund be invested?
A: The initial phase is a comprehensive membership survey to clearly define the evolving needs of our members.  Based upon the survey findings, GSA will develop programs, products, and services to meet those needs.  Such programs could include:

Q: Where can I go for more information?
A: Visit www.geron.org/giveback

Q: Why should I contribute?
A: With your help, we can build a sustainable fund that enables us to look ahead and find solutions to the key problems faced by our members. These are problems that are not identified and solved in one year. The fund is unrestricted and supports future-focused initiatives.

Q: What type of investment are you requesting?
A: We are asking for a personal pledge in the amount that is comfortable for the donor.  You can invest at www.geron.org/giveback

Q: What do I or my organization receive for investing in the annual fund?
A: You will be recognized at the Annual Scientific Meeting. Your contribution is tax deductible as a charitable contribution.

Q: What is the duration of the GSA Innovation Fund each year?
A: The annual fund year begins on January 1st and ends December 31st.


Interest Groups

Q: What Is a Special Interest Group (IG)?
A: IGs offer GSA members and Annual Scientific Meeting attendees the opportunity to meet and work, in interdisciplinary groups, on topics that transcend boundaries of the Society's four membership Sections. GSA currently supports 49  interest groups, spanning a wide range of emerging and cross-cutting issues in gerontology.

IG membership complements section membership in GSA. Most IG members are also members of a GSA section and participate in section activities. Many GSA members belong to more than one IG.

Q: What Does an IG Do?
A: During the Annual Scientific Meeting, each IG receives a time slot and room designated for a business meeting. In addition to catching up and appointing conveners, groups use this time for activities (e.g., round tables; guest speakers; poster sessions; organized discussions) that promote the quality of ideas, research, and dissemination in their area of interest. Also during the Annual Scientific Meeting, IG's may sponsor scientific sessions and posters, pre- and post-meeting workshops and trainings, mini-conferences, and other science and practice-related activities that members have organized over the course of the year.

Between Annual Scientific Meetings, IG members communicate with one another via listservs and other social media around scholarly ideas, potential joint projects, and the activities the IG will sponsor at the upcoming Annual Scientific Meeting.

Q: How Are IGs Run?
A: Each IG selects a convener (or two) who serves a two-year term during which she/he is responsible for organizing and coordinating the group's activities for the upcoming Annual Scientific Meeting. The convener also runs the business meeting, attends the Conveners' Meeting at the Annual Scientific Meeting, and submits timely, annual, required reports (minimal electronic paperwork) to GSA.

IGs coalesce around specific areas of gerontological interest and attain official standing and status by submitting appropriate paperwork to the GSA office.

Potential IGs: For its first three years after GSA approval, a potential IG conducts its business meeting, establishes a core membership, sponsors activities at GSA, and, in the process, refines its mission, attracts members, and establishes relationships with other IGs.  

Informal IGs: As groups of several years' standing, informal IGs develop a sense of the kinds of IG-sponsored scientific presentations that are likely to be accepted at the Annual Scientific Meeting. Group members come to know one another, develop ideas together, and create potential collaborations with other IGs.

Formal IGs:  According to current policy, each Formal IG may sponsor one symposium at the Annual Meeting without submitting the abstract to a Section review process.  Frequently, several IG's choose to collaborate for these symposia.  

Policies for IGs are established by the GSA Council, in consultation with a Society-wide Task Force on Special Interest Groups, comprising members appointed by major GSA constituencies.

Q: Why Should I Care?
A: In a large scientific society devoted to an area of rapidly growing societal importance that is not historically organized in focused academic units, individual scholars may experience themselves as isolated — in their home institutions, and in the large section structure of GSA as well. IGs provide a way for scholars with specific foci (that are often not at the center of mainstream gerontology) to develop scientific relationships with others who share their interests in a specific method, population, aging issue, or problem. These relationships and the collaborations they spawn are an important source of growth for individual scholars, the GSA, and the field of gerontology as a whole.



MedInfoNow

Q: What is MedInfoNow?
A: MedInfoNow is the latest affinity program offered to GSA members. It is a well-established, respected literature update service delivering subscribers personalized updates of the most authoritative databases of journal articles (Medline®) and print and electronic books (Doody’s Review Service™) in the health sciences to 70,000 healthcare professionals who are registered users of MedInfoNow.

First introduced in 2001, MedInfoNow is different than any other literature service in the following important ways:

Q: What is Medline?
A: Medline is the premiere index of the biomedical journal literature. Launched more than 130 years ago as Index Medicus, it is a product of the National Library of Medicine and has been offered online as PubMed for many years.

Q: How does MedInfoNow differ from Medline?
A: MedInfoNow is one of many commercial services that licenses the Medline database from the National Library Medicine. Searching Medline has been traditionally a difficult exercise, as the articles in Medline are indexed according to Medical Subject Headings (“MeSH terms”) nomenclature devised decades ago by medical librarians. MedInfoNow offers the best search experience of Medline on the web, because the MedInfoNow software contains expert Medline searches of more than 1,800 topics of interest to healthcare professionals. In addition, MedInfoNow is the only literature update service that provides subscribers with personalized updates of both the journal article and the book literature.

Q: To what extent does Medline index journals in the social sciences?
A: Despite the fact that Medline is the premiere index of the biomedical literature, social science and social sciences are major topics in Medline. The Medline database indexes 90 sociology, social science, or social sciences journals. In addition, a search of Medline’s journals database returned 1,163 indexed journals that covered social sciences  subjects.  

Q: How does MedInfoNow differ from the GSA/OUP site?
A: The GSA / OUP site provides access to online versions of the GSA journals, along with other user-friendly features. MedInfoNow provides personalized access to the citations and abstracts of articles from all the journals you follow that are indexed in Medline. That means that you set up the topical areas you are interested in, and the MedInfoNow software pulls the articles that have been added to Medline in the last seven days in your topical areas of interest, and sends you a link to the list of those articles every week. In addition, MedInfoNow provides similar timely and authoritative coverage of new books in gerontology, geriatrics and other specialty areas you are interested in, which are added to the Doody’s Review Service database each week.

Q: Does MedInfoNow provide access to full-text of the articles?
A: When a user is looking at the abstract of an article she / he is interested in, there is a link on top of the title of the article that informs the users how to obtain the full text of the article in some cases for free and in other instances on a pay-per-view basis. The full text is available for free on about 17% of all articles indexed in Medline. In addition, if a user is affiliated with one of 2,500+ institutions affiliated with the PubMed LinkOut program, then that user is eligible at the MedInfoNow site for quick access to full text of articles from all the journals the user’s institution subscribes to.

Q: Why should I purchase a subscription to MedInfoNow?
A: If you feel compelled to stay up-to-date with the literature and you find it increasingly time consuming to do so, then we highly recommend you try MedInfoNow. As a GSA member, you can purchase a one-year subscription for just $69 / year, which is just $1.32 / week, less than your daily cup of coffee. Furthermore, members will receive a 22% discount from the price non-members pay.

Q: One of MedInfoNow’s features is “Instant Answer.” What is this feature and how does it work?
A: In addition to relying on MedInfoNow as a way to stay up to date and to manage the flow of information, the 70,000 registered users also use it as a quick way to get an answer from the current literature about a clinical or research problem they are confronting. When you click on the Instant Answer button on the Weekly Literature Update, you are brought to a form that allows you to search the nearly 3 million articles in the MedInfoNow database. To view a video describing this Instant Answer feature, click on this link, http://bit.ly/kNF0Zk.

Q: If I have other questions about MedInfoNow, who do I contact?
A: Contact the customer service staff of the firm that hosts MedInfoNow, Doody Enterprises, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and 312-239-6227.