ExpertLink FAQs

What’s the goal of the ExpertLink program?

The goal of the ExpertLink program is to create immediate, meaningful connections between members, allowing for a productive exchange of ideas. It was developed as a helpful resource for trainees, junior faculty, and anyone else who just has a question for another member.

While longer term mentoring relationships may develop as a result of using the ExpertLink program, the program was designed to allow mentor and mentee relationships to be more purposeful and productive, and in particular to be helpful to trainees and junior faculty looking for connections with other members of the Society.
 

What is an Expert?

An Expert is anyone willing to answer questions from another ISHLT member about a particular subject. Anyone with an active ISHLT membership of any type can become an Expert, and Experts self-identify the topics and subjects they would like to speak about.
 

Is there a fee associated with ExpertLink?

ExpertLink is a benefit of membership and is available only to ISHLT members. There is no extra charge to use this resource.

FOR MEMBERS SEEKING AN EXPERT

I have a question and want to find an Expert.

Visit the Find an Expert tab and use the ExpertLink Search to find an Expert that can answer your question. Start by selecting the topic(s) you want your Expert to be proficient in. For a full list of topics Experts can select, click here. Please also review the Mentee Expectations document for some helpful guidance in using the tool and rules to respect.

You can further refine the search by checking additional demographics boxes, such as:
  • Country
  • Languages spoken
  • Interdisciplinary Network and/or Professional Community
Once you conduct your search, you’ll be given a list of Experts that match your criteria. For the best success, we recommend starting by sending your selected Expert a message on ISHLTconnect. That will help them recognize the nature of your request and respond. Search results also allow you to view the Expert’s full profile, so that you can contact them via email or phone as well.
 

I did an Expert search, but no one came up!

If your ExpertLink Search does not yield any results, you may have refined it too far. Go back and try your search again, unchecking certain fields like language spoken or country to broaden your results.

However, if you notice that there are no Experts for the combination of expertise and demographics that you require, visit the ExpertLink Discussion Board to post your question. A wider range of Experts will see your question, and may be able to recommend someone to speak with or help connect you to an answer.
 

I want to get notifications from the ExpertLink Discussion Board. How do I do that?

While logged into ISHLTconnect, visit your Notification Settings to select how frequently you receive Discussion Emails from the ExpertLink board. You can receive Real Time emails, which send as soon as someone posts to the group; a Daily Digest email, which summarizes the day’s messages with in more than one email per day; or No Email, which means you’ll need to manually check the group for updates.

If you’re still not receiving messages, visit your Email Preferences to ensure your “Community Emails” is set to “Yes.”

FOR EXPERTS

What are the expectations of participating Experts?

We’ve prepared an Expert Expectations document to outline what is expected of ISHLT members who have volunteered on ExpertLink. This clarifies the responsibilities and expectations of an ISHLT Expert.
 

I'm signed up as an Expert, why don't see my profile in the search results?

If you are signed up as an Expert, you will not see your own profile in the Find an Expert results. You are automatically filtered out of your own searches. But don't worry! You will still appear in the results if you meet the criteria of anyone else's searches.

How do I participate in the Discussion Board?

Experts are automatically added to the ISHLT ExpertLink discussion board when they enroll as an Expert.

While logged into ISHLTconnect, visit your Notification Settings to select how frequently you receive Discussion Emails from the ExpertLink board. You can receive Real Time emails, which send as soon as someone posts to the group; a Daily Digest email, which summarizes the day’s messages with in more than one email per day; or No Email, which means you’ll need to manually check the group for updates. We strongly recommend that Experts select Real Time or Daily Digest updates so that they can respond to any questions asked in the forum within a timely fashion.

If you’re still not receiving messages, visit your Email Preferences to ensure your “Community Emails” is set to “Yes.”