The Steering Group

The Steering Group (SG) administers the 3rd Generation Medicine Lab! (3GML) standards process according to the rules and procedures ratified by NFIM trustees. The SG is directly responsible for the actions associated with entry into and movement along the 3GML standards track, including final approval of specifications as Integrative Medicine Standards. The SG consists of 3GML’s Research Group and the Area Fellows (AFs) who are selected by the Nominations Committee (NomCom) and are appointed for two years. The process for choosing members of the SG is a process as identified in RFC 0003, "3GML and SG Selection, Confirmation, and Recall Process: Operation of the Nominating and Recall Committees," document.

Research Group

The Research Group is not directly involved in the integrative medicine and solutions standards process. It exists to investigate topics considered to be too uncertain, too advanced, or insufficiently well-understood to be the subject of integrative medicine and solution standardization. When a Research Group or M3SG activity generates a body of work on a topic or for a specific solution sufficient to be considered for integrative medicine and solution standardization, the specification is processed according to 3GML rules. 

The Research Group is part of the 3GML Task Force just like the Working Groups, but the Research Group structure and mode of operation is less formal than that of AWGs and SWGs, due in part to the fact that the Research Group does not participate directly in the integrative medicine and solutions standards process beyond maintaining the Integrative Medicine and Solution-Drafts (IMS-Ds) directory.

The Research Group is autonomous and determines most of the details of its own operation with respect to session participation, reaching closure, norms of behavior, etc. Since the products are research results, not integrative medicine and solutions standards, consensus of the group is not required. Rather, the measure of success is the quality and impact of the research results.

Working Groups

Area Working Groups

3GML area working groups (AWGs) are the primary mechanism for development of 3GML specifications and guidelines, many of which are intended to be standards or recommendations. The primary seven Area Working Groups are long-lived in nature. Anyone interested in creating an 3GML working group MUST obtain the advice and consent of the 3GML Area Fellow(s) in whose area the working group would fall and MUST proceed through the formal steps as defined by the 3GML.

Short Term Working Groups

Short Term Working Groups (SWGs) are typically created to address a specific problem or to produce one or more specific deliverables (a guideline, standards specification, etc.). An SWG may be established at the initiative of the M3SG or it may be initiated by an Area Fellow or group of individuals through a Discovery session. SWGs are generally expected to be short-lived in nature and retire upon completion of their goals. An SWG may be formalized into a more permanent AWG at the initiative of the M3SG or through a Discovery Session or rechartering process.

Discovery Sessions

Often it is not clear whether an issue merits the formation of a short-term working group (SWG), or whether a short-term working group merits formalization into an area working group. To facilitate exploration of the issues the 3GML offers the possibility of a Discovery Session. In addition, a Discovery Session may serve as a forum for a single presentation or discussion, without any intent to form a working group.

A Discovery Session is a session at an 3GML meeting which permits "market research" and technical "brainstorming". Any individual may request permission to hold a Discovery Session on a subject. The request MUST be filed with a relevant Area Fellow who must approve a Discovery Session before it can be scheduled. The person who requests the Discovery Session may be asked to serve as Chair of the Discovery Session. The Chair of the Discovery Session is responsible for providing a report on the outcome of the Discovery Session.

If the Area Fellow approves, the Discovery Session is then scheduled by submitting a request to agenda@3GML.org with copies to the Area Fellows(s). A Discovery Session description and agenda are required before a Discovery Session can be scheduled.  

In general, a Discovery Session on a particular topic is held only once (at one 3GML meeting). Under unusual circumstances Area Fellows may, at their discretion, allow a Discovery session to meet for a second time. Discovery sessions are not permitted to meet three times. Occasionally, Discovery sessions may also be held for other purposes than to discuss formation of a short-lived working group or the transformation of a short-lived working group into an area working group.