Privacy Policy

TSDA Privacy Policy

This policy is applicable to both the Thoracic Surgery Directors Association (TSDA) and the Thoracic Surgery Residents Association (TSRA) (collectively, “we”/”our”). TSDA and TSRA provide information and services on the Internet as a benefit and a service to their members and others.

TSDA is a not-for-profit organization representing cardiothoracic surgery residency program directors and their program’s participants, including cardiothoracic surgery trainees, faculty and coordinators, for programs in the United States. TSRA is a not-for-profit organization representing the interests of all residents training in cardiothoracic surgery at programs in the United States. TSDA and TSRA provide resources and networking opportunities for cardiothoracic surgery program directors, faculty, program coordinators, and trainees. In pursuing our goals, it is necessary for us to collect relevant data from a variety of individuals, including our members, applicants, speakers, and attendees of our meetings and educational programs.

TSDA and TSRA are committed to protecting the privacy rights of individuals with whom we interact (“you”/”your”), including our members and others who utilize our websites, attend our meetings, attend our educational offerings, purchase our products, and serve as volunteer leaders within our governance bodies. This Privacy Policy sets forth the information we collect about you as you interact with us, how we use that information, and the rights you have regarding the way we use such information. Our Privacy Policy also describes the measures we take to protect your personal data, and how to contact us should you wish to update or remove your data from our records. We may further revise it from time to time, so please remember to visit this page regularly for any updates to this Privacy Policy.

Websites and Cookies. Like many organizations, we collect personal data during your visits to https://tsda.org and https://tsranet.org. Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device to help us give you a better experience using our websites. Cookies do not collect personally identifying information; they collect information related to the characteristics of your computer, or when and how you reached our website. To the extent you visit our websites, we collect certain types of data automatically. Cookies are being used purely to improve the performance of our websites and your experience as a user.

Browsers typically permit you to configure settings so that your device accepts all cookies, to notify you when a cookie is issued, or to not accept cookies at any time. If you disable cookies, this will prevent us from being able to provide some personalized services we deliver through our websites. You should read the information that came with your browser software to learn how to configure its treatment of cookies.

From time to time, we use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and other social media platforms to promote educational offerings to website visitors. To opt out of receiving their cookies, please visit those social media platforms and configure the settings accordingly.

Further information about cookies is available from these third party sites: http://www.allaboutcookies.org and http://www.youronlinechoices.eu (these provide information tailored to users in European Union countries).

Surveys. Sometimes we contact members and others to request that they complete surveys. Some surveys are anonymous but others may allow voluntary submission of identifying information. We use personal data submitted in response to a survey for purposes of administering the survey and communicating with participants about the survey.

Email Communications. When you contact us via email or information request links on our websites, we will use the data you provide (such as your email address) in order to provide the information or support you requested.

Contact Information Data Collection. TSDA and TSRA may ask you to provide personal information in order to create a TSDA database profile for you. That information will be used to provide a service and communicate information about TSDA and TSRA offerings. Profile data collection includes but is not limited to:

  • First Name
    • Last Name
    • Designation
    • Institution/Hospital
    • Role
    • Office Phone Number
    • Office Fax Number
    • Cell Phone Number
    • Email Address(es)
    • Assistant’s Email Address
    • Institution/Hospital Mailing Address
    • City
    • State
    • Postal Code
    • Country
    • Training Period (Surgery Trainees)
    • Gender

Mailing of Advertisements to Members and Surgery Trainees. Limited personally identifiable information (such as name, program and email address) is occasionally shared with third parties who license our mailing lists on a temporary basis for specific uses that we approve, so that you can be sent promotional materials about such third parties’ educational programs, goods and services, or invitations to participate in research studies or surveys. If you do not wish to continue to receive any email messages containing promotional materials from third parties who license our mailing lists, please send an email to tsda@tsda.org.

Links to other sites. We may provide links on our websites to non-TSDA or non-TSRA websites for your convenience and information. These websites operate independently and are neither affiliated with us nor under our control. These websites may have their own privacy policies in place, which we strongly suggest you review, if you choose to visit such websites. We cannot be responsible for the privacy policies and practices of other websites even if you access them using links from our websites.

How we keep your data secure. We maintain appropriate administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect your personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction, accidental loss, unauthorized alteration, unauthorized disclosure or access, misuse, and all other unlawful forms of processing of the personal data in our possession.

We limit access to your personal data to those employees, agents, contractors and other third parties who have a business need to know. All of our staff with access to your personal data understand the importance of keeping your information safe and secure at all times and are given applicable training.

However, the transmission of information over the internet is never completely secure and, as a result, while we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee the security of any information you transmit to us, and you do so at your own risk. Once we receive your data, we make reasonable efforts to ensure its security, both on our systems and while in transit between our systems and third parties who work on it.

If you are a resident of the European Economic Area (EEA), you should be aware that the personal data we collect from you is collected and stored in the United States, and it may not have the same level of data protection as is standard in your home country.

If you would like to know more about the personal data we process about you; access a copy of the personal data we have collected from you; correct, update, erase, or transfer the data we hold about you; revoke your consent for us to use your data; or ask any other questions you may have about our privacy practices, please send a request to tsda@tsda.org. When you tell us that you no longer want to hear from us for marketing purposes, please be aware that if you are a member we may still contact you for administrative purposes.