The task which The Cochrane Collaboration has undertaken is very large. It will be achieved as more people contribute their skills and time. Already several thousand people around the world have become involved in one of the following ways:

Getting involved as a Review Author: If you have expertise in some aspect of healthcare, consider joining the relevant Cochrane Review Group. If there is not yet a group which covers your specialty, register your interest in being part of a new group. Being part of a Cochrane review group provides the support, resources and training to tackle a systematic review, and an international audience when your work is published in The Cochrane Library.

Getting involved as an Editor: Each Cochrane Review Group has an editorial team which provides support for review authors to ensure the highest quality in their work. Some editors need content/topic expertise, others need methodological expertise and an editor's eye for detail, consistency and good expression. For more information, contact the group in which you have interest.

Getting involved as a Field Member: Fields are Cochrane entities that focus on dimensions of health care other than health problems, such as the setting of care (e.g. primary care), the type of consumer (e.g. older people), the type of provider (e.g. nurses) or the type of intervention (e.g. physical therapies). People working in Fields handsearch the specialised journals, help to ensure that priorities and perspectives in their field of interest are reflected in the work of review groups. They also compile specialised databases of reviews, co-ordinate activities with relevant agencies outside the Collaboration, and comment on systematic reviews relating to their particular area. For more information on ways to get involved, contact the Field in which you have interest.

Getting involved as a Consumer Representative: Consumers are the recipients of healthcare (patients or clients). Every Cochrane Review Group aims to have members who will represent the consumer viewpoint in deciding which reviews are done, what questions on which they focus, and how the results are presented. The Cochrane Consumer Network coordinates the involvement of consumers within the Collaboration. You can also contact specific Review Groups for more information.

Getting involved as a Methodology 'Expert': If you have expertise in statistics or other methodological aspects of systematic reviews, you can contribute through one of the Cochrane Methods Groups. Such involvement can enhance your own work through collaboration with an international team.

Getting involved as a Handsearcher: Handsearching involves the laborious task of searching through medical journals for accounts of controlled trials which are not yet indexed in the major electronic databases like MEDLINE and EMBASE. Less than a third of the world's medical journals are routinely indexed in the major electronic databases. Most Review Groups, Fields, and Centres are seeking volunteer handsearchers and will provide the necessary training and support. Handsearching of journals is coordinated by the US Cochrane Center.

Getting involved as a Translator: The language of the Collaboration and of The Cochrane Library is English, but reports of trials are often published in other languages. People who are willing to contribute their translation skills freely are invaluable to the work of the organisation. Please contact your local Cochrane Centre.

Getting involved as a Funder: If your organisation is interested in funding the production of a review, please read our policy regarding commercial sponsorship of reviews, and contact the group in which your area of interest resides. We also welcome individual donations.

How to register your interest in becoming involved

1. Decide on the role that suits your skills (review author, handsearcher, translator, etc. See above for more detail)
   
2. Choose the Cochrane group (i.e., health care area) you wish to work with. Browse the lists of Cochrane Review Groups, Methods Groups, Fields, and the Consumer Network. The reviews and protocols produced by Review Groups will indicate the scope of their work.
   
3. Contact the group by email, phone or fax. Briefly state your background and the way you wish to become involved.
   
4. If you can't decide which is the most suitable group, contact your nearest Cochrane Centre. Explain your interest and background. Their staff will help you decide which is the most suitable Cochrane group to work with.
   Contact details for Cochrane Centres

NOTE: Membership of a Cochrane group is not based on formal qualifications. There are no membership fees. The key requirements are that you:

• have suitable skills (and willingness to learn new ones);
• can volunteer some of your time over an extended period;
• work as part of a team;
• support the aims of the Collaboration; and
• share the Collaboration's spirit of goodwill.

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