SICOT e-Newsletter
Issue No. 17 - February 2010
Editorial by Prof Cody Bünger
SICOT President
Why subspecialty sections in SICOT?
SICOT is undergoing major changes in accordance with our Strategy Plan which was approved by the International Council in Bangkok during October 2009. We are trying to be more competitive in the orthopaedic world to meet the challenges it presents. Among the new activities we are embarking on is the creation of subspecialty sections within SICOT. They should attract the brightest and the best with contemporary knowledge to provide the best education and scientific programmes at our meetings. To succeed we will work in collaboration with our affiliated subspecialty societies such as IFPOS, ARTOF, and others.
SICOT's strength exists in its scientific programmes, their high number of free papers and in its global outreach. We must change part of our identity to capture the focus of both participating surgeons and industrial exhibitors. Young surgeons should feel confident that they will engage in the latest developments in their chosen evolving subspecialty when they attend SICOT meetings. This can be done as we develop subspecialty sections within SICOT, each headed by an internationally respected leader. Members of SICOT with strong subspecialty interest will be asked to record their subspecialty. The members of each subsection shall have their names displayed on the SICOT website and their leaders shall give a report to the International Council at our annual meetings. The subspecialty section representatives will be part of the Congress Scientific Advisory Committee helping to organise topics, sessions and workshops. The Executive Committee will take the initiative and facilitate groups of surgeons to discuss, if they have no opportunity formally to meet, and select a Chairman for the subsection. The surgeons and Chairmen should act as ambassadors for SICOT in the contact with industry and other subspecialty societies. Each section will have its own SICOT Forum for communication.
We recently conducted a survey among the SICOT members which showed that 92% of those who responded had a subspecialty interest. The ranked order of subspecialties was: hip, knee, trauma, spine, sports medicine, general orthopaedics, paediatrics, research, shoulder & elbow, foot & ankle, hand, and oncology.
It is my hope that all SICOT members will join with us in this vital activity, which certainly demands commitment, creativity, and flexibility to reach our new goals.
Â