Sport and Exercise Medicine is the area of Medicine that deals with the effect of sport and exercise on the body. It therefore includes the role of physical activity in health promotion, disease prevention and in disease management. It also covers injuries and other medical problems that occur as a result of sport and exercise.
Sport and Exercise Medicine therefore has a role in:
- Medical specialties, including Rheumatology, Rehabilitation Medicine, Cardiology, Metabolic Medicine, Care of the Elderly and Respiratory Medicine
- Primary Care
- Paediatrics and Child Health
- Occupational Medicine
- Public Health
- Accident and Emergency Medicine
- Orthopaedics and Trauma
- Health care for sports team and at sporting events
Training in SEM
In February 2005 the Department of Health announced plans for the development of the speciality of SEM. Since that time the Intercollegiate Academic Board in Sports and Exercise Medicine (IABSEM), together with representatives of this college has been active in driving forward the speciality in line with the developments in Modernising Medical Careers. A competency-based curriculum has been approved by the STA and PMETB has notified us that SEM has been included in the Specialist Order as of the 30 September 2005.
IABSEM has now become recognised as the Faculty for SEM in the UK and the RCS Edinburgh and RCP London have agreed to act as host colleges for the speciality. As a consequence this college has the opportunity to help form and develop the speciality by using its breadth of specialist medical knowledge and extensive experience in medical training.
Dr Sowden of the Trent Deanery has been appointed lead Dean for SEM. Nine NTN's have been assigned to SEM and these will be allocated to Deaneries shortly.
Entrants into training will require possession of the IABSEM Diploma (or equivalent) and training will consist of a four-year programme, successful completion of which will lead to the award of a CCT.
Details of the curriculum can be seen on the RCS Edinburgh website:
The posts and method of funding for training are still to be decided but this is a clearly exciting development in the world of SEM, which has now become the newest medical speciality.
The Faculty of SEM will formally be launched by HRH, The Princess Royal on 11th September 2006 at the RCP London.
This page will be updated as the specialty develops but in the meantime further information and useful links can be found at the College SEM Committee webpage: