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Society of Musculoskeletal Medicine
Musculoskeletal medicine (also referred to as orthopaedic medicine) is a specialism that is dedicated to the examination, diagnosis and non-surgical treatment of disorders of the musculoskeletal system (i.e., disorders of joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons; the means by which we move).

Contents

 * 1) 	About the Society
 * 2) 	Aims
 * 3) 	Courses
 * 4) 	History
 * 5) 	References

About the Society
The Society of Orthopaedic Medicine, an educational charity, was established in 1979 to continue to promote the theory and practice of musculoskeletal medicine through its educational courses. Renamed the Society of Musculoskeletal Medicine (SOMM) in 2013, it continues to run courses that contribute to postgraduate programmes to support continuing professional development. SOMM was initially a bi-disciplinary Society and courses were attended by general practitioners and physiotherapists. Courses are now open to osteopaths and other allied health professionals, including podiatrists, occupational therapists and advanced nurse practitioners. The Society’s courses take place throughout the year at a variety of different venues, both nationally and internationally. The growth of the evidence base of musculoskeletal medicine has gathered momentum and professionals have become more aware of the requirement to become both research minded and research active.

SOMM has developed a master’s programme to support that requirement and to foster the importance of disseminating findings as widely as possible.

Expert opinion is valued equally, however, and inter- and intra-disciplinary communication is encouraged throughout all the courses to be able to draw from a wealth of resources to justify practice and to develop clinical autonomy still further.

A pathway towards the first MSc Musculoskeletal Medicine in Europe was developed and validated in 2000 by Middlesex University, London, where it ran for 18 years.

The MSc Musculoskeletal Medicine has now moved to Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, and its first cohort was admitted in September 2018.

The SOMM is a registered charity (No 802164) and a limited company (No 1700787) and produces annual accounts. It is governed by a Council of up to 13 members who are elected annually at the Annual General Meeting and manage the affairs of the Society. There is one major subcommittee of the Council - the Education Committee. The Education Committee Organises the course programme for the Society, advises Council on all aspects of education in musculoskeletal medicine and develops course resources, including the training of Fellows (tutors). The Fellows (tutors) of the Society have extensive experience in organising, delivering and evaluating each of the Society’s courses. An additional Research Committee reports to the Education Committee. It provides support for MSc graduates to publish the findings in their dissertations. It also appraises applications for the allocation of awards to support courses and research and to further develop the evidence base of musculoskeletal medicine.

Aims of the Society
The over-arching aim of the Society is to continue to develop and integrate the specialism into musculoskeletal practice and ultimately to benefit patients. The Society aims to provide courses of high educational quality to enable clinicians to develop competence in the assessment and diagnosis of musculoskeletal conditions and to apply effective treatment to the soft tissue conditions encountered in musculoskeletal practice. The Society aims to provide a flexible postgraduate pathway to support the professional development of all practitioners involved in the management of musculoskeletal disorders.

Courses

 * Foundation in Musculoskeletal Medicine
 * Theory and Practice of Injection Therapy
 * Advancing Practice in Musculoskeletal Medicine
 * Developing Professional Practice
 * Special Tests in Musculoskeletal Examination
 * Preparation for Teaching Musculoskeletal Medicine

Successful completion of the Society’s Foundation in Musculoskeletal Medicine module leads to the award of the SOMM Diploma in Musculoskeletal Medicine. The SOMM Diploma course is accredited by Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, for 60 Level 11, or master’s level, credits and is equivalent to a UK University postgraduate certificate. The SOMM Diploma in Musculoskeletal Medicine (or completion of an equivalent course with a reflective essay) is currently the pre-requisite for stepping onto the MSc Musculoskeletal Medicine programme. The MSc Musculoskeletal Medicine is also accredited by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

History
The specialism of musculoskeletal medicine (previously orthopaedic medicine) is founded on the life’s work of Dr James Cyriax MRCP (1904-1985), for many years Honorary Consultant Physician to the Department of Physical Medicine, St Thomas’ Hospital, London. The ‘Cyriax approach’ continues to be a globally understood term within musculoskeletal practice. Orthopaedic medicine began in 1929 when, whilst pursuing a career in orthopaedic surgery at St Thomas’ Hospital London, Cyriax observed a number of patients where the diagnosis was vague and the treatment non-specific. There appeared to be no satisfactory method for testing the function of the soft tissues to achieve a clinical diagnosis. Cyriax stepped aside from surgery to develop a system of assessment, aiming to achieve accurate diagnosis of lesions of the musculoskeletal system and a non-surgical method of treatment for soft tissue lesions. This was the foundation of the specialism. Cyriax’s work was based on the following principles: o	All pain has a source o	All treatment must reach the source o	All treatment must benefit the lesion Cyriax set high standards for innovative and reflective thinking in clinical practice and promoted the development of clinical reasoning underpinned by current evidence. The Society of Orthopaedic Medicine) was formed in 1979, to develop this philosophy. Since Cyriax formulated the approach, it has undergone continual development and reappraisal in the light of best available current evidence.