FROM THE CHAIRMAN FROM THE FROM THE CHAIRMAN OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE SMA CHAIRMAN, ANDREW JOWETT GIVES A PERSONAL ACCOUNT OF BEING INVOLVED WITH A TOURING TEAM AS A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL. Firstly, I would like to congratulate and the demands of the athletes Dr Anita Green (CMO Gold Coast themeselves. I recall arranging a bone Commonwealth Games and past scan in the Middle East (pre-MRIs) and SMA president) and her team on the now high-profile athlete almost their appointment. I know they will do arunning from the hospital when faced fantastic job representing our country with the conditions, such as patients on and the Australian sports medicine trolleys in corridors, covered by blankets fraternity on the world stage. brought by their families from home. Dr Andrew Jowett Unfortunately, this will again be done We are lucky to provide much better andrew.jowett@sma.org.au on a voluntary basis by a group of highlyconditions however this will remain trained professionals giving up their timeforeign to many of our visitors. Hopefully in practices around the country, but that’sthough, all will leave having experienced another story! the shared collegiate atmosphere of sports medicine in Australia. Articles in this edition will focus on sports medicine teams like Anita’s at theOne of my great memories of Sydney Commonwealth Games The number and 2000 was the interaction between qualifications of these staff will varyvisiting medical staff, athletes, enormously according to the countries physiotherapists and the late Jock represented. For many it will be a new Anderson in the imaging centre, and the experience – imagine yourself managing knowledge and learning that eventually any number of athletes relying on a resulted in the ‘Atlas of Imaging in Sports foreign medical service and perhaps Medicine.’ speaking a foreign language. One of my great As a team doctor visiting foreign shores, memories of Sydney Some of the smaller countries may not I am fortunate enough to have been in travel with a large medical team, whilstthis situation several times in the past 2000 was the countries like England will be the oppositeand am forever grateful to the many with well-known sports medicine expertscolleagues who have helped me negotiate interaction between filling their ranks. The smaller countriesthe challenges of healthcare in countries visiting medical staff, will make greater demands on the local as diverse as Iran or Columbia. I’m sure medical team including the polyclinic our sports medical staff in Gold Coast will athletes, ,whereas teams like Canada will be almostshow off the best of our specialties, be self-sufficient interacting hopefully onlythe best hosts and make long-term physiotherapists... for high end support like MRIs. friends around the world. I’m sure our local staff will empathize withBest wishes to all, especially the SMA the challenges faced by all these teamsmembers volunteering! 2 VOLUME 36 • APRIL ISSUE 2018