#AMSSM15: Winding down in sunny Florida

Drs. Bill Meehan of Boston Children’s and Frank Wang, Team Doc of Harvard: bringing a little Boston to Florida at #AMSSM15 (We approve of the ‘Stanley Cup’ beard Dr. Meehan)

As I wrap up my stay in Hollywood, Florida for the 24^th meeting of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM), it’s a strange realization I come to now sitting down to write a blog post:  how can four days pass so quickly?

One answer to that question:  if the days are packed full of interesting activities.

I can only attempt in this post to survey in brief just what the agenda has been.  That is my self-appointed task, in any case, as I indulge in the last few minutes of the sultry, southern Florida life before I jump a plane home.

I was struck  by just how strong the AMSSM leadership is as I sat through the organization’s ‘State of the Union’ address, delivered co-jointly by outgoing president Chris Madden and incoming president Jon Divine.  I am a member of AMSSM as well as the Emerging Media Editor of CJSM, and so I had a doubly strong interest in the talk.

I was struck, as well, by how strong the organization’s staff is–those folks have done a fabulous job organizing this meeting for what is now approaching almost 2o00 physicians!

The AMSSM is the largest primary care sports physician organization in the world.  It is one we are proud to represent as its official journal; one we are proud to include among our group of partner societies which span the globe (which include CASEM, ACSP, and the AOASM).  Both Drs. Madden and Divine delivered inspiring speeches, ones devoted at heart to a recognition that an organization represents the sum of its parts:  we imperfect human beings who, in this organization’s case, are working hard to define the best practices of primary care sports medicine.

I will hold close for some time, I hope, the words of the parting president of AMSSM, Dr. Madden, who used a quotation attributed to Gandhi:  “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

Earlier today the 2015 Travelling Fellow from South Africa, Dr. Jon Patricios, gave two excellent talks:  one on the ‘Bermuda Triangle’ of groin injuries in athletes and one on the innovative approach to head and neck injury prevention and management in S. African rugby known as BokSmart.  Those of you didn’t have the chance to hear here Jon’s well-articulated thoughts on this subject and others are encouraged to check out our podcast with him here.

What more to write about:  Ashesh Bedi’s talk on the treatment of labral pathology and FAI? The debate between Roald Bahr and Greg Myer on the merits (or not) of screening for ACL injury risk with a drop box jump? The AOSSM Exchange lecture delivered by Dr. Neal ElAttrache—“Is there a UCL Tear Epidemic”?  Jonathan Drezner’s formidable research on cardiac screening of athletes with ECG? Chatting with Steve Stovitz about different aspects of concussion diagnosis, management and prognosis at the AMSSM Foundation’s dinner?

If I wrote about all this–and much, much more–I fear I would miss my plane.

Let me end with a final reflection on the wonderful editorial board meeting for this journal that was conducted on Thursday evening (our annual meetings are timed with  those of one of our partner societies, whether it be AMSSM this year or CASEM, as it was last year).  It truly is a joy to know that credible, research-driven physicians such as Tom Trojian, Bill Dexter, Michael Henehan, Doug McKeag, Mark Batt and others are helping guide the ship.  It was a true joy to share with these folks where this journal has been and where it is going; and it is a true resource to have their opinions to utilize as we seek to provide the best we can be as a journal.

“Be the change you want to see in the world”.   Fitting words for CJSM organizationally, as well as each of us individually:  we hope we are and will continue to be part of ‘the change’ in primary care sports medicine around the globe.

Hats off to the AMSSM for a great conference. And hats off to the conference’s programming chair, Dr. Irfan Asif (a published author in CJSM among many, many other things) for putting on such a great show.

We are already looking forward to Dallas 2016.  See you at #AMSSM16