- Special Interest Groups

Since the late 80’s when the Drugs and Prescribing Section pioneered a “special interest” forum within the BGS, numerous other special interests have emerged to become a valuable resource for promoting research and scientific debate within the Society.

Dr Jeremy Playfer, President Elect, set out to ascertain the extent of member’s involvement with the groups. Many thanks to those of you who returned the survey form. Roughly 450 members responded.

The Charts
Most respondents have more than one interest; with several “jacks of all trades” having an interest in all the themes listed! Not all respondents who declared themselves interested in a particular theme have formally joined, or intend to become members of the relevant Special Interest Group.

Top of the interest chart, was Falls and Bone Health, followed by Stroke (no surprise there), although there is no Stroke special interest group in the BGS, links are being forged between the BGS trainees group and the British Association for Stroke Physicians. Other well subscribed interests are Parkinson’s Disease.

“Other”
With a view to establishing “gaps in the market”, the survey canvassed members for “other” interests. Of the respondents who expressed an opinion in this category, “medical education” had the greatest following. Other specified interests included oncology and palliative care; rehabilitation, community medicine and intermediate care (the last three could probably be subsumed into the Primary and Continuing Care SIG); wound care; medical law (from a geriatrician now practising as a barrister); and international geriatrics.

Contact Details
A few respondents asked how they could go about joining one or other Group. The SIGs administer themselves. Contact details for each SIG may be found on the BGS website: www.bgs.org.uk/homepages/sigindex.htm - with a number of SIGs/Sections having fully developed websites of their own. Alternatively, contact the Membership Office at member@bgsnet.org.uk

Kevin Kelleher
Editor