Future Aussie sports med conferences

[injuryupdate]

Just was at ACSP conference on the weekend and it was a worthy meeting but a bit disappointing that it was stand-alone. Not much research content as a result, because of the small numbers of sports physicians.

Next year SMA will be in Fiji in the second week of October, and ACSP again won't join them as the venue is too small. ACSP will either link up with AFL Grand Final symposium (Wed & Thurs before the football Grand Finals in the last week of Sept, followed by an all day hamstring extravaganza on the Friday) or will link in with SMNZ in Wellington in the second week of November.

In 2007 the moons will finally be in phase and ACSP will rightfully re-join SMA in Adelaide for a conference that will also hopefully include the physios.

[Gem]

Sounds like good news, but WHY is SMA going to Fiji? I know it's pretty and a great place for a holiday, but a venue like that puts it so far beyond reach for a lot of people who'd want to attend that it seems somewhat silly... or is that just me wishing I had the cash for an overseas conference talking?

[Unregistered]

SMA has made the policy decision that they will alternate between practical venues like Melbourne/Canberra/Adelaide, which are easy for most people to get cheap fares to and find cheap accomodation, and boutique venues like Fiji/Alice Springs/Hamilton Island etc. which offers better chance to mix in a holiday with the conference.

Students etc. want to go to a conference without breaking the bank, whereas busy practitioners might only be able to get away for a few weeks a year and don't want to "waste" time off with a trip to Canberra etc. They like the idea of double dipping with their annual holiday being tax deductable if they go to the conference at the same time.

The alternate mix seems to aim to please the different groups on alternate years.

NB I think there is another Football Australiasia conference planned for Melbourne in November 2008.