Sport and Exercise Medicine (SEM) is a discipline which draws upon basic and applied biomedical and clinical sciences for the furtherance of knowledge and ensuring best practice in the diagnosis and management of Sport and Exercise related clinical problems. The discipline is relevant to the whole population and seeks to promote health, prevent disease or injury, apply optimal treatment and rehabilitation, and to measure outcomes. As a multidisciplinary specialty it sits across primary and secondary care, with a focus on prevention as well as treatment.
Sport and Exercise Medicine represents a distinct body of knowledge, however, there will always be common ground with other specialist areas of knowledge. As such Sport and Exercise Medicine specialists are particularly well equipped to act as part of multidisciplinary teams working with other health professionals in the management of exercise-related illness and injury, and the use of therapeutic exercise for those with a wide range of diseases and lifestyle issues.
Sport and Exercise Medicine physicians have specialist training which is focused on the beneficial effects of exercise on health, and the effects that medical conditions have on the individual's capacity to exercise. Giving encouragement and assistance to individuals and groups in their endeavours to be active today, SEM provides a holistic and effective means of addressing the population health challenges of tomorrow. This is increasingly relevant as one of the great medical challenges over the coming century is to reverse the slide towards a sedentary and overweight population. The technological advances seen over the past century have been labour-saving and time-saving. These same advances however have resulted in a population that is generally required to perform less physical activity than at any other stage in human existence. Medical conditions such as obesity, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, some cancers, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and mental illness can all be at least partially attributed to a sedentary lifestyle. Certainly exercise has been well proven to provide therapeutic benefit in each of these conditions. Studies demonstrate that those who exercise regularly are likely to contribute in a positive way to society. Children who exercise regularly are more likely to be successful at sport with its inherent benefits for self esteem and social skills. While governments struggle under the burden of increasing health-care costs, there is a real need for proactive support structures for those who wish to remain physically active and exercise.
However, sport and exercise are associated with injury and illness and Sport and Exercise specialists have the specialised skills necessary for the emergency treatment of such problems and the ongoing management of injuries. It is recognised that inadequate treatment can result in chronicity and permanent disability.
Training in Sport and Exercise Medicine provides doctors with a specialised skill set which enables them to treat and encourage the exercising individual, young or old, recreational or elite. Knowledge of the health benefits of exercise and of optimal exercise regimes for specific subgroups allows Sport and Exercise Medicine specialists to promote an active lifestyle to those groups who can benefit most. Sport and Exercise Medicine specialists require a broad range of clinical skills for dealing with medical illness in those who wish to exercise, as well as for treatment of musculoskeletal pathology.
Competence Based Curricula and Assessment - StRs (for trainees who commenced training from 1 August 2007 to present)
There are two versions of curricula for this training period:
StRs who commenced training between 1st August 2007 and 3rd August 2010 will follow the 2007 version of their specialty curriculum and the 2007 Generic curriculum. Please see the 2007 Curriculum section of this webpage.
StRs who commenced training from 4th August 2010 onwards will use the 2010 version of their specialty curriculum. There is no need to follow the previously known ‘Generic curriculum' as this has now been embedded into the specialty curriculum. Please see the 2010 Curriculum section of this webpage.
The Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board (JRCPTB) is pleased to announce the 2010 Sport and Exercise Medicine curriculum which has been reviewed and rewritten to:
- meet the GMC's 6 new standards as detailed in their Standards for Curricula and Assessment systems
- keep up to date with medical advances and changes in the service and training
- incorporate the framework documents produced by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) detailing Common, Medical Leadership and Health Inequality competencies
- include 5 new assessment methods (Acute Care Assessment Tool, Case based Discussion, Patient Survey, Teaching Observation and Audit Assessment).
This new curriculum has improved content, design and usability compared to its predecessors, and reflects a great deal of hard work and time expended by specialty curriculum groups. This curriculum will become the training manual for all trainees entering ST3 from 4th August 2010.
For further information on the 2010 curriculum it is recommended that you read the Quick Start Curriculum Guide.
If you have any queries or problems regarding the 2010 curriculum please email ptb@jrcptb.org.uk.
Core Training Programmes
Entry into Sport and Exercise Medicine training is possible following successful completion of both a foundation programme and a core training programme.
There are 3 core training programmes for Sport and Exercise Medicine training:
Assessment
The following methods are used as part of the integrated assessment system:
The assessment blueprint, which is embedded in the clinical syllabus, shows the possible methods that can be used to assess each of the competencies in the curriculum. Trainees and trainers should refer to the blueprint for guidance on the appropriate assessment methods for each aspect of the curriculum, and so plan the training programme according to the criteria set by the ARCP Decision Aid. It is not expected that all competencies will be assessed by all methods, rather that there will be a sampling of competencies within a variety of settings, both within formal and workplace-based assessment, from which overall competence acquisition has to be determined.
The diagram below describes the training pathway:
Please view the 2010 curriculum for Sport and Exercise Medicine for full details on the training routes and selection criteria.
Entry into Sport and Exercise Medicine training is possible following successful completion of both a Foundation Programme and a core training programme.
Please view the 2007 curriculum for the Sport and Exercise Medicine for full details on the training routes and selection criteria.
Assessment
The assessment blueprints show the possible methods that can be used to assess each of the competencies in the curriculum. Trainees and trainers should refer to the blueprints for guidance on the appropriate assessment methods for each aspect of the curriculum, and so plan the training programme according to the criteria set by the ARCP/RITA Decision Aid. It is not expected that all competencies will be assessed by all methods, rather that there will be a sampling of competencies within a variety of settings, both within formal and workplace-based assessment, from which overall competence acquisition has to be determined.
Further information on the various methods of assessment can be viewed in the Assessment section of this website.
The diagram below describes the training pathways in general terms:
Competence Based Curricula - SpR (for trainees who commenced training between 1 Jan 2003 and 31 July 2007)
The JCHMT introduced revised curricula for all the medical specialties together with a generic curriculum that applied to all trainees back in 2003. These are competence-based and set out the knowledge, skills and attitudes to be acquired by trainees before they may be awarded a CCT.
Curricula - SpR (for trainees who commenced training before 1 Jan 2003)
The curricula for trainees enrolling pre 01/01/03 are no longer available on the website but can be obtained by request to ptb@jrcptb.org.uk.