Membership: Leading the World
Sports Medicine Australia is the sum of its members. SMA members are the reason Australia is regarded by the rest of the world as the leader in sports medicine. SMA members come from all walks of life – from pre-eminent academics and practitioners to sports trainer members who help make sure that everyone playing sport is playing safely. SMA members are literally the ‘team behind the teams.’
Sports Medicine Australia prides itself on being a truly multidisciplinary organisation, bringing together the various sports science and medicine discipline groups in Australia under one common umbrella.
Members, Research and Education
A large part of SMA’s activity is devoted to ensuring members have access to quality education, networking and professional development opportunities. Membership of Sports Medicine Australia is open to anyone with an interest in sport and physical activity.
Publications
Sport Health has become bigger, brighter and better this year. With a re-vamped look and new Editorial team, Sport Health continues to be the industry mag for the latest in sports medicine and science research, and health and wellbeing for the general community.
The Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport continues to grow. The 2008 Impact Factors saw a amazing rise for JSAMS with an Impact Factor of 1.913 (compared to 1.091 in 2007). This has brought the journal up from a position of 39 out of 72 Sports Science journals in 2007 to a position of 16 out of 71 journals in 2009. We are now in the top 25% of journals in this category, and getting very close to other journals such as British Journal of Sports Medicine (IF = 2.126, ranked 10th). JSAMS increase appears to be the largest increase of any journal in this category from 2007 to 2008. Headed by new Editor-in-chief, Greg Kolt looks to have a promising future. www.jsams.org
Member Services
SMA is pleased to announce the implementation of a new member discount program, SMA MemberBenefits. MemberBenefits will provide you with access to a special SMA Diners Card, discount home and investment loans, discount insurance for home, contents and motor vehicle, discount health and professional insurance, financial planning, superannuation, telecommunications and discounted holidays and travel and even website development. Providers include all the big names: Diners Club, Citibank, ANZ, Westpac, Colonial, Zurich, Royal and Sun Alliance CGU, Australian Unity, Esanda and many others. Members are still able to obtain special membership discounts for State and National Conferences, SMA workshops and symposia and are able to purchase high quality SMA clothing and ASICS footwear at a discounted price.
Links to Government
SMA continues to work to increase its links and profile with all levels of government to better serve the needs and interests of members. This work has included briefing Ministers and senior public servants about the work of SMA and direct lobbying on behalf of discipline groups.
Links to Sport
National Sporting Organisations (NSOs) have been made a priority for receipt of increased information on SMA services, policies and projects.
Information Technology
The SMA member database is about to be upgraded which will allow more efficient servicing of members’ needs, while the various SMA websites are being consolidated and enhanced with a new range of member and community services and information.
Practice Branding
Many SMA members have taken the opportunity to use the SMA logo and name on practices and business cards to boost their profile and encourage referral.
Member Directories
SMA expects to shortly announce a greatly expanded and more widely distributed series of state-based member directories which will also greatly increase individual member profile and referral opportunities.
