South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society
The South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society (SPUMS) is a primary source of information for diving and hyperbaric medicine physiology worldwide.
History
The SPUMS was founded on May 3, 1971 in the wardroom of HMAS PENGUIN.[1] The founding members of SPUMS were Carl Edmonds, Bob Thomas, Douglas Walker, Ian Unsworth, and Cedric Deal and they were joined by approximately 20 others as "charter members".[1] The society was incorporated in 1990.[1]
Purpose
The aims of SPUMS have never changed since its inception:[1][2]
- To promote and facilitate the study of all aspects of underwater and hyperbaric medicine;
- To provide information on underwater and hyperbaric medicine;
- To publish a journal and;
- To convene members of each Society annually at a scientific conference.
Training
SPUMS offers a Diploma of Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine. This certification, was the first non-naval certification and for years the only postgraduate education available.[1] The first Diplomas by examination were awarded to Chris Acott, Gavin Dawson, and John Knight in 1975.[1]
Publications
In 1971, a newsletter was published by Dr. Carl Edmonds and distributed to diving medical professionals.[3] This newsletter grew to become the Journal of the South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society in 1975.[3] The journal's name was changed to Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine in 2007 and incorporated the Journal of the European Underwater and Baromedical Society in 2008.
Prior to 2008, 77% of the journal articles were from Australia and New Zealand. After 2008 the journal's two largest contributors have been Australia and the United Kingdom with 44% of the articles and 20 other countries contributing the remainder.[4]
The journal contains original and review articles, case series and reports, educational and general interest material in the form of:
- The diving doctor’s diary;
- The world as it is;
- Critical appraisals (CATs) and Cochrane reviews;
- Opinion papers and Commentaries;
- Reprints of full Articles and Abstracts from the literature;
- Letters to the Editor;
- Book reviews;
- Society News & Notices.
Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine is ISI-indexed on SCIE and indexed on EMBASE. In 2011, Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine was approved for indexation in MEDLINE.[5] The journal also began accepting advertisements from industry to assist with the cost of maintaining a high quality journal but also made clear that advertisements did not represent endorsement of those products or services by the organizations.[6]
SPUMS also publishes many policies to assist clinicians and diving professionals.[7]
Many of the SPUMS publications are available online at the Rubicon Research Repository.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Knight, John (1996). "Twenty five years of SPUMS 1971-1996.". South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society Journal 26 (2). ISSN 0813-1988. OCLC 16986801. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
- ↑ South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society. "South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society Home Page". Retrieved 2008-06-15.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Knight, John (2001). "The history and development of the South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society Journal.". South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society Journal 31 (4). ISSN 0813-1988. OCLC 16986801. Retrieved 2008-10-15.
- ↑ Davis, F Michael (2012). "The Editor's offering". Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine 42 (2). Retrieved 2014-07-06.
- ↑ Davis, F Michael (2011). "The Editor's offering: MEDLINE indexation for DHM". Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine 41 (1). Retrieved 2011-06-08.
- ↑ Germonpre, Peter; Bennett, Michael (2011). "Advertising guidelines for Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine". Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine 41 (3). Retrieved 2014-01-08.
- ↑ South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society. "South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society Policy". Archived from the original on 2008-06-05. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
