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. 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.
  2. South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society. "South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society Home Page". Retrieved 2008-06-15.
  3. 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.
  4. Davis, F Michael (2012). "The Editor's offering". Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine. 42 (2). Retrieved 2014-07-06.
  5. Davis, F Michael (2011). "The Editor's offering: MEDLINE indexation for DHM". Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine. 41 (1). Retrieved 2011-06-08.
  6. Germonpre, Peter; Bennett, Michael (2011). "Advertising guidelines for Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine". Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine. 41 (3). Retrieved 2014-01-08.
  7. South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society. "South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society Policy". Archived from the original on 2008-06-05. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
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