The International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS) is an international medical society with around 4,000 members. The membership comprises mostly orthopaedic surgeons along with sports scientists, sports physicians and sports physical therapists. The members are from 100+ different countries and are members of their local orthopaedic sports medicine societies or similar associations. Members may also be associated with their global regional orthopaedic sports medicine society such as the Arthroscopy Association of North America, the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM), the Asia-Pacific Knee, Arthroscopy and Sports Medicine Society, the European Society for Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy and the Sociedad Latinoamericana de Artroscopia, Rodilla y Deporte in particular. The purpose of ISAKOS is to act as an umbrella association for these regional societies to provide a means for exchange of knowledge between them and, most importantly, to promote education in the fields of knee surgery and orthopaedic sports medicine to those areas of the world where such educational opportunities are lacking. ISAKOS achieves these goals through the involvement of members in educational meetings, sponsoring of visitations by surgeons from poorer countries to centres of excellence along with other awards, scholarships and endorsements of regional meetings. Arthroscopy (also called arthroscopic surgery) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure on a joint in which a treatment or just an examination is performed using an arthroscope, an endoscope that is inserted into the joint through a small incision. Sports medicine, also known as sport and exercise medicine (SEM), is a part of medicine that deals with the prevention and treatment of injuries related to sports and exercise.
History ISAKOS was formed in 1995, in Hong Kong, at the combined congress of the International Arthroscopy Association (IAA) and the International Society of the Knee (ISK). These two societies previously held meetings 'back to back' and as most delegates attended both it became a logical step to combine them. ISAKOS is the union of these International societies (IAA and ISK). ISAKOS holds an international Congress every two years. Since its founding in 1995, these Congress meetings have been held throughout the world. The first president of ISAKOS was Dr. Peter J. Fowler of Canada, in the years 1995 to 1997. For the 2015–17 term, the society was chaired by Dr. Philippe Neyret of France, followed by Dr. Marc Safran of the USA from 2017–19. The society is currently chaired by Dr. Willem van der Merwe of South Africa, who will hold the post until 2021.
Membership ISAKOS is an international society of individuals interested in Sports Orthopaedics and the fields of medicine and science related to that. These include knee surgery, arthroscopic surgery of all joints and orthopaedic sports medicine. It is very common for those applying for membership to also be a member of one of the major regional Associations. These are the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA), the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM), the Asia-Pacific Knee, Arthroscopy and Sports Medicine Society (APKASS), the European Society for Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy (ESSKA) and the Sociedad Latinoamericana de Artroscopia, Rodilla y Deporte (SLARD). Members are also members of their regional or National orthopaedic sports medicine society (or equivalent). Indeed, members of these Associations may gain Associate Membership of ISAKOS immediately on application. There are three primary membership categories: Associate Members Those with an interest or ability in the fields of medicine or science with an interest in arthroscopy, knee surgery, and orthopaedic sports medicine shall be eligible. These members are not entitled to vote and are not eligible to hold office. Active Members Individuals qualified as orthopaedic surgeons, musculoskeletal surgeons, rheumatologists or the equivalent in their home countries and who are in good medical standing in their national or regional association as determined by the membership committee of the ISAKOS. Active members are entitled to vote at all meetings of the membership and are eligible to hold office in the society. Active Membership is awarded pending an application review at a meeting of the Membership Committee. In-Training Members Individuals currently enrolled in Residency or Fellowship Program, as well as Medical Students, are eligible for up to five years of free In-Training Membership.
Awards ISAKOS offers a number of awards. These awards are for original papers in the various categories which are submitted for the biennial Congress. The awards are presented at the Congress and notified in the Society Newsletter and on the ISAKOS website. Many of the Awards honour prominent present and past ISAKOS members and past notable doyens of sports surgery while others offer financial support for research, Fellowships and attendance at various ISAKOS sponsored meetings. In keeping with the fundamental mission of ISAKOS some preference is given to supporting research and scholarships to individuals from countries where such opportunities may not have otherwise been available. These awards include; Awards
John J. Joyce Award - For the best arthroscopy paper Richard B. Caspari Award - For the best upper extremity paper Jan I. Gillquist Scientific Award - For the best scientific research Gary G. Poehling Award Award - For the best elbow, wrist and hand paper Albert Trillat Young Investigator's Award - For the best young clinical researcher Achilles Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Research Award - For the best Sports Medicine research Paolo Aglietti Award - For the best Knee Arthroplasty research The Patellofemoral Research Excellence Award - For the best Patellofemoral Research Fellowships and Scholarships
ISAKOS Global Traveling Fellowship The Patellofemoral Traveling Fellowship International Sports Medicine Fellows Conference Scholarship Teaching Centre Scholarship ISAKOS Clinical Funded Research Session ISAKOS Young Investigator's Scholarship & Research Mentoring Program Applications for these Awards and Scholarships are usually invited a year before the Biennial Congress.
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