- Email: [email protected]
Professional organisation profile: the New Zealand Society of Travel Medicine
Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease (2005) 3, 43–44
www.elsevierhealth.com/journals/tmid
Professional organisation profile: the New Zealand Society of Travel Medicine Larry Skibaa,1, Peter A. Leggatb,1,* a
Travel Doctor, 206 Papanui Road, Christchurch, New Zealand School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
b
Received 23 July 2004; accepted 28 July 2004 Available online 11 September 2004
KEYWORDS New Zealand Society of Travel Medicine; Professional organisation; Travel medicine; New Zealand
Summary The New Zealand Society of Travel Medicine was established in 1995 and its membership has been active in several areas, including networking, scientific meetings, and the development of postgraduate educational courses in travel medicine in New Zealand. Information is given on purpose, membership, and the various activities of the Society. q 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Introduction The New Zealand Society of Travel Medicine was established in May 1995. Interest in travel medicine has been increasing in New Zealand, reflected by the development of various travel clinic groups in the region and also the establishment of academic training in travel medicine in New Zealand.1 The bylaws of the Society established an Executive Committee of two members (Chairperson and Secretary/Convenor). The travel doctor group
* Corresponding author. Tel.: C61-7-4781-5959/6108; fax: C61-7-4781-5254. E-mail addresses: [email protected] (L. Skiba), [email protected] (P.A. Leggat). 1 Interests to declare: The first author is Secretary/Convenor of the New Zealand Society of Travel Medicine. The second author is Immediate Past President, The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine. Disclaimer: The authors do not necessarily reflect the views of the New Zealand Society of Travel Medicine, or any other organization referred to in this paper.
located in Christchurch operates the Secretariat on behalf of the Society.
Aims of the Society The main purpose of the Society is to disseminate ideas and philosophies of the International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM) by developing local interest groups. Areas of concern for the Society include risk assessment for all travellers and risk reduction strategies, as well as improving communication and research in this new discipline.
Society membership The Society currently has about 42 members. Society membership is drawn predominantly but not exclusively from generalists and specialists in the medical and nursing professions in the private and public sectors. Membership includes doctors,
1477-8939/$ - see front matter q 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.tmaid.2004.07.009
44 nurses, public health personnel, researchers, news media, travel agents, tour operators, drug companies, and educators involved in the international travel industry. The Society encourages membership amongst all those working in travel medicine, especially those completing postgraduate courses in travel medicine in New Zealand.
L. Skiba, P.A. Leggat The Society website can be accessed at http:// www.tropmed.org/travel/index.html. The website contains information about Society membership, contacts and its activities, as well as providing links to other organisations. The Society actively promotes relevant activities of other organizations, such as the ISTM, with whom there is a significant crossover of membership.
Activities of the Society Concluding remarks The activities of the Society include: † providing a network for an exchange of knowledge and experience amongst professionals working in travel medicine; † assisting with the development of professional education in travel medicine through a course in travel, tropical and migrant health, which is conducted by the University of Otago, New Zealand; † supporting various scientific meetings; † development of guidelines for travel medicine for New Zealand; † commencement of a reference library in travel medicine; † circulation of a Society newsletter, as well as a joint newsletter, the Travel Medicine Briefcase, which is published in association with the Faculty of Travel Medicine of The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine;2 † six monthly teleconferences of its members; and † an awards and Honorary Membership program. The Society has a website hosted on behalf of the Society by the Faculty of Travel Medicine of The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine.2
Over the coming years, the Society will continue to promote membership of the Society to interested professionals working in travel medicine. The Society charges a modest membership subscription, which at the time of publication was NZD20 for 2 years. Those wanting further information on the Society, or wishing to assist the work of the Society or contribute educational materials to the Society’s library, should contact the Convenor, New Zealand Society of Travel Medicine, Dr Larry Skiba, Travel Doctor, 206 Papanui Road, Christchurch, New Zealand, [email protected] or the President, New Zealand Society of Travel Medicine, Dr Joan H. Ingram, Diagnostic Medlab, 43 Symonds Street and Mount Street, Auckland, New Zealand, [email protected]
References 1. Leggat PA, Heydon JL. Postgraduate academic and professional training in tropical and travel medicine in Australasia. Travel Med Inf Dis 2003;1:77–9. 2. Leggat PA, Klein M. The Australasian faculty of travel medicine. Travel Med Inf Dis 2004;2:47–9.
www.elsevierhealth.com/journals/tmid
Professional organisation profile: the New Zealand Society of Travel Medicine Larry Skibaa,1, Peter A. Leggatb,1,* a
Travel Doctor, 206 Papanui Road, Christchurch, New Zealand School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
b
Received 23 July 2004; accepted 28 July 2004 Available online 11 September 2004
KEYWORDS New Zealand Society of Travel Medicine; Professional organisation; Travel medicine; New Zealand
Summary The New Zealand Society of Travel Medicine was established in 1995 and its membership has been active in several areas, including networking, scientific meetings, and the development of postgraduate educational courses in travel medicine in New Zealand. Information is given on purpose, membership, and the various activities of the Society. q 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Introduction The New Zealand Society of Travel Medicine was established in May 1995. Interest in travel medicine has been increasing in New Zealand, reflected by the development of various travel clinic groups in the region and also the establishment of academic training in travel medicine in New Zealand.1 The bylaws of the Society established an Executive Committee of two members (Chairperson and Secretary/Convenor). The travel doctor group
* Corresponding author. Tel.: C61-7-4781-5959/6108; fax: C61-7-4781-5254. E-mail addresses: [email protected] (L. Skiba), [email protected] (P.A. Leggat). 1 Interests to declare: The first author is Secretary/Convenor of the New Zealand Society of Travel Medicine. The second author is Immediate Past President, The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine. Disclaimer: The authors do not necessarily reflect the views of the New Zealand Society of Travel Medicine, or any other organization referred to in this paper.
located in Christchurch operates the Secretariat on behalf of the Society.
Aims of the Society The main purpose of the Society is to disseminate ideas and philosophies of the International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM) by developing local interest groups. Areas of concern for the Society include risk assessment for all travellers and risk reduction strategies, as well as improving communication and research in this new discipline.
Society membership The Society currently has about 42 members. Society membership is drawn predominantly but not exclusively from generalists and specialists in the medical and nursing professions in the private and public sectors. Membership includes doctors,
1477-8939/$ - see front matter q 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.tmaid.2004.07.009
44 nurses, public health personnel, researchers, news media, travel agents, tour operators, drug companies, and educators involved in the international travel industry. The Society encourages membership amongst all those working in travel medicine, especially those completing postgraduate courses in travel medicine in New Zealand.
L. Skiba, P.A. Leggat The Society website can be accessed at http:// www.tropmed.org/travel/index.html. The website contains information about Society membership, contacts and its activities, as well as providing links to other organisations. The Society actively promotes relevant activities of other organizations, such as the ISTM, with whom there is a significant crossover of membership.
Activities of the Society Concluding remarks The activities of the Society include: † providing a network for an exchange of knowledge and experience amongst professionals working in travel medicine; † assisting with the development of professional education in travel medicine through a course in travel, tropical and migrant health, which is conducted by the University of Otago, New Zealand; † supporting various scientific meetings; † development of guidelines for travel medicine for New Zealand; † commencement of a reference library in travel medicine; † circulation of a Society newsletter, as well as a joint newsletter, the Travel Medicine Briefcase, which is published in association with the Faculty of Travel Medicine of The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine;2 † six monthly teleconferences of its members; and † an awards and Honorary Membership program. The Society has a website hosted on behalf of the Society by the Faculty of Travel Medicine of The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine.2
Over the coming years, the Society will continue to promote membership of the Society to interested professionals working in travel medicine. The Society charges a modest membership subscription, which at the time of publication was NZD20 for 2 years. Those wanting further information on the Society, or wishing to assist the work of the Society or contribute educational materials to the Society’s library, should contact the Convenor, New Zealand Society of Travel Medicine, Dr Larry Skiba, Travel Doctor, 206 Papanui Road, Christchurch, New Zealand, [email protected] or the President, New Zealand Society of Travel Medicine, Dr Joan H. Ingram, Diagnostic Medlab, 43 Symonds Street and Mount Street, Auckland, New Zealand, [email protected]
References 1. Leggat PA, Heydon JL. Postgraduate academic and professional training in tropical and travel medicine in Australasia. Travel Med Inf Dis 2003;1:77–9. 2. Leggat PA, Klein M. The Australasian faculty of travel medicine. Travel Med Inf Dis 2004;2:47–9.