Membership Matters

This editorial seeks to answer a few simple questions and scotch some misconceptions about the Ulster Medical Society. It offers an invitation to those who have never joined the Society to consider membership. At the same time occasional attenders are reminded that the vitality of any society is best maintained by the regular interest of all its members. In turn it seeks your comments. What is it?-The history of the Ulster Medical Society makes for illuminating reading and I commend it to you." 2 It was formed in 1862 through the amalgamation of the Belfast Medical Society (founded in 1806 and revived in 1822) and the Belfast Clinical and Pathological Society. A spirit for mutual improvement in their common profession by the contribution of all to a common purpose was to be the guiding principle. Key words to describe its original ethos would seem to include education, information, unity and friendship. Who's in it?-While membership of any society may not necessarily reflect its current state of health it does however provide some indication ofwellbeing and direction. Details of membership by speciality for 1997 are given in the Table. Pooling data from other sources it can be calculated that only around a quarter of all qualified doctors in the province (Hospital Doctors, GPs, practising and retired) are members of the Society and only a tenth of these (2.5% of all doctors) attend meetings regularly. Some specialities are poorly represented. What's on offer?-In a world of increasing sub-specialisation, the Ulster Medical Society aims to offer general education to all. Recent programmes have both educated and entertained us on such diverse subjects as Coping with Babies and Toddlers, Myalgic Encephalitis, Brain Death, Limb Lengthening Procedures, Hormone Replacement Therapy and an Ulsterman's View of the House of Lords each delivered by experts in their fields. Another exciting and broadly based programme is planned for the forthcoming session (1998/99) and is to include topics such as TABLE Ulster Medical Society Membership 1997 Working Retired GB! Northern Overseas Ireland General Practice 180 51 22 Hospital Practice Physicians 168 32 15 Surgeons 77 32 6 A/E 5 2 Psychiatry 25 8 2 ENT 13 1 1 Ophthalmology 10 3 2 Paediatrics 20 5 3 Laboratory (etc) 50 12 4 Anaesthetics 32 8 1 Radiology 14 2 1 Obstetrics/Gynaecology 35 8 5 Community 35 4 4 Other 52 7 16 716 175 82 Total 973 Pharmacoenonomics, Obesity and …