• Society

The small but fine Swiss Sports Medicine Society (SSMS) has been in existence since 1949 and has about 800 members. Most of our members are general practitioners with an interest in sports medicine, and also orthopaedic surgeons, physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists or public health experts who focus on ‘exercise is medicine—and prevention’. Since 1999 sports medicine in Switzerland has been a medical subspecialty that can be achieved by every physician with a medical specialty certification. 24 course days over a period of 1–2 years, a written and oral examination at the end of these and the mandatory 6-month internship in a sports medicine centre of excellence allows a high standard for our ‘Swiss Sports Medicine Physician’ label. These physicians ultimately govern positions as leaders of Swiss Olympic medical centres and bases, become chief medical officers for our national sporting federations or promote ‘exercise is medicine’ in their daily practice.

In 2015, our general assembly unanimously welcomed the proposal to become a …