A huge thank-you to everyone who voted in this year’s cover competition. Thanks to the record number of voters in all rounds. And thanks for your comments on the BJSM covers – which you may use in your presentations and social media to illustrate key points. Read the interesting career development stories from the a new sports medicine book prize winners below.

1. Dr. Eamonn Delahunt (@EamonnDelahunt)

Tell us about your educational background and current involvement in Sports Medicine.

I graduated with a BSc Physiotherapy in 2003 from University College Dublin. Upon graduation, I received a PhD scholarship from the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology. Whilst completing my PhD, I worked part-time in a Sports Medicine and Physiotherapy clinic. I am currently a senior lecturer at UCD and teach in under-graduate and post-graduate physiotherapy and sports science programmes, and also supervise PhD and research MSc students. I recently received the honorary title Specialist Member of the Irish Society for Chartered Physiotherapists (discipline Sports Medicine).

What has been your inspiration? 

I developed a keen interest in sports physiotherapy clinical practice following a placement in 2nd year of my undergraduate education. After this placement I began to study Brukner & Khan’s Clinical Sports Medicine. I still have my original copy of the 2nd edition- it is just about holding together. From reading this book, I developed an interest in sports medicine and physiotherapy research by mainly consulting the bibliographic reference list at the end of each chapter. During the summer period between 3rd and 4th year of my under-graduate education I sourced an “extra” placement in a Sports Medicine and Physiotherapy clinic and this solidified my interest. After this there was no other option for me; I wanted to practice and research in the areas of sports medicine and sports physiotherapy.

Why you are excited to have won a new sports medicine book?

I currently have a strong interest in teaching and learning pedagogy. I am a strong believer in the principle of research-aligned teaching. I also try to practice the principle of research-enriched learning and teaching. The IOC Manual of Sports Injuries will provide an excellent supplementary resource to my current teaching, particularly for a final year module that I teach called Sports Injury Management.

What’s your favourite thing about the BJSM blog?

I love the utility of the blog as a learning resource for undergraduate students. We regularly use it to launch discussions in class. I have to say that the BJSM mobile app works well — great to reach the blog, download and listen to podcasts!

When not teaching or practicing Sports Medicine we will likely find you…

Watching UCI World Tour races on Eurosport.

2. Suzan de Jonge @Suus_DJ

Tell us about your educational background and current involvements

I’m a clinical registrar and research trainee in Sports Medicine in Medical Center The Hague in the Netherlands. I combine the clinical training for sports physician with a PhD-project on Achilles tendon injuries at the Orthopaedic Department of the Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam. I’m a member of the national board of the Netherlands Association of Sports Medicine (VSG), as well as national chairperson of the board of registrars in Sports Medicine in the Netherlands. Last year I won the ECOSEP travelling fellowship and visited several sports medicine centres in five European countries. I hope to finish both my PhD-thesis and the specialist training for sports medicine this year.

What inspired you to become involved in Sports Medicine?

What attracted me to sports medicine, and continues to fuel my interest is the great diversity of problems (and solutions).

Why you are excited to have won a new sports medicine book?

The focus of training for sports medicine in the Netherlands lies more on exercise therapy than manual therapy. So I would love to receive Orthopedic Manual Therapy by Chad Cook to help me learn more about this field.

What’s your favourite thing about the BJSM blog?

While I do enjoy the diversity of topics on the BJSM blog, I have to admit I like the BJSM podcasts the most.