Editorial

The news of Professor Sidney Fishman's death came suddenly and has caused many people to reflect on his contribution to the development of prosthetics and orthotics education. The prosthetics and orthotics course in New York University (NYU) was first offered in the 1960s. It led the way in university-based education not only in North America but also in many other parts of the world; a great number of the present schools owe a lot to the advice and help that he freely gave. The courses in NYU not only provided teaching of prosthetists and orthotists but also provided information to other members of the clinic team such as surgeons, physicians, and therapists, amongst others. NYU provided a clinic team approach to prosthetic and orthotic treatment before the formation of ISPO.

Professor Sidney Fishman was a longstanding member of ISPO and served on its Executive Board as the first Chairman of its Education Committee. He, together with his ISPO colleagues, was responsible for making educational issues in prosthetics and orthotics one of the cornerstones of the Society. It would seem appropriate at this time to consider the achievements of the Society in this regard.

Shortly after its formation, the Society offered a number of multidisciplinary short courses in prosthetics and orthotics in various parts of the world. It recognized the need for good education of all the clinic team members and particularly the need for a good standard of basic education and training for prosthetists and orthotists based on the Holte Report (UN, 1969). A number of the industrial countries were involved in developing their educational programmes at this time. However, little consideration had been given to the development of education in the developing world.

In 1984, ISPO held its first conference on educating and training personnel in prosthetics and orthotics for developing countries in Moshi, Tanzania. This was followed by an international symposium for educators in prosthetics–orthotics held in Toronto, Canada (1984); a further conference for training and education in prosthetics and orthotics for developing countries in Jönköping, Sweden (1985); and a conference on upgrading short-course-trained technicians from developing countries in prosthetics and orthotics held in Glasgow, Scotland (1987).

These conferences and the experiences of education programmes throughout the world have resulted in ISPO publishing guidelines for establishing educational courses for Category-I personnel (university level, or equivalent, courses for Prosthetists/Orthotists), Category-II personnel (mid-level courses primarily for Orthopaedic Technologists in developing countries), and Category-III personnel (courses for Bench Technicians).

ISPO, at the request of WHO in 2003, coordinated a follow-up conference to the WHO consultation on training personnel in developing countries which was held in Alexandria, Egypt (1990). This has resulted in joint ISPO/WHO guidelines for training personnel in developing countries for prosthetics and orthotics services, and which endorsed the ISPO Category-II guidelines. More recently, ISPO held a European conference for education in prosthetics and orthotics in Dortmund, Germany (2004) which endorsed the ISPO Category-I guidelines for Europe.

At the same time, ISPO instituted an assessment and validation process of Category-II courses that met those guidelines and has created a register of their graduates. In recent times, the Society has embarked on a similar process with Category-I schools. This year, ISPO expanded its scope of interest, and assessed and recognized the first course for wheelchair technologists in developing countries. It is hoped that this programme of course recognition will be extended.

As you are aware, ISPO has also run a series of consensus conferences on various topics such as amputation surgery, poliomyelitis, and cerebral palsy. These have resulted in a number of multidisciplinary courses being offered on the best practice in these subjects in different parts of the world. It is planned that similar courses also be offered on the outcomes of the recent consensus conference on stroke.

ISPO has increased its influence over the years on all matters related to prosthetics and orthotics education. It has set standards that have been widely adopted by the national and international agencies involved in our field of interest. We must thank Sidney Fishman for the legacy that he has left us.

As you can see, this copy of the journal has been produced by Taylor & Francis, the publishing house that has taken over Prosthetics and Orthotics International. For the past 28 years it has been produced through the National Centre for Training and Education in Prosthetics and Orthotics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland. The present Editors, Professors John Hughes and Norman Jacobs, have been in post since the first issue in 1977, and the Society is greatly in debt to their hard work and dedication over the years. John Hughes has decided to retire with the publication of this issue and, on behalf of the Society, I thank him for his input not only to the journal but to ISPO at large. We all wish Taylor & Francis great success for the future.