A valuable source of information for doctors and students

MPS is not just a sponsor for Medical Educator, but a valuable source of ethical and practical information for doctors. They publish a series of educational publications including Casebook, New Doctor magazine and GP Registrar.

MPS is a mutual membership organisation which provides comprehensive professional advice to doctors, dentists and other health professionals in more than 40 countries around the world. As a not-for-profit organisation, MPS supports its members with medicolegal advice and education relevant to their professional practice.

Joining is free for all medical students

Remember joining the Medical Protection Society is free for all medical students. Why not check out their pages here to see what they can offer you.

One of the contributors to the site describes his experiences of being a member of MPS:

“I’ve been a member with the MPS since I was a medical student, and now I am 7 years post qualification, and on the speciality register. The MPS were helpful not only in my postgraduate studies, but were able to give me advice on my elective project and what needed to be done in this instance. As I was conducting this abroad, it was a very useful service. MPS has also been a useful port of call when faced with challenging ethical and medicolegal problems that are unavoidable to practicing physicians”.

Professional support and advice

One of the founders of Medical Educator has this to say about the MPS:

“I really have valued the support of MPS in my professional career to date, and I am pleased that they are helping to develop the Medical Educator site. Medical Indemnity support is critical to both practising doctors and medical undergraduates. Professional support and expert advice is simply a phone call away. Casebook is helpful. As a doctor practising internal medicine it has some useful pointers on common medico-legal pitfalls. For example in the September 09 issue, two Orthopaedic surgeons cover the subject of Cauda Eauina syndrome.”

The article is available in full through the website but lets look at an excerpt focussing on the diagnosis of CES:

Excerpt from Casebook: Cauda equina syndrome

CES is usually characterised by the following so-called “red flag” symptoms:

• Severe low back pain (LBP)
• Sciatica – often bilateral but sometimes absent – especially at L5/S1 with an inferior sequestration
• Saddle and genital sensory deficit
• Bladder, bowel and sexual dysfunction.

Three types of cauda equina syndrome have been identified:

• Rapid onset without a previous history of back problems.
• Acute bladder dysfunction with a history of low back pain and sciatica.
• Chronic backache and sciatica with gradually progressing CES.

Within these groups, CES may be complete or incomplete and its onset may be either acute within hours or gradual over weeks or months.

Providing you with content

We hope to provide some bespoke content on some medico-legal cases from the experts at the MPS as well as updating our own members in the monthly newsletter that’s sent out with some more relevant content. Expect to find updates and other relevant info from them. If you’re not already a member we would recommend choosing MPS to provide your professional indemnity.