Whether you are new to the British Geriatrics Society (BGS) or have been a member for years, one of the ways you can get involved with the BGS community is by joining one or more of our Special Interest Groups (SIGs). This blog covers the key facts you need to know about SIGs, such as what they do, how to join, and what you get by being part of a group.
What are SIGs and what do they do?
SIGs are member-led communities within the BGS that represent a range of sub-specialisms within geriatric medicine. From Movement Disorders to Falls and Bone Health to Urgent Care and Frailty, there are currently 15 SIGs in total. They provide a platform for multidisciplinary professionals to collaborate, share knowledge, and advance clinical practice, education, and research in their chosen fields.
Many SIGs hold their own annual scientific meetings or feature in parallel sessions at the British Geriatrics Society’s main UK meetings. They also contribute their expertise to BGS responses to government consultation documents, as well as producing and contributing to guidelines, policy statements, research prioritisation and media queries.
How do I join a SIG?
To join a BGS SIG, complete the following steps:
- If you don’t have a free BGS website account or membership account, visit https://www.bgs.org.uk/user/register and select which groups you would like to join under the ‘Groups and SIGs signup’ section.
- If you already have a BGS website account, login and visit your ‘My account’ page. There is a button saying ‘Manage SIGs’ which will take you to a sign-up page.
- You can also join through SIG webpages using the ‘Join SIG’ button
What do I get as a SIG member?
- Linked resources/events
- Each special interest group has its own webpage. You can find useful resources and related events on each SIG page.
- Forum rooms
- Our SIG forum rooms allow you to interact with other members of your SIG.
- To access the forum, go to the Forum information webpage, and click 'Go to the Forum' which takes you to the BGS forum website.
- Click the ‘+’ symbol next to Rooms and click ‘Explore public rooms’.
- You’ll see a list of different groups. Select the ones you wish to join.
- Emails
- You’ll receive emails with updates related to your SIG. These could include information of interest, SIG event details, CPD opportunities, surveys, and grant details.
What are SIG committees?
Each SIG has a committee. When you join the SIG as a BGS member, you can look out for opportunities to join the SIG committee. The committees consist of UK-based multidisciplinary professionals relevant to that specialty. SIG committees are a valuable source of specialist information to the BGS, and regularly review and contribute to guidelines by NICE, RCP, and others. Members of the SIG committee also often represent the BGS at external meetings.
Is there a difference between a SIG member and a SIG committee member?
Being a SIG member is about being part of a community, while being a SIG committee member is about leading that community.
- SIG members:
- Can connect with other professionals with the same special interest through events and the BGS Forum
- Receive relevant email updates about the special interest
- SIG committee members:
- Lead SIG activities, e.g. organise conferences (including sessions at the BGS biannual conferences), and develop BGS resources/guidelines relating to the special interest
- Represent the BGS at relevant external meetings and the SIG within the BGS
- Can influence the SIG's direction and get more involved with BGS activities
Leaving a SIG/not getting emails
- Visit the ‘Manage SIGs’ page through your BGS website account. Unselect the SIGs you wish to leave and click ‘Save’.
More information:
If you want to learn more about BGS SIGs, please contact Joanna Gough (j.gough@bgs.org.uk)
