The SMA story 

How it all began

In September 1986, at the invitation of San Francisco physician Mark Renneker, a group of twenty healthcare professionals from around the globe gathered at   Tavarua Island, Fiji, for the world’s first medical conference to focus on the treatment and prevention of surfing related injuries. This was in response to the worldwide surge of people of all ages taking up surfing which can be credited to its low cost and healthy lifestyle. The common theme amongst the delegates was an appreciation of the ocean and surfing.

During that first conference on Tavarua, we became acquainted with the people of Nabila, a nearby village.  A mutual respect and appreciation for the ocean provided the common ground for SMA members to bond with the villagers. From this bonding also came the realisation of how little these people had in the way of medical services. Soon after, it became apparent to all members that the aims of the conference would extend to providing and improving the medical infrastructure to the local communities - The Surfers Medical Association (SMA) was born.

Gnaraloo, Western Australia was the site of a 1989 SMA scientific meeting organised by Jim Bradley the founder of School Surfing in Australia.  Attended by an international contingent and opened by the West Australian Health Minister, this meeting spawned SMA Australia as an incorporated entity thus allowing the organisation to operate effectively and legally out of both Australia and the USA. 

SMA Australia has carried on the founding SMA traditions of organising medical conferences for members and contributing to the health and welfare of the indigenous peoples with whom we interact.  The Association has been responsible for conferences and medical clinics in Grajagan, East Java and the Mentawai Islands off West Sumatra. 

The 2004 Tsunami provided the catalyst to an ongoing understanding with the Maldivian Government. This allowed SMA to assist with the development of a national mental health policy through close cooperation with the Maldivian Health Ministry and Professor Patrick McGorry - one of SMA’s surfing psychiatrists. This has lead onto further projects including assisting with the clinical development of the Ambulance Service and Emergency Department at the Indira Ghandi Hospital in Malé.