The Cambridge Orthopaedic Club was formed in 1982, the primary aim of the Cambridge Orthopaedic Club was to provide an opportunity for past and present trainers and trainees to meet together annually for both an academic and social meeting.

The inaugural meeting of the Cambridge Orthopaedic Club was in the University Graduate Centre in 1982, with Alan Murley as president. Since then the Cambridge Orthopaedic Club has expanded and members now include past and present trainees, as well as trainers.

Currently the secretary of the Cambridge Orthopaedic Club will return as the president of the club at the annual meeting 13 years later!There are many notable member of the club, such as Dame Clare Marx (president of the Royal College of Surgeons 2015) along with several past and current presidents of many of the orthopaedic subspecialty societies (for example BOA, BASK, BHS, BOFAS, BSSH, BESS and BTS).

It is the responsibility of the current trainees to maintain the standards and traditions of the past, with both their excellent contributions and presence at the meetings.

In the early days of the NHS, the aspiring surgeon worked exclusively with an individual Consultant on a “firm” for the whole of what would now be called Higher Surgical or Specialist Training. After pre-registration and registrar posts, trainees would then become senior registrars before being suitably appointed as a Consultant when a vacancy arose. As surgery became more specialized it was felt that future surgeons would need to work for more trainers to gain experience and so moving between firms between district general and teaching hospital posts were created but there were no formal rotations.

The rotation started off as a Senior Registrar rotation in 1972 initially as a 2 year post. Previously in 1970-71 there was initial contact with Richard Howard from Norwich but this failed to progress and the post went to London. The 2 year rotation started with Cambridge and Black Notley and slowly expanded. Gradually previous registrar rotations expanded to include Peterborough in 1980 and Ipswich in 1989 and by 1990 had become part of a 4 year Senior Registrar rotation of Cambridge, Black Notley, Peterborough and Ipswich with the West Suffolk joining in 1991. The Calman reforms in 1995 introduced seamless training and career registrar and senior registrar rotations were joined into a 6-year training programme.

David Dandy was the first training programme director and with Murray Matthewson oversaw the programme with Luton, Bedford and Kings Lynn joining around that time. Norwich joined in 1997 and the first trainee to go there was Fred Robinson. Colchester then joined in 1998 and Chelmsford in 2008. In 2016 posts in 8 acute trusts in the East of England but managed by Health Education London were repatriated back to the East of England. This led to the introduction of Lister Hospital in Stevenage and Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow to the rotation. Alongside the introduction of trainees to James Paget Hospital in Great Yarmouth, the rotation is now one of the largest in the UK.

The Cambridge Orthopaedic Club was primarily formed to provide an opportunity for past and present trainees and trainers to meet together annually socially and professionally. The inaugural meeting was in the University Graduate Centre in 1982 with Alan Murley as president. Since then it has expanded and all members now include current and past trainees as well as trainers. Currently the secretary of the club will preside over the annual meeting 13 years later! It is worth noting that club members include past and current presidents of the BOA, BASK, BHS, BOFAS, BSSH, BESS, BTS as well as the Royal College of Surgeons England (Dame Clare Marx in 2015).

It is the responsibility of the current trainees to maintain the standards and traditions of the past, with both their contributions and presence at the meetings.

Written with the help of Mr David Dandy, Mr Chris Constant, Mr Warwick Chan and Mr Jaison Patel