An orthopaedic discussion group, linking and teaching the orthopaedic community

Since its inception, the Internet has created many new opportunities for the dissemination of knowledge between individuals. One of the areas most affected by these changes has been healthcare, both in terms of service provision and in the arena of medical education. Other healthcare professionals have described the educational resources available on the Net but few have illustrated the advantages of educational and conversant interaction between members of a surgical speciality or the maturing process that takes place within that group. We describe how the initiation and continued development of an Internet-based discussion group has benefited the orthopaedic profession in Ireland. We identify problems detected to date and possible difficulties in the future of the discussion group.