Thomas A. Crisp MBBS

Tom Crisp graduated from the Royal London Hospital with a BSc with Honours in Physiology in 2960 and MBBS in 1973. His first involvement in sports medicine was in 1970 when he prepared a First Aid kit for the Royal London Hospital RFC.

Following graduation, Tom had a number of hospital jobs before spending a year in Australia as a GP. He was appointed as a Principal in General Practice in Chelmsford in 1980. 2 years later he was looking after Essex County Cricket. In 1984 he did the BASM Scotland Introductory Sports Medicine Course and returned to the Royal London Hospital to do his Diploma in Sports Medicine in 1986/7.

In 1987 Tom went with England Hockey to the European Championships in Moscow. His continuing involvement in Sports Medicine led to him making the major decision to give up his promising career in General Practice for the uncertainty of a career in an unrecognized specialty. Tom has worked for Eastern Counties and London Division Rugby both as a Physiotherapist and Doctor. In 1991 he was involved with the World Student Games in Sheffield and became Chief Medical Officer for the British Team for the next 4 Games and has been a member of the FISU Medical Commission since 1997, attending 20 World University Games and 26 World University Championships.

He has been their Director of Anti-doping since 2011. Tom was HQ Doctor for the 2-year build-up to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and Chief Medical Officer for Team GB at the Paralympics in 2000. He has always fought for the recognition of Sport and Exercise Medicine as a Specialty and was a founder member of UKADIS. He was made a Founder Fellow of the Irish Faculty in 2002 and the UK one in 2006. In 2011 he became the first SEM Consultant to be awarded the FRCP based on his SEM work rather than from a background in Rheumatology or another major medical specialty.

Tom has worked in several Sports Clinics in Essex and London for the last 30 years and from 1998 to 2017 worked for BUPA Wellness for 3 years as their Medical Director of Musculoskeletal services. Whilst there he developed his treatment of ultrasound-guided high-volume injections for Achilles and patella tendinopathy and has successfully treated more than 1000 athletes. He is a Senior Lecturer at the University of London Queen Mary College Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine and has been a Medical adviser to several Health clubs and fitness equipment manufacturers.

Tom has played a very active and instrumental part in the British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine (BASEM). He has been a member since 1984 and helped to organize many of its conferences. A keen educator he took over running the BASEM Introductory courses at Lilleshall from 1997 – 2003 as the Senior Clinical Tutor. In 2012 when BASEM faced a financial crisis he was co-opted to the Executive Committee to act as Chairman. At the next AGM, he was elected to Chairman and over the next 3 years, he worked tirelessly to steer the Association back to the strong position we enjoy today.